We never know

May 14, 2017

Zhong Li District, Taoyuen

Elder Gibson

I learned a pretty awesome lesson this week. We never know the influence and affect we have on other's lives. An adorable woman that I taught English to in San Chong got baptized on Saturday. I was so grateful to get to be there, and she told me why she decided to be baptized. She told me that one day, she had told me that we were talking about her beliefs. She said that she would just follow her parents or husband. I told her that she needed to decide what she believed. That was it. I honestly barely remember this conversation. But she said that she thought about that question all the time. After she started meeting with the sisters because she was bound and determined to find what she believed.  She then told me that as she learned about the Atonement, that she felt all of her burdens and pain go away. She told me that she had a son who died when he was a baby and it had always haunted her. She then said that as she asked God, she knew that her son was alright. Then she said something that made me cry. She told me that God had sent her another son (me) and that she knew what she believed now. I had absolutely no idea I could have had such an impact on her life, particularly because I only lived there for  a month. It has brought me a lot of comfort because honestly there are days that I feel like I accomplish nothing, but we never know the influence we have on others lives.
This week we also had a fantastic lesson with a part member family. We shared about mothers and Eternal Families. We asked each person to share about the role mothers had in their lives. It was incredible. They have had a really rough life, and the Gospel has really brought them together. It was so moving to listen to them all talk. Almost everyone was crying. There is nothing like the role of a righteous loving woman in our lives. Thanks Mom :) 
Love you all!!!