July 6, 2010

A week of Suicide threats, domestic abuse, and a 911 call. So do I have your attention? I sure hope so.

We have been teaching a woman named Jackie for a while now, she is set for baptism on the 24th and has been super solid, coming to church and having us over every other day, and keeping her commitments. She has just been an incredible person. But she has had a rough past full of drugs, meth, crack, and alcohol. She has left all that behind and has started new. The only thing that she has struggled with is smoking, and it's only a cigarette or 2 a day. So nothing too serious. Conisidering I've taught people that smoke 3 packs a day.

Well she is the aunt of a very less active member, basically the only one that still loves her and that she has a good relationship with. Well she got in a fight with him and his wife, and they said not to talk to them anymore. So she felt like she had no friends. We went over to see her Friday night after we got a call from her crying and we were there til 10. So my spanish really came in handy that night. I had no idea she spoke spanish, but she does. She was on the phone while we were there and she said to the guy on the phone in spanish that that was her last day, and that she was going to kill herself. So when she got off I talked to her in spanish and told her it wasn't her last day, and that she would be alright. And it totally shocked her. She hadn't told us yet that she was planning on suicide. So we talked with her about the love of God, and then we gave her a blessing, and in it, I expressed God's love for her and talked with her about the atonement. Well we left that night, thinking she had no more intentions to commit suicide.

We got a call from her at 1 in the morning, and she said that she had taken a bunch of pills and that she just wanted to say good bye. So we called 911, and sent them to her house, but she wasn't there. Turns out she was in South Omaha and didn't know where she was. It was a very frustrating night.

So we called her nephew and his niece answered the phone, and said that the fight that they had gotten in with Jackie was over her getting beat by her nephew. So she told us that her husband was beating her. So we were up from 1 to 4 in the morning on phone calls. Luckily the next day we got to sleep in or else we would have been dead. So we didn't know what happend to Jackie, and Sunday she called us and told us she was home and doing a lot better. So I don't know what happened, we are seeing her tonight. But it was just crazy.

Basically the point of me telling this story is so that we can all realize how lucky we are to have the gospel in our lives. It truly does bless us. Especially if we live it! That is the most important part. It's not enough to just know about it, but we must live it and apply it to ourselves.

I read a really cool talk yesterday by President Monson from the conference in October, where he talked about doing something good daily for someone. He said that we are the Lord's hands here on the earth, and that it is up to us to help God's children. So I would challenge you to do something good for someone everyday, and then at dinner that night, share what you did. ;) I promise it will bless you.

Yesterday, I got up and made my comps some omelettes and toast, and that made me feel really good the rest of the day. So I promise you it does work. And you really do notice a change in your day.

I have taught so much Spanish people this week it's been awesome!!! I have been loving it. It is just so much more natural. I hadn't taught a serious lesson in spanish for a few weeks, and now once or twice a day I get to teach someone in spanish. It has been great. So we still have 5 people set for baptism on July 24th who are looking pretty good, with the exception of Jackie, but she'll bounce back she is a great person.

So that was the extent of my week. Crazy stuff was happening!!!! Glad to hear that the move is going well and that Justin is set and ready to go! He is going to have such a great time!!!! The misson is a really great experience! I love it! As hard and crazy as it may be sometimes.... the spirit is so strong, and the knowledge obtained will bless you for the rest of your life. I've really noticed how powerful it is to be a set apart representative of the Lord. We can go into horrible situations, where there is beer and drugs, and the spirit usually would leave, and teach a lesson with the spirit and be able to feel the influence of the spirit always. It's an amazing feeling.

I do love this work. I do love my mission! And I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and his healing power.

I love you all and miss you! And don't worry, I will be working my hardest these last few months. I'm honestly not trunky at all. Doesn't mean I still don't look forward to seeing everyone when I get back. ;)

Love,
Elder Moore