We dearly love this sister we meet with every Saturday morning to read the Book of Mormon. She has blessed our lives tremendously. She reminds me of the widow and her two mites (Mark 12:41-44).
Well, it WAS sunny this morning, but coming out of our second Sacrament meeting today we were surprised to see it dark and gray with buckets of rain pounding into the ground. We were rather tired from resting most of this week while Elder Blain recovered (ha, ha--it gets that way when you're penned up in an apartment), so we really wouldn't have gone to the other ward's meetings today, BUT we peeked in and there was this sweet, little sister sitting there all by herself with her crutches. She has been coming out faithfully alone since we first met her. She returned after many years of not attending and has the biggest challenges, so how do you leave someone like that alone? We don't understand why someone doesn't sit with her. People are nice to her and seem to genuinely love her, but I just don't think anyone notices. There are a few people sitting by themselves every week and we wonder if it is by choice or if they'd like to have a friend sit with them.
The speakers (Newcastle Ward) apologized for giving their talks twice to us, since the same three spoke in the first Sacrament meeting this morning (Stoke Ward). It turned out okay to hear them again, since we were crushingly disappointed (again) when none of those promising they'd attend showed up this morning in Stoke Ward and it left us a bit low in our hearts.
Right after Newcastle Sacrament meeting, a nice sister from Stoke ward came in looking for missionaries to teach a man she is dating! THAT turned the somber mood around and made our day! She said he lives in the Newcastle area, so she knew Newcastle missionaries would need to teach him. It is always nice to teach someone who asks to be taught.
As we drove home in the deluge, we thought how it goes against our natures to not be able to give members rides in the mission-owned vehicles because of liability. We know it wouldn't solve the problem of people getting to church for the long term if we did, since the ward could then become dependent on us, but it is tough to drive away and leave people stranded. It is really up to the wards to watch over their members and figure out how to get them to and from meetings, so we just have to accept we cannot take responsibility.
Knowing we couldn't offer a ride didn't help as we envisioned our especially dear sister getting drenched as she walked down the hill to the bus on her crutches in the pouring rain--so faithful and full of hope for better days for herself and her family. I have a feeling she'll be extra blessed for making the effort to attend.
D&C 84: Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect.
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