Last night I went to visit an inactive lady. My secretary had called her and tried to get an appointment. She told my secretary: "The missionaries are coming Tuesday night at 7pm. If she wants to come, she can come when they come." (She is a member, her husband is not.) I called the missionaries but they really didn't love the idea of me coming with them because these people haven't been real receptive, so they suggested I show up 15 minutes before 7, which I did. When she answered the door, I could tell she was not thrilled to see me. I introduced myself and included that I was the Relief Society president and asked if we could come in (I had brought one of her visiting teachers with me). She told us we couldn't come in and then said that when the lady called her she told her she didn't want me coming because she didn't feel good. I said, "No, that is not what you said. You said that the missionaries were coming and if I wanted to come I could come at the same time." She stood there and said, "Oh. Yes. That is what I said." So, since I knew she still would not let me in, I talked to her there at the door, which really just involved verifying some records and giving her a Relief Society newsletter and inviting her to church. She told me they were getting ready to leave to go to dinner. I thought, "Well it's a good thing I came early, because she was trying to avoid the missionaries too."
This lady has been on my mind ever since. She recently had a very dire tragedy in her life when her daughter's boyfriend committed suicide in their apartment. All the way home I kept thinking, "Don't you know how much having the church in your life can help you?" Going to church every week is how I keep going in this life. I gain strength by being around people who think the same way I do. I enjoy listening to the speakers and teachers talk about how we can improve our lives by living the gospel. It's comforting to know if I ever needed anything, someone would be there ready to help. Now granted, I am not a person who accepts help readily, but if I DID ever need it, I would get it. I think the other thing about going to church is knowing I am on the path to be able to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. I want to do that. One reason is because the people who came before me, my parents, my grandparents, etc. were good people. I know they lived good lives and did the things they should do so as to be able to live with God and Jesus. I want to live with these people too. I want to be a good person. I don't think it is hard to be a church-going person who is trying to be a good person. I think when we do not do the things we are supposed to do, we allow other influences in our lives and these things complicate our lives and drag us down. Some people think living the gospel is too restrictive. I disagree. Allowing things in our lives that control us is restrictive.
If I could say anything else to this lady I would tell her to please let the missionaries come in. Listen to what they say. Accept their invitation to come to church. Let the gospel work in your life. You will be a better and happier person
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2 comments:
I often worry about how my neighbors think of the church because I'm not always the best example. I sometimes gossip, or I am easily provoked, or I argue with others. I have alot of weaknesses. But one time a missionary said to me, "Just ask your neighbors what they think you would be like if you DIDN'T go to church." I think he's right. If I weren't trying, and weren't going to church regularly, I would be worse off than I am. Going to church just helps me to fill my spiritual gas tank so that I can get through the trials and temptations that come to me.
I admire your strength and your caring for others. I know that sometimes it is hard to ask for help. I also know that I am sooo stubborn and if someone were being too forceful and annoying me I would retreat in the other way. I don't know this lady, but she sounds a lot like me. My unsolicited advice is just continue to "pop" over and offer her a home baked treat or a word of kindness.... and NO mention of church or religion until you are about to leave... and then tell you that you would love to see her at church and offer a non-obligatory invitation to come to church. I know that would work for me, and I know that anything else would just push me away!! (I know, it is pathetic that I would be like that.)
I know that some people may call it stubborn, I call it DETERMINED. And if I were not like that, I would be in a worse off place in my life today..... My determination got me through some rough times....
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