Sometimes Success Comes Differently Than Expected
We, along with a young Sister Missionary companionship, have been working with a family that stopped coming to church 9 years ago. The wife/mother was offended by someone in authority and refused to come from that day. It is possible that the person that offended her didn't even realize that she took offense. We don't know who it was and don't need to know.
The rest of the family followed her into inactivity. She is a wonderful woman, pleasant and interesting to speak with. She is pretty open concerning her reluctance in coming back. We started working with them about two months ago. We stopped by their house and visited, always leaving a message of hope and understanding. Sometimes we read scripture with them. We always prayed for them and left a blessing on their home and family.
Then I became ill and we were not able to go to visit them. I recovered in about two weeks and just then Sister Black became ill with the same illness and we couldn't go for another two weeks. When we were both well enough to return we learned that the husband/father and both children had been attending, but the wife/mother still won't come to church. The husband/father was called and sustained as 2nd counselor in the Elders' Quorum the next week. It made my eyes leak. We had no idea it was happening, but I was happy to raise my hand to sustain him.
We will continue to work with the family with the hope that the wife/mother will soften her heart, forgive whomever it was that offended her and again partake of the sweet fruit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes our work doesn't seem fruitful, and sometimes we are startled at the positive things that happen when we didn't see them coming.
We love this work!
The rest of the family followed her into inactivity. She is a wonderful woman, pleasant and interesting to speak with. She is pretty open concerning her reluctance in coming back. We started working with them about two months ago. We stopped by their house and visited, always leaving a message of hope and understanding. Sometimes we read scripture with them. We always prayed for them and left a blessing on their home and family.
Then I became ill and we were not able to go to visit them. I recovered in about two weeks and just then Sister Black became ill with the same illness and we couldn't go for another two weeks. When we were both well enough to return we learned that the husband/father and both children had been attending, but the wife/mother still won't come to church. The husband/father was called and sustained as 2nd counselor in the Elders' Quorum the next week. It made my eyes leak. We had no idea it was happening, but I was happy to raise my hand to sustain him.
We will continue to work with the family with the hope that the wife/mother will soften her heart, forgive whomever it was that offended her and again partake of the sweet fruit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes our work doesn't seem fruitful, and sometimes we are startled at the positive things that happen when we didn't see them coming.
We love this work!
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