How to Save a Life

During my time in Kamakura, in order to strengthen the relationship between the members and missionaries, Elder Rollins and I decided to make a card to every member for their birthdays.  If we had time during our daily proselyting activities, we would deliver these cards to each member's house directly on the day of their birthday; if not, we would give it to the member the following Sunday at church.  Little did we know that this practice would literally save someone's life.

One evening while planning for the next day, we realized the following day was Sister *Yui's birthday.  Sister Yui lived alone, an hour and a half away by bike. Although we had nothing planned all day, it didn't seem efficient for us to go all the way to her house to deliver her birthday card. We would be able to talk to more people if we stayed in the more populated areas of town and didn't spend so much time biking out there. We could just give her the card on Sunday next.

And yet Elder Rollins and I felt impressed by the Spirit that we should bike out there. So the next day, after completing our morning study and eating lunch, we began our bike ride to Sister Yui's house.  When we got there, no one answered the door.  I began to doubt the impression we had both felt the night before.  Why had the Lord told us it was so important to come out if this Sister wasn't even home?  We slipped the card in the door letterbox, and proceeded to knock doors in that neighborhood.

I further doubted the revelation we had received when not a single soul answered the door.  When the time came, we rode the hour and a half back to our apartment, ate dinner, and prepared for bed, feeling as if the day had been wasted.

But it would soon be revealed to us that the day had not been all for naught.  That Sunday, Sister Yui approached us, and with tears in her eyes gave us a handwritten letter.  She asked you not to read it until we had returned home.

Upon reading the letter that night, our eyes were opened to the omnipotence of our God.  Sister Yui explained to us that she had felt alone and despaired for some time. She had suffered from feelings of worthlessness and felt as if no one cared. She had decided that if no one remembered her birthday, she would commit suicide.

On the day of her birthday, no one had work remembered her birthday. She had returned home, fully intent on ending her own life, to find the card that Elder Rollins and I had made for her.

She knew in that moment that the Lord was aware of her and her struggles. She knew His love.

After reading this letter, Elder Rollins and I were overwhelmed.  Words cannot express our emotions: joy that we had listened to the Spirit, gratitude for God's infinite love, humbled that we could be used as tools in the Lord's hands, fear and dread at the thought of the outcome had we not listened.  Still to this day, when I think back on this event, I am overwhelmed with the wonder of it all.

Since that day, I have never once doubted my God.

The Spirit is the key. It will guide us to know how to serve and help, and SAVE others.

In Christ's name, Amen.

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*This Sister's name has been charged to protect her privacy.