We've been working a lot with Sabrina, and she is SO prepared to be baptized! But the more we work with her so that she can make that important promise to God, the more Thomas (her husband) pushes against the church. Finally we decided to all fast and pray about what we should do, if she should be baptized next week. We got the answer that we should wait and it was super cool and awesome and full of the spirit. But then when she came to church yesterday she told us that Thomas had looked up a bunch of anti stuff online and got completely freaked out. And if she comes to church again he will divorce her. We are no longer allowed to meet with her or really have any contact with her. It's so hard to know that she knows it is true, but that Satan works so hard to make sure the God's children are miserable. Right after church we sat in with her while she got a priesthood blessing and then we just watched her walk away. It was literally one of the hardest experiences I've ever had on my mission.
But then as I was praying all day, and night about it, these quotes came into my mind. And as you, mom, and family know I'm not a lotr (Lord of the Rings) fan at all. SO it's pretty crazy that this is where my solace came from. But the quote is,
"It's like in the great stories, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness, and danger and sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand.”
I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something, that there is still some good in the world. And it's worth fighting for.
I really do know that there is good in the world. That there is hope. Even when the world would say otherwise. That's the great message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The atonement. It is there for each and every one of us, and we have to come to the alter and offer our whole souls unto him. But why hold back? There's nothing we can accomplish without him anyway. I know this gospel is true without a doubt. And even when these setbacks come, and they come often-even in missionary work- much like Jeremiah the words are in my heart like a burning fire and I can't help but proclaim the glad news of this gospel. I testify he lives. We will all live and that he has a very specific plan for each of us. And the spirit tells each one of us that this is true as we listen to his still small voice. I love you!
Love, Sister Terry
The first four pictures are from their visit to the
Como Park Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota
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| Sidney's title for this pic was "Sarabi" who is Simba's mom in the Lion King. |
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| Sisters Terry and Tingey and "a grumpy gorilla" |
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| At the Minnehaha Falls with Mark, Sis. Tingey and Sis. Smith |
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| The Mississppi River!! |
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