These are letters from Me to Eph and Amicherie. Just a few thougths from a few letters. Bits and pieces.
Tracy
10.2.2012 To Elder E in the MTC
:.....I remembered today something that was a huge lesson for me when I was on my mission. That was, it was time to rely on Him that will not fail to come to you in time of need, He who will always hear your cry, He who is sufficient, whom you can rely upon. He who will not fail. You will find that we fail you sometimes. I would become really sad, at the begining of my mission, that my family was not supporting me the way I thought I needed to be supported. Getting the most letters is not true evidence of who is being loved and supported. It is not a popularity contest to see who can get the most letters or packages. You are not in high school any more. You are soldiers of the Lord's army and you can not get caught up in the pettiness of that. We will fail you at time's Eph. I know that and I am really sorry that will happen or has happened. But you are loved more than you will ever know. We are proud of you. You can do this. You can handle the things that you have to go thru, because you will be force to turn to Him that is your true support, Jesus Christ.
Do you realize who is holding out His Hand to you? Do you feel Him send power unto you? If you can not than you are failing Him. Look unto your Savior who is your Captain. Look unto him. Prayer is your connection. Pondering is His way to talk to you. Fasting is your act to show Him that you want to be "enlisted and trained". Even one meal is an act that is recognized by Him. Think on that.
General Conference is coming up. You are closer than you have ever been to the head quarter of the church. This is one of the two times a year that many, if not all the 12 are in one location. The power that is in one area- not many miles away from you is profound. Prepare for a great "something". What that is will be up to you to hear. Listen, take notes, prepare yourself for your "General's" instructions.
You will be able to do this, and do so much more. You will hear my voice as I write to you, and hear my voice in your mind when you need it, telling you "It is time to get tough, it is time to stand up and be counted". Because I have more faith in your abilities than anyone else in this whole world. You are my Ephraim, my first son. The son that I knew I would have and would be named after a grand father that stood up, and toughened up when it was asked of him. You are that Ephraim also.
Be strong and be counted my Elder.
Your mother weeps for the loss of you in my home, but also could not possible want you anywhere else.
MOM"
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12.1.12 To Sister D in the MTC
"We went to Lincoln the other night, Readers and day and I, boys have yet to see it, and anyhow it was a very dialog movie. I actually loved it a lot. It made me feel that God truly has saved people to do great things in great times of need. I believe Lincoln as G. Washington where such men. I would assume that each of us has a mission to do in this life, how many of us actually try and reach and search to find that?
I have always felt that my mission was to be your mom. I had prepared myself; choose a good man that had a desire to live the gospel to help me fulfill that goal. The goal of a happy family. You were part of that success. And now you are preparing to fulfill your mission as a mother. Serving others, compromising, holding our anger, showing tenderness and love, putting others first, desiring the best and praying for and fasting for that someone is all part of being a mom. Sister DeCoursey,
You have arrived in Minnesota, You have your hands full and your mind fuller. You are in your new area and it is nearing Christmas. I know that you will have a great attitude about being there in the field.
.....Is this the way Our Heavenly Father is trying to get ---------- to listen and need him. Needing Father is one of the greatest things we can hope for. When we surrender all we have to Him and rely upon Him for everything, we have crossed into the world as He desire us to be.
Why would He want us to be so dependent upon Him? Wouldn't He want us to grow so we don't need Him? That is one of Mysteries of Heaven that I have discovered, is that when we stop relying on Him, we start to rely on ourselves, which we humans are than lead by the other influence in the world. So it is one or the other.
I love Pres. Pedersen's attitude in prayer and the examples of it he gave in his book. I'll send you some examples later. "
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To Elder and Sister D
Monday Dec. 10th 2012
Today I was on my way to the post office, as I pulled into the parking lot I started a woman that was walking by. As I got back into the car to leave the post office I noticed this woman crossing the street. I felt that I should offer her a ride. So I rolled down my window and asked her. She said that she would, but she was going to Pasco’s post office. I hesitated only a second and said, “Sure, I’ll take you.” I was going to have a very hectic day. It was the day before we were going to be leaving for Salt Lake City, UT. I knew that I would have so much to do, but if the Lord told me to help her it did not matter where I was to take her.
As she got in the car, I mentioned that the Lord was aware of her, because I did not do this very often. She explained to me that the reason she was over that way, is that she had just left the emergency room because she was having an infected tooth, and she was 16 weeks pregnant. She had been in pain all night and she told me that she had been praying like she has never been before. She continued to tell me that she had just gotten out of jail for not paying some fines. She lost her housing when she was in jail and found all her stuff on the lawn when she returned. Her 2 year old son was taken from her, and she had never been without him. She was being able to visit him 4 times a week for a few hours, but until she had permanent housing she was not going to be able to. Since she had moved her food stamp card was lost in the mail and she was hoping that it was at Pasco’s post office.
We arrived and I told her I would wait until she got what she needed and I would take her back to Kennewick. She came out a few minutes later reporting that it was not there. She would have to go back to the office and ask them to send it once again, which would take about 3 days. I started back to Kennewick and asked her where she lived and she said actually just in Pasco. We turned around and headed to her motel room that an agency had provided for her. I pulled into the motel on Lewis by the funeral home and across the street from the bowling alley. As I got out I was looking for cash to give her. I said I wish I had some cash to give you. Do you have any food. She told me she did not. I asked her to return to the car and we would go get her something.
We started on our way to Albersons on Court street. I pulled into the McDonald’s to get her some thing to eat. As we left, I was on the phone with Dalila the whole time arranging things at work to be done in my absents. I went to Gesa to get some cash, since the boys did not return my debit card after getting gas. As I was in the Bank she ate. As I returned. She said to me about the third time thank you. She said, “now that I have some food I can think straight and I can not believe that you are doing this for me.” I told her that the Lord was mindful of here. She said I had been visited in the jail by mormons, I had mentioned to her already that was the church I went to. She said that she did not tell many people this, but she had a six year old that was adopted by a mormon family, Tom and Darcy Pierce. I said to her, “Are you Serenity’s mom?” She said you know Serenity. I told her I did and that if it brought her any comfort, she was doing really well.
As we traveled to Albertson’s I told her a shorten version of Joseph Smith’s three steps to Faith, from his Lectures on Faith book. I told her she needed to have courage to make the changes that she needed in her life. That she has been surrounded by those from our church and she needed to possible think about why. I told her, she would need courage to make changes in her life and she could do it. That my parents had and it was a great thing.
We pulled into the store parking lot, shopped, paid for the groceries and traveled back to her motel. Before we got to the motel she asked me where the church was, so I drove to the stake center off of Court. We unloaded her groceries and as I left I put $20 on the dressers. We hugged and as I parted from her I hoped that she would go in and call the mission office and begin looking into the church. Her name was Pangy. I don’t know much more about her. She did mention that it was nice that she was not being judge and that she could be open with me. She was very very appreciative.
As I left my heart was full. I had always said to Heavenly Father that I would give more if I had. I have now and He put me to the test, and in one way I was able to help. I hope I did all He expected me to do. I have prayed for her. I arrived at the office half past noon. I stayed at the office till nearly eight oclock. I have had the energy I needed, the health that was necessary to have to sustain me. I have been blessed also.
Never miss up an opportunity to help another.
Here is another one.
Spring of 2009 I believe. I was leaving the post office here in Kennewick when I say a bum in the down town area. I never see homeless people down there. My heart strings were pulled and I prayed for the man. I hoped that he would be provided for. I thought about him quite a bit that day. I wondered why I would notice this man and why it was important that I think and pray for him.
The next day as I got in my car to head to work, I looked across the street on Vancouver and saw this same man. He was there before me, walking up the street. I prayed to Father to know what He wanted me to do. I was a woman and this man was street worn, you could tell. I drove down the street, but turned around before I got to the gas station on fourth and Vancouver street. I went up the street, praying to Father to protect me, and pulled over and walked up to the man. I asked him if he had eaten? He said he had not. I told him I would be happy to take him to get something to eat. He got in the car and told me that he had just moved back to this area and he was raised in the Finley area. He looked to be in his late 50’s early 60’s. He had a big cowboy hat and looked very much like a cowboy.
I pulled into Jack in the Box, I got out of the car and he followed me. I gave him $10 and wished him a good day. I drove off to never see him again. Odd isn’t it.
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Picture of Maggie in a blanket roll, in the "man cave" in the garage.
