Today I had a really sweet experience that showed me the power of faith. A few weeks ago we met a couple from the Philippines. The sister
missionaries had been telling us about them for awhile and I was so excited to meet them. I immediately adopted Manuel and Solidad, you can never have enough grandma and grandpas. Oh my goodness, they are the cutest, sweetest little old people ever! Anyway, today was the day they were to be
baptized. During church I heard that Manuel had been hospitalized. He has a lot of health problems and had been in the hospital since Saturday morning, no one knew if they were going to make it to their baptism. I found out later that this sweet couple had been the topic of many prayers. God hears us! Manuel made it! He was picked up from his house right before the baptism was to begin and would be taken home right after so he could rest. Manuel was so weak he could barely stand. He was helped in by four people and he was on oxygen, there were two missionaries, in addition to the man baptizing him because he was too weak to walk on his own or stand up again after being baptized. It brought tears to my eyes to see such great faith! He knew so deeply that the church was true and that he and his wife must be baptized that he would not let anything stand in the way, not even such extreme illness. I'm sure I was not the only one praying as he was buried in the water, holding my breath, and wishing to be in the water to help him. The most wonderful thing happened, a true miracle. When he came up out of the water he was no longer so pale, he didn't need his oxygen, and he walked and stood on his own. He looked so much better! He is still sick and will need rest, but I know the Lord blessed him for his choice!
I am grateful to have been able to witness such faith and miracles and I look forward to opportunities to work with and serve these sweet people who have adopted us in return.
#Indymormon #bookofmormon
The other day I found out my friends husband died from cancer. He is the fourth person in two years. Each time I have been there to mourn with the family, I have helped take care of the person when they were sick, provided meals and service, cookies, a listening ear, anything that I could do. This time I felt even more helpless. I am too far away to offer meals, service, or even fresh cookies. What could I do? Last night as I brushed my hip length hair I delighted in the length, a length I had worked and waited 4 years for, I marveled at the softness and the healthy sheen. I am in love with my hair. I wanted to see how long it was and I was excited to see that it was 25 inches! That was long enough to donate. I have donated my hair 2 or 3 times in the past, but i had stopped because I wanted long hair, really long hair. I finally had that. I didn't want to donate it. It was my hair and I was keeping it. I realized how selfish that was and decided I had to donate it. So I called up my neighbor this morning and asked her if she could get me in before I lost my nerve. I went over this afternoon and she chopped it off. I almost cried, I have come quite vain over my hair.
It was all worth it. I can't help much, I wish I could. More then anything I wish I could be there with my friend to hug her, help her, mourn with her, and just be with her, but since I can't then I can donate my hair to Locks for Love. My vanity is a small price to pay for the love I have for her and her family. Besides, it will be nice and cool and hair grows back. Usually. :)