How often do we really look outside our own little bubble we are in in our daily lives to notice others who are in need? I had an experience last night that opened my eyes in a few different ways. It made me think, "man, there are so many people who need me(us). Just a smile, a hello, a listening ear, an encouraging word, a friend, etc."
We took the Youth last night to a nursing home to do some service. We hung up some Christmas lights for them and set up a pretty display with hay and lit up deer. It didn't take long to do that, so we all split up in different groups and went around to the rooms. If there lights were on and they were watching television, then we stopped in to say hello and wish them a Merry Christmas...and sing if they wanted to hear it. :) One man really caught my attention. He was laying down and when a group of about 8 girls came into his room, he popped up right out of bed! He was so excited we were visiting him. He started to say "Wow, this is a great surprise." Then he started asking if his family was here to see him. Then he started to ask if his parents were still alive. Then he asked how many days until Christmas. He started crying and said "I am sorry, i am losing it sometimes. It is so nice that you guys are here. Thank you so much." He was so so so grateful just to have some visitors stop by and say hello to him. He loved it so much that it brought him to tears. Man, it made my heart break. Really. One of the girl's told me "I almost started crying!" That man touched my heart and i don't know if i can stop thinking about him. I really want to go back and visit him again. He kept asking "Do you want to say a prayer?" Over and over. We didn't, only b/c he could barely hear. When i spoke to him i had to get really close to his face and yell.
There was about five elderly people sitting in the front room when we got there. So, they really enjoyed watching us all set up the decorations. We gave them some hot chocolate and talked. We sang for them. They asked if we would come back for the Christmas Party and also asked if we would come back on Christmas Day. They just need love and friendship because who knows how often family comes to see them OR if they have family that even lives near. I just don't know there story and they act like they are starving for interaction.
One little old lady in a wheel chair wanted to wheel around my advisors 4 year old daughter. She put the little girl on her lap and one of the Young Women pushed her around. She loved it.
One of the Young Women invited a friend to the activity last night. She knows Spanish. They happened to go to a room where the gentleman spoke spanish. She and the older gentleman talked in spanish for awhile. He LOVED it. He probably doesn't get that often.
Our Personal Progress Advisor and I went into a room where this older lady was just laying there on her bed wide awake, making these low groaning noises. She has this twitch in her hand and so it was shaking pretty bad. We told her Merry Christmas. I didn't think she could talk by the way she was acting. She slowly reached her hand out to me and i grabbed it. She started pulling me in. Her other hand was sitting there shaking. She didn't say anything. I put my other hand on her hand that was shaking. As soon as i did that, she stopped shaking, stopped making her groaning noise and was just quiet. Then suddenly she started talking..."what time is it?" She said something else, but i don't know what she said. We started leaving and she acted like she wanted to say something, but couldn't. My heart ached for her too. :( I just wish i could make everything all better for them. It was such a good experience for all of us. The girls loved it and they want to go back next week for the Nursing home's christmas party. They want to be there for those who won't have family members coming to be with them.
Not only was that an eye opener, but the the Young Women here are so strong. So much stronger than i could've been at their age. Some of their stories about where they come from are humbling. Some of their stories break your heart. Some are inspiring. It's just incredible to me.
One girl in particular amazes me. She is 14 or 15. She told me that she is the only member in her family. And i asked her if her family used to be members. She said "no". I didn't ask her how she became a member, but i know it is really hard for her being the only one. And her family likes to say unkind things to her regarding her religion and beliefs. How SAD is that? Not only that, but she has the strength to know when to stay away from teen get togethers that she knows aren't situations she should put herself in. She has incredible strength. It amazes me. I don't know how she does it. Not only that , but her parents are divorced. Going through that alone would be hard. AND she has had to deal with stuff, like drugs, in her family. We didn't get into that, but she basically said she stays away from certain people at school and certain situations where she knows that stuff is involved. She said "I have dealt enough with that kind of stuff and i am just sick of it."
One other girl has a mom and dad who live in their own separate houses, a few houses apart from each other, but are still married. She see's how their situation is unhealthy. She notices it. She has an older brother who doesn't attend any church activities, except for church on sunday's mainly b/c his mom makes him go. Her mom still goes to church. Her dad doesn't. They come from very humbling backgrounds. Not only is she strong, but her mom is too.
It shows that there are so many people that seem to have so much going against them, but they can find strength in the Savior. They can pull out of those difficult moments and find peace with the gospel.
All i know is that i didn't have that kind of strength as a youth.
There is another girl here who only just turned 14, but babysitting is like a full-time job for her. She babysits any night of the week so she can earn money. She comes from a family who isn't well off at all. I think they get by just barely. She babysits as much as she can to earn money for herself. She takes care of herself. I think she uses that to go buy herself her clothes, and anything she wants to be able to feel like a girl.
There is a boy who goes to a baptist church here, BUT he comes to our youth activities every wednesday night. He come every wed. night wearing the same exact thing. A black pair of cotton black shorts and a grey cotton shirt. He wears tennis shoes that have holes in the front and his toes are sticking out. I was passing around a paper last night for the youth to bring side dishes to the Youth christmas party we are having next week. He came up and asked about it and looked at the paper and said "is this the sign up sheet?" I said , "yup, would you like to bring something?" He looked at it and said "I would, but i don't have the money to." I said "It's alright! Don't worry about it! We hope to see you there!"
I was talking to the leader for the young men about the Christmas Party we are having next wed. We are having a gift exchange. They don't pick a person we just exchange not knowing who it's from. We ask them to bring a $5.00 gift for it. This leader always brings a few extra gifts to put on the table b/c they are some kids who can't afford to bring gifts.
There are two girls who come from difficult and hard circumstances at home that have pulled together and are like sister's. They hang out all the time and find strength through each other and through the gospel. They help each other to stay strong. It's amazing.
There are two sister's here who go with their family on occasion to visit the elderly at the nursing home. They know what it's like to serve b/c their parents have made it a regular thing.
I know an elderly lady in our ward who takes care of her mother in her home. She does it b/c her brothers and sisters won't help. And they all live here in town. So, the responsibility is all on her. For her it is like taking care of a child again. She is stuck in her home all day long b/c she can't leave her mother there alone. This lady is in her 60's, probably close to 70, so it would be hard to take on that responsibility. But she does it. She knows it's the right thing and she loves her mother, so that's why she does it. Her husband is gone most days of the month truck driving.
One girl who is inactive, but is starting to TRY to come back...her mom and dad and her were active, but her parents got divorced. Her mom moved away and still goes to church, but she stayed here with her dad. Her dad stopped going and b/c of that so did she. But she is trying to come back. We are trying to strengthen her.
Once a month, the Young Women take turns and we go to Faith Mission. We take a bunch of food to a soup kitchen(where people go to eat who don't have money to feed themselves). The girl's prepare all the food for the people. This last time a couple of the girl's that went noticed all the tiny little kids that were there. They started to get tears in their eyes b/c of that. They really want to do a service project for those little kids by making tie blankets for them. Unfortunately we don't have enough time to do it before Christmas.
My heart goes out to so many of these people here. I ache for them. But at the same time it really makes me appreciate sooooooooo much what i have. I am so lucky. So many of them are inspiring and i gather lots of strength through their stories.
How often do we THINK people are fine when really they aren't? OR don't pay attention to the needs of others? How often do we just smile and say HI, HOW ARE YOU without really getting to know someone's story or background? Without really getting to know how they REALLY are? How often do we just keep going through life without noticing others around us? I have done it all too often.
I realize there are so many people who need ME and YOU. If we can just get out there and be friendly to someone, become someone's friend, help someone when you think they need help. Get to know someone you usually wouldn't get to know. Notice the person that's sitting there by themself and go over and talk to them. Instead of not acting b/c of fear, step up and do something b/c it's what you should do. It's the right thing. How many times have you brushed someone off b/c they don't "look" like someone you could hang out with? We are here to help each other. We can learn and grow and progress soooooo much by stepping out of our little bubble and helping everyone around us. By getting to know our neighbors and passerby's. Everyone is in need of something. Everyone is special in God's eyes and every single person plays a part in our Heavenly Father's plan. We can all help each other. We can all learn from each other. That's what our Savior wants us to do. He wants and needs us to help each other. He was the perfect example of that. His life was serving and giving. We should be doing the same. Through serving and helping and giving, we can find ourselves. We can become closer to God.
