September 29, 2014

We learn something new every day.  I think one of the most important things to learn is not to judge people by their appearance.  God is no respecter of persons and he loves us all, but because of the area we usually work in, it has at times been a struggle for me not to pre-judge others.

We have been watching an elderly man with a cane who walks by the church every day.  He sometimes stops and talks to the prostitutes who usually hang out on the corner.  Elder Lewis wanted to go and talk to him, but I didn't want to, thinking he was weird and scary.  I finally gave in and we walked over to meet him as he came walking down the sidewalk.  It turned out that he was a really nice older gentleman.  He told us that he walks every day because his doctor had told him to get exercise, and that he talks to one of the street girls because she is the daughter of a friend and that she is on drugs and needs help.    I felt small and embarrassed for having judged him but we had a really nice conversation and enjoyed getting to know him.  We invited him to come to church and gave him the Restoration pamphlet to read.  A couple of days later when he saw two of the young elders, he asked them for more material to read, and they gave him the Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  Recently we presented him with his own copy of the Book of Mormon.

One day this week, we sat on a cot, in a little trailer with no electricity or running water, talking to a good friend.  He was very distraught and cried almost the whole time we were there.  Life has not always been kind to him and he was suffering.  We encouraged him the best we could and we prayed with him.  Two days later we went to the bishops' storehouse to pick up some food for him.  When we tried to deliver it, he told us to come to a motel near by instead.  His mother and sister, both members of the Church, were there and had driven up from Georgia to visit him.  His sister told us that the day before she felt a very strong impression to go and visit her brother and so she and her mother got in the car and came.  It was wonderful to meet them and to see the joy on the face of our friend.  The next day at church, more family came to visit him and they took up about two whole rows of chairs.  The love of family is one of the best answers to prayers.  

On Wednesday we all had our quarterly interviews with President Richards.  Waiting in the lobby for our turn, with all the young missionaries, is a lot of fun and Sister Richards had donuts for everyone.