And She Went Forth to Teach...: Letter to President Packard July 8

July 8, 2013

Note from Karee's mom: Weekly Karee is asked to write to her mission president to let him know of their successes and happenings. This week was especially busy for her so she has asked that I share with all of you her letter to the mission president.

Dear President,

Sister Miller was really looking forward to seeing the fireworks and especially wanted to go to Boston to see them because she had heard that they are like nothing else. I thought it would be fun, but when we heard that we would not be able to go because we lived more than 15 miles from Boston I decided it would be better so that we could continue to work in our area.

The problem became that we didn't have any appointments really set up to fill the full day. We found ourself with some free time around 2 in the afternoon and we really wanted to be productive. SIster Miller was sure that everyone would be either out of the house or busy with family. So we sat in the car and prayed to know where Heavenly Father would have us to go. While we were praying, the name of a woman in the ward came to mind. She is older and lives in government housing. I didn't think that she would be out doing anything and there were also a few other people that we could contact it that building. One was a woman who we have talked to before. She has apparently had some contact with the Church before and actually lived with some members. We also had two other people who had approached us at different times that we could stop by to see. I suggested this woman and Sister Miller agreed. It just felt right.

When we pulled up we saw Sue (the woman who isn't a member, but has had contact with the Church) walking her dog. We called after her. She was so happy to see us and told us that she was sad because her mother and brother hadn't come to visit her yet. And later ended up teaching her the first lesson. She is a Jew and yet was very accepting of the story of the First Vision, actually she loved it!. We had just finished telling her the story when Ana (member who we actually came to visit) got out of a car and walked up to us. She asked if she could talk with us. We excused ourselves and followed her to her apartment. After we sat down, she started to explain why she wanted to talk to us. Through tears she explained that things between her children had gotten worse. She has three daughters, all of which seem to have rebelled against her. They leave their children with the grandma for days at a time. It has become really difficult on Ana. All of this was building up and then on this holiday the oldest had offered to take her to the lake. They went and were met with the two other sisters. All their kids played on the beach while Ana's daughters yelled at her for everything she was doing wrong. It was too much. She decided that the only way she could end this was to end her life. The whole ride home she was silent and planned how she was going to do it. She had made up her mind that she was going to overdose on her pills. Her heart was beating when she pulled up knowing what she was about to do. But when she saw us, her heart stopped pounding. Something in her mind clicked and she knew that Heavenly Father loved her and had sent us (the missionaries) to reminder her. By the end of her story, all of us were crying. We were able to talk to her and then let the bishop know about the situation. We have had contact with her daily and she is doing much better.

I could not believe how everything had lined up so perfectly. I know that it was not me!

Heavenly Father is so aware of each one of His children. He is aware of each of their needs, desires, pains and struggles. He allows us to go through hard things so that we can learn and grow. He will not give us things that we cannot handle. And when things get to hard, when we think we have to quit, He will provide a way. It may not be the way we expect and it may not be when we expect, but He always will.

I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father was able to use us as missionaries to help Ana. It was actually a very humbling experience. Humbling to have the calling to serve as a missionary. I always thought that missions were more about saving souls. Helping them remember who they are and where they are going. And I only planned to be the instrument by which the Spirit could manifest this to the people. Now I know that this is so much more. Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us. And when we don't think we can follow His plan by ourselves, He will send others. What a blessing it is to be a missionary. That I can see Heavenly Father's hand in my life and in the lives of others. I feel blessed that I could be able to see this special miracle.