Tuesday, September 10, 2013

A Lovely Scottish Connection in Carthage

     Dad and I were serving in Carthage on Monday, when a beautiful couple came in and wanted a tour.  We showed the 18 minute film, which is special in itself..He was a big fellow with an interesting speech impediment.  I notices hearing aids (too young for that), so then I figured he was hearing impaired, and his wife was a beautiful blond from Aberdeen, Scotland...(she knew right where Inverurie was, where Dad's  ancestors were from)  They really seemed to enjoy the tour, and in the martyrdom room they were really moved by the spirit..So touching...She proceed to share their story with me.
     She saw a Book of Mormon at her sister's home in a drawer tucked away...she pulled it out and read the testimony of Joseph Smith, about the first vision and something stirred inside, she really wanted to know more.  She proceeded to read the Book of Mormon and actually had a testimony of it before she ever took a lesson.  Finally she had missionaries teach her and she decided to be baptized...But she knew that her family would disown her if she did.  Her father had a falling out with a brother and hadn't spoken with him for over 40 years...she was petrified to tell them...and yes they did disown her.  She hadn't been baptized yet, but was at the church to play volleyball with other young adults, when she saw her (to be husband) in the hall way.  She said their eyes locked and everything became silent and she knew he was going to be hers eventually.!!!  He had the same experience...They only spoke a few words to each other...but later she had him baptize her..Then he was transferred.  She had to move out of her home.  They wrote when he got home and he invited her to America to meet his family...her family heard about that and the father and mother forgave her and had her come back home before she went to America.
      They have raised a beautiful family, and the Grandparents say there must be something good about this religion to raise such wonderful children...We talked about the amazing pioneers who sacrificed all for the gospel, but she is a modern day pioneer who sacrificed her whole family for the Gospel...The Lord blessed her, and many of her family members have joined the church and the parents hearts are surely softened.  We have experiences like this daily...Wonderful, faithful people who who love the Gospel and are here to gain strength from the Saints who came before...Wow!  I love this mission!  G'ma

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