Because we are Willing, We are Asked

This time last year, we were still unpacking from our move. I was re-reading my journal entries this morning, recounting my emotions a year ago. Sometimes I do that--to see how far I've come.

I was so relieved to be back home. Idaho had been a trial and a blessing for our family. All of us were so grateful to be home in Colorado. I wondered in my journal at our Idaho experiences, and even then took comfort that all things happen for a reason. A year later, as things have unfolded before us, I feel the same way.

The events of this week have again, opened my eyes and helped me to see things as they really are.
While in Idaho, we had the opportunity to be involved in sharing the Gospel with our new friends there...a divorced young mother of 4 became our friend and was baptized, and a playmate of Arianna's who lived down the street from us also was baptized. Her parents were members, tho not active at the time, allowed her to rec'v the missionaries and be baptized. Both of those families became our friends.
Since we've been home and reunited with old friends and made new ones, we've had the opportunity to share the Gospel and our testimonies with them too. In January, you will recall, Diana's friend Taylor rec'd the missionaries, gained her own testimony, and was baptized. Then this past Spring, a friend of Dara's (T.) also rec'd the discussions in our home and was baptized.
This past Spring, one of Diana's old friends (Kate) from middle school began coming around. We welcomed her in, got reacquainted with her and came to know and love her. She began spending more and more of her time in our home...and came to know the missionaries too of course, because I love missionaries. So she's been here observing them and us and began asking questions about the Church along the way. We answered as she queried...not initiating the conversations but not shying away either. We know what we know.
Sitting around the dinner table we eat, play games, laugh till our sides ache and just have a good time. There's no agenda other than to share our time together.
Well last week Kate was asking more questions when Diana just asked, "Hey, you wanna get the missionary discussions?" Kate asked a couple more questions about what that entailed and then agreed.
Since she already knew the missionaries it wasn't hard to just go from there. Last night we had the privilege of witnessing a most powerful pouring out of the Holy Ghost in our home as the missionaries spoke of the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation. Even now, I feel the residue of the evening. The elders invited Kate to read a selection of 3rd Nephi 11 and simply pray and ask Heavenly Father if what she was reading was true. And they promised her sacred blessings. So after they left, we all separated in the house and went about the evenings' duties.
Diana and Kate went to her room where Diana listened to Kate's feelings about the lesson. Kate said she's "never felt as happy or as light as when she is in our home." Diana told her it's not US--it's the Holy Ghost that is in our home because we try to do what's right. And then they read the pages of 3rd Nephi together. Diana then asked if she could say a prayer with Kate and then Kate could offer her own. Kate agreed. It was exactly what Kate needed.
When the two of them surfaced from the basment, Kate was beaming. Smiling ear-to-ear. She is going to pray about being baptized this next Monday. She heads off to college on Wednesday.
I get a lump in my throat from the gratitude I have for just being able to witness her spirit glow.
She is feeling after the Savior. She wants to feel His love for her. To know He knows her by name and knows her heart.
And He does. I know that because He knows me and the desires of my heart and the cares of my heart as well.
As I pondered these past few days, a thought came to me that I am still sorting out, really.
Our family is not one of those families that is "one of the cool kids"--we're not financially prosperous--in fact, I am sometimes intimidated by the wealth in our ward; there are no Sports stars in our family, or musical protegies, or academic geniuses...we're just a simple family really.
It seems to be that the one thing we are consistently able to do is share our testimonies with our friends and bring them to the place where they too gain faith and a testimony. It comes natural to us. It is not contrived in the least. We just go about our day, open our doors and hearts and somehow that simple behavior affects those who come in our home. I don't know how it all comes together like that, but it does.
We are the same no matter where we live...isn't that a good thing? Even when life is a challenge, we are firm in our faith. We can share our joy in the Gospel even while going thru trials that rock us to the core. I feel like we are placed where we are placed, by Divine guidance, because maybe this is our work to do...and because we are willing, we are asked. Does that make sense?
Just this morning I had the thought come to me that this will be our family's legacy...we won't have trophies covering the walls of our home for sports or music or academia (altho we certainly do have a few little ones!) but our door is open & our hearth is warm and hopefully it will be worn out from the many friends who pass our way and share a taste of heaven with us before they go...I hope they count it a blessing for coming our way in the first place.
This life comes at us pretty fast, if you have something, anything that blesses your life, don't ya wanna share it with people who come your way? That's the willing part...