A few years ago, my companion at the time and I taught a woman in her small apartment in Fremont, California. Her name was Maria. When we first began talking with her, like most people we contacted, the light of Christ was present - we not only saw it, but more importantly, felt it. Maria woked full-time, while caring for her special needs daughter, who took up the majority of all her other time and energy. It was during that phase of my mission where I began to truly witness the tender mercies of the Lord in the lives of not just myself or that of my family, but in others as well.
Because of her schedule, we visited her once, sometimes twice a week. Our lessons with her always went well and we could tell that she was being very receptive. She would always express how much she loved God; and even though her young daughter would be impaired for life, it made her love and cherish her even more. She would often tear-up in expressing how much she had been blessed throughout her life because of a loving heavenly parent and that her daughter was her miracle and motivated her to keep going.
However, there came a point where Maria had to realize if what we were teaching her was true. The last time we saw her she came to her door and told us not to come back, saying that she felt that our message was true, and despite it's validity, it went against her whole upbringing as a Catholic. After a few minutes of her explaining to us her reasoning for not wanting us to return, my companion and I got the reassuring feeling through the Holy Spirit, that she would some time in this life, accept the gospel and be baptized.
Disappointing as it may have been to not finish teaching her the lessons and seeing her baptism, we knew that in time she would accept it and truly understand the love of her Heavenly Father.
In 2 years I came into contact with many many people. Many people rejected our message openly and sometimes offensively; some gave half-hearted attempts in keeping commitments; some progressed far into the lessons and had baptismal dates. Some I was privileged to see accept the gospel and eventually enter the waters of baptism; some I had the choiced experience of witnessing their sealing in the temple for time and for all eternity. And then there are a select few, like Maria, who accepted the gospel in their hearts - but it wasn't their time.
Sometimes each of us are instruments in the progression of God's children. It may be an initial salutation, or a smile, or a discussion, or bearing simple testimony. We were instruments in the Lord's hands during those months we taught Maria. And it is evidence to me of a loving Heavenly Father to have the sweet assurance of knowing that Maria will come to know the truthfulness of the gospel. Knowing that gives me great comfort. <3
