Razmatazz Rachel!

Her favorite word! "Razmatazz" popcorn!

Her emails this past week said a couple of things I have been thinking about this week, so I thought I'd include them:

We have been working with a Less-Active family in our ward who we have been struggling to really connect with. This past week we talked about how we need to become like Christ and strive to develop Christlike attributes, and then we gave them a worksheet to fill out as they studied and then chose a specific attribute to work on. The oldest daughter who is 19 really connected with it! She was even posting on Facebook about doing "homework from the missionaries.!" ha! And then the mother was at church on Sunday. We hope that this was a turning point for them in their activity in the church. Developing a Christlike attribute is really a form of repentance. We are acting on our faith and changing our life to become like the perfect example of our Savior. When we stick to the core doctrine and gospel of Jesus Christ, that is when people are most motivated to change.

Tori went home for her first time since being baptized. She was really nervous and didn't know how her family and preacher (who was also a father-figure to her) would take it. We have been receiving updates from her the past couple days and she is doing great. She had a 6-hour talk with her mom about it and it didn't end with any harsh feelings. Sunday she knew that her preacher's church conflicted with the time of sacrament meeting, but what a blessing that the churches were across the street from each other! So, even though she was scared to do it, she left her preacher's church and went to sacrament meeting and then went back after. She said that she found a wonderful family during sacrament meeting that helped her a lot. We are forever grateful for that family! Even though we don't know who they are, we are so thankful that they took Tori under their wing. They may never know how much good they did, but Heavenly Father orchestrated that perfectly. I don't know what happened, but I imagine that they noticed that she was new and simply went up and introduced themselves to her. Something as simple as that can go a long way.



Reading this experience of Tori, a brand-new member, reminded me that when someone we have never seen walks into church on any given Sunday, you don't know what their background is and what they need that day.  But if we reach out in love always to everyone, no matter what, our Heavenly Father will put people in our path who we can help. I hope and pray that I and my family can always be there for anyone who needs love, a smiling face and an invitation to sit with us when they come to church. It is so important.