July 4, 2011

for sure i loved the story about the woman who bore her testimony in sacrament meeting, thanks dad. it is comforting, there is a less active family here that we have been doing a little bit of work with. their story is a sad one. in short, they joined the church and were as golden as gold could be. they advanced very quickly, the dad quit drinking and smoking cold turkey, they joined the church, the husband received both the aaronic and melchezidek priesthoods, the wife was very active. their teaching records said they were very powerful forces in the ward, they were the cause of introducing many (now very solid) families to the ward. From the day they gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon to the day they left the church, they faced so much opposition. never have i heard of so much persecution in these days for one family, they lost all of their friends, were disowned by their family, almost kicked out of their home, the husband was threatened with the loss of his job, and many other things. i guess it was too much for them, they failed to overcome it and it overcame them. he still has his job, and they still live in the same house but they have banished from their mind forever the testimonies that they once had. 

I guess it was too much. It makes me wonder what things God had in store for them if they would have stayed faithful. it was painful to sit in that lesson and hear them deny completely that they ever had a testimony of the restored gospel. the wife attends some happy clappy church now and the husband stays at home. the lack of the spirit in that home is so apparent. we asked them if they were happy and they said they have never been happier, but i know it was a lie. 

they will come back someday, sadly, the road is far more bumpy where they are going than it would have been if they would have just stayed true. they have denied the testimony that they have, but they can't deny the truth forever. someday it will come back to them and they will change again. the story you shared with me makes me have so much more faith that they will be back. 

sister clendon and i are having a great time and are finding many people, our joy is preaching the gospel and we are preaching it a lot! mom, i think i got the package unless there was another surprise one. thank you for the ensigns, everyone was so thrilled. the coconut one came, and the other one too. but if you want, you can send me another !!!! i will never say no to a package. 

be sure the family knows we pray for them too, love you all, thank you for being christlike. 

peace and blessings
sister blum

we need miracles here, please pray for our father led families! they SERIOUSLY NEED as much blessings as they can get.