Well, another week has flown by, we don’t understand where the weeks go when the days go kind of slow? We were on the afternoon shift this week and consequently it was a little bit slower-the Elders & Sisters (missionaries) all come during the morning shift and by afternoon this group of people (from the Valencia and Santiago areas) did most of their work before 4:00 pm.
On Monday we went with the Lunt’s to lunch and had an enjoyable time-we have found this “Turkish” diner where they have kabobs that are out of this world. It is located in the same mall where there is the huge “European” Wal-Mart called Carrefour, so of course, we had to look in the store for something that the women could spend their money on? Do they need it? No, but it’s a good deal!
On Wednesday morning, I had just started the wash and returned to the apartment to eat while it was going, then I would return and put everything in the dryers. While I was just starting to eat, I heard a knock on our door, Mom was in the bathroom and I had just put on my old sweats and a “T” shirt. I answered the door and there stood a young lady (mid 30’s) looking like she was very troubled. She asked me if I would give her a blessing to help her feel better, she was staying in the Hostal. I told her that I could probably do so, but needed to change clothes and if she would wait at the end of the hall, I would come get her in a couple of minutes. Mom got ready, I changed to a shirt and tie and went down to the end of the hall to get her. She came in to the apartment, sat on the couch and began to tell us her story (Spanish of course). She had become very depressed and didn’t see much value in continuing her life, she saw herself as being a failure and thought that the Lord had let her down and she had said some things about Him that made her feel like she had lost all hope. She had been in the Temple the day before, but had tried to leave during the middle of a session, but the workers wouldn’t let her and she had vowed that she would never return to the Temple. She had been coming for about four years at least five to six times a year for a week at a time.
During our conversation I could feel that she still had some spirit or she would not have been searching for a blessing and would have already done something more drastic. She didn’t buy that the Lord still loved her, because her patriarchal blessing had not been fulfilled. She was told that she would marry and have children and to date she had neither. We talked about many things and if she were faithful what opportunities she might have in the future. She was not very receptive to this as she had been told this before. I reminded her that our patriarchal blessing can be a road map for our lives, but all of the events/blessings may not happen at the time that we think they should-that the Lord has His own time table. We talked a little bit about life and how our bodies, our minds and our spirits are all connected and when one suffers the other two also begin to suffer and we begin to question the worth of our soul/life. I think she believes that she is a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father, but that she doesn’t deserve any of His blessings at this time with some of the things she has said and done. I asked her if she was praying and reading her scriptures, she told me yes….but that they weren’t helping. Well, to make a long story short, I had her write her name down so that I could pronounce it correctly in the blessing (back to this later). I gave her the blessing (first one in Spanish), I don’t really know what I said (hopefully, she did or at least felt the spirit with which it was given). When it was over we had kind of a group hug and we held her hand and told her that we loved her and that she was a chosen daughter of God, for she had been saved to come forward at this time and that her love for the Temple would return. She left our apartment still with many doubts and we didn’t quite know what to think.My thoughts kept at me that I need to let someone know about her condition. She had mentioned the “s” word and I certainly did not want to be the last person that saw her alive. After about forty-five minutes I couldn’t wait any longer and I went to the Temple to see President Howard. I gave him her name and they called her Stake President, he was aware of her situation and he knew that her Bishop knew also. We arranged for one of the sisters from her same stake to check on her and to assist her. We went by her room on the way to the Temple that day, knocked on her door and in about a minute the door opened. We had woke her up, but she invited us in and we talked for a couple of minutes. She said she felt a little better, but would be going home on the bus Saturday morning. We again expressed our love for her and left.
The next day in the Temple, we saw her there in the office area. I went up to her and was surprised to see a totally different woman. She had the countenance of an angel and was preparing to go on a Temple session. She gave me the "customary" kiss on both cheeks and wished me well as I did the same to her. On Friday and Saturday she was again in the Temple doing the work for her ancestors. I asked her when the bus was leaving, she told me she had decided to stay another week. Needless to say I was flabbergasted and humbled at the same time. Here was a beautiful daughter of God, who had found her way back home, was humble and striving to make the most of her time here.
We have wondered why did she come to our door? Why would she choose to tell her whole life story to total strangers? Why, Why, Why? We have come to the conclusion that the Lord is mindful of each of us as His children and will present challenges and opportunities to all of His children to help them grow. I am sure that we needed this experience to learn from, speaking 100% Spanish was a challenge, yet as we talked, I know I used words that I didn’t even know and whether or not she understood what I was saying, our spirits were communicating. Often times we are too proud to ask for help, cheating ourselves and others (that will have the opportunity to serve us) from blessings that await them. We are humbled to have been reminded of this lesson again. One should not fear that he/she cannot do everything for themselves and there is someone/somewhere that is also being prepared to serve and to learn from the experience. Hopefully, we will have her to lunch in the next couple of days to continue our friendship.
It was good to see that the boys still have it going and were able to defeat Wyoming. The MTC President, President Hill, tells us that our old friend Stephen B. Allen (True Blue) is coming over to visit the Spain MTC right after General Conference. It will be good to see him and we'll probably take time to sing a chorus or two of "Rise & Shout."Also, this weekend was the Madrid East Stake Conference. The stake that we are assigned to has nine wards and two branches. Every possible lnook and cranny had a chair and there was someone sitting in it. I reminded me of the days of our service in the University of Utah Singles Stake. There, there were about 1,400 members and for every stake conference there would be around 1,800 in attendance…of course, there was usually a General Authority presiding. This conference was presided over by the Stake President and he did a wonderful job. After the session, for several hours, the members hang around the area (of course, some have come from up to two hours away) and talk about the proceedings.
That is certainly different from our conference sessions…most are in a hurry to get home to eat or turn on the television. To walk around the Temple block is a special time and to feel of the added spirit of the members….it’s as if they don’t want to leave. We invited Berkley & Sharon Lunt and Brent & Jeanne Lyman over for dinner.
They are wonderful people and we have grown really close to them. The Lyman’s go home in about a month…they have arranged to travel part-way on a cruise ship during a re-location voyage. They go from the Mediterranean to a port in Texas, then the church will pay for them from this port in Texas to their home in Arizona. It will be sad to see them leave (they have been here for two years). We also talked with Scott & Malia,
Kristy & Miles + family and Paul & Kellie + family via the webcam. We found things to well in their lives and are always excited to see them, hear their voices and tell them to their faces how much we love them.Families are FOREVER, we look forward to sharing many more wonderful times together. The Lord has truly blessed us abundantly with the necessities of life. 
Our lives would not be near as joyful without each and every member of our family (this includes our children, our children by marriage, our grandchildren, our parents, our brothers and sisters and extended family members). We love and appreciate each and everyone of you, thank you all for your prayers, love and support.
Love Mom & Dad
1 comment:
That is a very neat story about that girl. You most definitely were a blessing to her. That's very special.
I HATE the webcam!
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