A Babysitter Who Made A Difference

A babysitter who made a difference but never really knew it. Both My son and daughter babysat for a friend of mine and she thought they were incredible kids. They are! She asked me how I raised such great kids and so I gave her a pamphlet titled "For The Strength Of Youth."
She was amazed at the standards and wondered why they would live by them or would they? Well, that was six years ago. Since that time my son and daughter who babysat only a few times for her had attended Brigham Young university(BYU) in Provo, Utah and she knew that. Over this past summer she decided to take a driving trip and headed towards Utah. I'm not sure why. She came to the city that said Provo and Brigham Young University. She decided that she had done enough driving and she was going to take her kids to see BYU. She took them to BYU and ended up staying the night in Provo. She said she was extremely impressed of BYU. Well, last week I met up with this friend who I haven't talk to for at least a year and she told me about her trip to Provo. Her next comment was 'You are so lucky to be a Mormon! I wish I could be a mormon." O.K. here I am in Smart and Final, a grocery store and have THE PERFECT MISSIONARY MOMENT! Lets just say an hour later I testified to her of Jesus Christ, committed her to read The Book Of Mormon, told her about celestial marriage, the word of wisdom, the youth program and so on. I told her she needed to come to church to see the primary program and of course the most important sacrament meeting on Oct. 22... Tyler's Homecoming! She said she would LOVE to come! She told me to email her the dates and the times and how soon could she get that book....The Book Of Mormon. Well, as you know, I do have a connection on getting that book in a matter of seconds. I used my cell phone, called my friend and said I'm driving by your house in a matter of seconds and need a Book Of Mormon as fast as you can. No Problem she replied and handed me a copy of The Book Of Mormon all wrapped up with wrapping paper, bow and a red pencil! I was due to meet my friend from the grocery store at The Strawberry Man after school. Which was only in a matter of minutes from leaving the grocery store. The school traffic was a night mare and I couldn't get to The Strawberry Man fast enough. My heart was pumpin with excitement. I had called my husband and he said make sure she reads this book to gain a testimony not because she wants a social group for her kids. I got to the strawberry man and she was not there. I knew because of traffic she had gone. I DON'T GIVE UP! I drove to her house. I got out of my car and my 3 boys were with me and told them what I was doing. They were just as excited. So...I get out and she comes out as she had seen me and with great excitemnt she could not believe I had time to wrap this beautiful book for her and then drove it to her house. Who is she kidding!! O.K. So here I go...I want you to know that the only reason you should become a mormon is to have a testimony of this book. This book is why you become a mormon. This is how you become a mormon. You don't join the church for social reasons, you join our church because you have a testimony of Jesus Christ. The title of this book says right here "ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST." I then told her if you will honestly read this book and pray you are promised that you will receive an answer testifying to you that the things you read in this book are true. She said to me "I wouldn't join your church for social reasons." I explained to her that I loved her as a friend no matter what happened and if she had any questions to please talk to me first. Everyday, my husband and I are praying for her. Her babysitter is due to come home from his mormon mission in 2 weeks! He never thought he made a difference on anyone before he left on his mission and states "I wish I had done more before I had gone on a mission." Sometimes in life, we don't realize we are making a difference. I can hardly wait to see a difference in her life if she will read and gain a testimony. Little things do make a big difference. I told her that when her children see her husband having a drink every night that they will probably drink. If he was an example to them by not drinking that she would have a much lesser chance of her children even trying a drink. We are taught to SET by example and BE an example. That thought had never occurred to her! Imagine that. She said she had to go home and have a BIG TALK with her husband. I am waiting for a guy to come at my door with a gun! Just kidding! He's a nice guy and I look forward to hoping that he will embark on this excitement and how fortunate I am to have had such GREAT BABYSITTERS who set GREAT EXAMPLES! The interesting thing about this story is that we just had stake confrence and our stake president had told us to pray individually for our missionaries....I did. He told us to think of names and to act upon those names...I did. She was one of the names I thought of during stake conference. The Lord put her in my path. I hope that we can see how much we all MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

RACHEL AND THE RABBI

Well, where has the time gone? Since my last blog a lot has happened! I actually am only on here because my husband told me to go BLOG these stories now! So here goes...

Today I went to the tailor to pick up a pair of pants. A nice gentlemen asked me to go ahead of him. I thanked him and spoke to the lady Donna behind the counter and gave her a congratulations. The gentlemen asked what the congratulations was for and I said she had just had her baby. I then asked Donna if she was ready for 6 more babies and she laughed and said "no." Due to that statement he inquired if I really had 7 kids. I assured him that I did. He said to me "you must be a good catholic girl." I replied with a firm deep voice that you may know that I have "NO, but I am a GREAT MORMON GIRL!"Our conversation then went on as he told me he was a rabbi. I believe he said rabbi Doddick. He told me he was privilege to go through the San Diego Temple a few years ago. He was so impressed that he wrote up an article. He told me somehow that article got to Salt Lake City to an Elder there by the name of Elder Gordon. I let him know I knew President Gordon B. Hinckley and could that be the same man. "Yes, he replied. He said he talked to me and asked me if he could publish his letter in some church paper he had. He then told me that because of that being published many mormons wrote to him and how much he appreciated getting those notes. I proceeded to try to convert the rabbi by telling him some of the things that were in common with the Mormons and the Jews. He then told me "You know we are really one!" I thanked the rabbi for his time and told him it had been a pleasure meeting him and named off a few of my Jewish friends that I someday hope would join the Mormon church including this rabbi! What a peaceful feeling it is to share the Gospel in such great comfort as I knew the spirit was with me. As I left I could only think how lucky I was to be a "GREAT MORMON GIRL!"

O.K. if you are still reading this you can take a break, read on or quit! This is really MY BLOG for a talk that I may have to give in a Stake Conference and I have such a bad memory that this is to HELP ME!

I just lost the 2nd story I guess I'll be typing it again tomorrow as it is really even bettter than the Rabbi!