From Michael this week:
It's been a regular week -- just visiting a lot of people. The most exciting thing was yesterday. We were driving down to church when we passed a larger fellow on the side of the road in a big camouflage coat, a backpack and a black lab on a leash. He looked like he was having the most miserable day of his life. Elder I. suddenly flipped a U-turn at the next light and we parked down the road from him, jogged up, and asked if there was anything we could do for him. His head had been bowed, and he looked up and saw us and said "Well, let me tell you..." and explained he'd had a job taking care of a military man's house, which provided him with room and board. But he got notice that his services wouldn't be required anymore, so he asked if he could have enough time to apply to another job. He finally got a promising one that required some extra time for paperwork, but the military man's wife didn't like him and refused the time so he got kicked out on the street. This was two days ago, and he had walked from where he was up to Maple Valley, getting a bit of assistance as a hitchhiker, till he sat down absolutely sore and just prayed that something could help him out here. And we showed up just as he finished praying. So. We gave him $30, and after calling the Ward Mission Leader got permission to take him to church with us so he could get someplace warm for 3 hours while we tried to figure something out. He was trying to figure out a way to get to Indiana where he has family. Normally he could get a bus, but they don't allow dogs on any of the buses around here. At church one of the brothers said he had a lot of flight miles saved up and he could arrange for a plane ticket to Indiana within the week. The Bishopric then started making some phone calls to see about shelter during that week. Anyway, things haven't quite come together perfectly, but the bishopric has taken over right now apparently and he'll be able to get out of here within the week. But church was fast and testimony meeting and it was such a powerful meeting, and each testimony seemed to build on the one before it about listening to the spirit, and it all seemed to be very instructive to this fellow. Same with the other two hours. We did give him a Book of Mormon when we first met him on the side of the road and encouraged him to read it. He says he's not all that religious but sure. And we'd said a prayer with him on the roadside and I was crying, and he keeps saying how thankful he is and talking about his life story. Anyway that narrative is a little mixed up but you get the idea. I really do love that man.
Oh by the way the weather has been surprisingly wonderful -- we are supposed to get rain by now but we've had rain only in the night and the days have more often than not been partly cloudy with a beautiful sunshine blazing through. Often you can see Mt. Rainier over the Autumn treetops. And the wet world sparkles in the sunlight. Yeah. It's getting cold though.
It's been a regular week -- just visiting a lot of people. The most exciting thing was yesterday. We were driving down to church when we passed a larger fellow on the side of the road in a big camouflage coat, a backpack and a black lab on a leash. He looked like he was having the most miserable day of his life. Elder I. suddenly flipped a U-turn at the next light and we parked down the road from him, jogged up, and asked if there was anything we could do for him. His head had been bowed, and he looked up and saw us and said "Well, let me tell you..." and explained he'd had a job taking care of a military man's house, which provided him with room and board. But he got notice that his services wouldn't be required anymore, so he asked if he could have enough time to apply to another job. He finally got a promising one that required some extra time for paperwork, but the military man's wife didn't like him and refused the time so he got kicked out on the street. This was two days ago, and he had walked from where he was up to Maple Valley, getting a bit of assistance as a hitchhiker, till he sat down absolutely sore and just prayed that something could help him out here. And we showed up just as he finished praying. So. We gave him $30, and after calling the Ward Mission Leader got permission to take him to church with us so he could get someplace warm for 3 hours while we tried to figure something out. He was trying to figure out a way to get to Indiana where he has family. Normally he could get a bus, but they don't allow dogs on any of the buses around here. At church one of the brothers said he had a lot of flight miles saved up and he could arrange for a plane ticket to Indiana within the week. The Bishopric then started making some phone calls to see about shelter during that week. Anyway, things haven't quite come together perfectly, but the bishopric has taken over right now apparently and he'll be able to get out of here within the week. But church was fast and testimony meeting and it was such a powerful meeting, and each testimony seemed to build on the one before it about listening to the spirit, and it all seemed to be very instructive to this fellow. Same with the other two hours. We did give him a Book of Mormon when we first met him on the side of the road and encouraged him to read it. He says he's not all that religious but sure. And we'd said a prayer with him on the roadside and I was crying, and he keeps saying how thankful he is and talking about his life story. Anyway that narrative is a little mixed up but you get the idea. I really do love that man.
Oh by the way the weather has been surprisingly wonderful -- we are supposed to get rain by now but we've had rain only in the night and the days have more often than not been partly cloudy with a beautiful sunshine blazing through. Often you can see Mt. Rainier over the Autumn treetops. And the wet world sparkles in the sunlight. Yeah. It's getting cold though.
