Just a Coincidence

August 23, 2009

This is Jane and Jamie Wolf. They are both schoolteachers. Jane teaches second grade, and Jamie is starting her first year of teaching in Tennessee by doing preschool. We just sold Jamie this car and she is really excited! Jane’s husband, John, is an airline pilot for Delta who saw the ad in Craig’s List and checked out the car for his daughter. They are a neat family.



This is the member family, the Nelsons. They live two doors down from the Wolf’s! John Wolf spoke highly of them as neighbors and Jamie went to school with the Nelson daughter who is currently on a mission in Austria. John Wolf was the Nelson girl’s soccer coach a few years ago. We asked the Nelson’s if we could teach the Wolf’s in their home and they were agreeable.

Now, do you think it is just a coincidence that we put the car for sale in Craig’s List and that John Wolf just happened to see the ad and call about it?
DAD.



Mom says,
Last night we went out with the Elders on two appointments. They taught a lesson to David on keeping the 10 Commandments and Kathleen a lesson on temptation.

Two things were greatly different about our lessons last night than from other times we had gone with them.

First the elders shared with us what they planned on teaching: scriptures, lesson plan, etc… and then gave us a chance to read the scriptures and plan out what experiences we would like to share. It was so exciting to be prepared and be able to share things we had read from the Ensign or from the lives of those in the scriptures who had experienced the same things they (David & Kathleen) were going through.

The second remarkable experience was to see how the spirit had been working on both of them. They each had been pondering over things they were reading in the Book of Mormon and Bible and thinking about changes they needed to make in their lives.

Kathleen did great the first couple of days leaving her cigarettes alone then the temptation became so strong she had to smoke a few cigarettes between last Sunday and last night when we visited with her. She voiced her concern that temptation’s power had become stronger in the last week than when she first gave up smoking years ago. She couldn’t understand why it was so hard this time.

The elders read with her scriptures and taught her how the Lord will not allow someone to be temped beyond what they could stand. I shared the story of Jesus being tempted by Satan and how he experienced bodily cravings just like she was going through. You could see the light come on in her eyes. She connected the little voice in her mind telling her to “have just one” to being Satan’s voice. She also said it was getting harder and harder to pray because her mind wandered while saying prayers. I suggested she start praying aloud like Joseph Smith did in the grove.

She had just watched the video of Joseph and she instantly related to what he had gone through. She got excited and said she would. She also gave the closing prayer before we left. What a heart felt prayer. There was no repetitious words or contrite phrases to that prayer. It was straight from a daughter of Heavenly Father asking for his help and expecting through faith to get some. WOW! We all left her home very humbled to be allowed to teach one of Father’s elect.

David was waiting on his front porch for us when we showed up for our appointment. His wife stayed inside. She is not too thrilled about having the elders teach her husband. That is another story.

Anyway, the best is yet to be told. We each took turns reading the 10 commandments and just as all daylight disappeared and we couldn’t see one more word in our scriptures we finished reading about honoring our parents. David said he had been thinking about that commandment for some time and had past issues against his mother. Elder Allred shared something our mission president had taught him. It was new to me and so profound. When I heard it I knew it was true and it brought peace to David’s mind. It is this:

Most people think the commandment: “Honor thy father and mother” means to just do what your parents say and be obedient.

Elder Allred said if a father told his son to steal and the son did that, he would be obedient but no honor would be brought to their name because the son would have broken the law. When someone lives a good virtuous life and raises a righteous family then they honor their parents because they bring honor to their family name.

David just sat there nodding his head because he realized he had brought up 3 very good sons and by doing so had honored his parents. It was amazing to see the Savior’s Atonement bring peace and closure to his mind. He was a happy man after so many years.

Missionary work is a high for sure. We just love these good people. We miss our family and our dear parents but pray we can bring honor to them. Till next time. Love MOM.

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