Sister and Elder Hintze: 2/28/23

 

Monday, February 27, 2023

Happy Monday everyone!

Well, we knew we couldn’t stay on a spiritual high forever, and this week we were presented
with a few challenges. Most of our appointments were canceled and those we did have were met
with some very sad stories. So many of the people here are living in poverty and squalor. There
are many dilapidated trailers and run-down homes.

First, we met with a woman named Laura. She and her husband had a wonderful marriage. They
had eight beautiful children. He passed away just a few years ago in his early forties as a result of
a brain tumor. Her husband’s mother is in our ward. She then married his best friend, whose
mother is also in the ward. They have one little girl together, and she told us that the marriage is
now over. So, she is alone with nine children. What makes it even sadder, is that this once very
faithful leader and teacher is now questioning the very existence of God. She has stopped
coming to church and has taken her children out of all the youth programs. We are praying that
we can help her restore her faith.

We met with another woman named Amanda. We were amazed by her story and her great faith.
Her son was diagnosed with leukemia when he was eight years old. He went through intense
chemotherapy treatments until the age of 15. He had a severe adverse reaction to the chemo that
put him in a coma. He was unable to move or speak. The doctors told her that if he did ever
come out of the coma, he would be a vegetable. She refused to accept that and just kept her faith
strong and kept letting him know how much she loved him. She told us a story of one night
when she was completely exhausted, so she told the nurses not to wake her as she slept on her
son’s hospital room floor on a mattress. In the middle of a deep sleep, she heard him calling
“mama, mama”. She woke up and went to his bed, only to find it soaking wet. She felt so bad
that she had not made it to him in time. But when she turned on the light, she saw that the bed
was completely blood-soaked. His port had come out and he was losing blood rapidly. If she
hadn’t woken up when she did, he would have bled to death in just a short time. But he was
completely non-verbal and unable to speak, so she couldn’t figure out where the voice had come
from. However, she said she heard it as clear as day and was certain that it was his voice.
Angels were certainly attending them that night. He was so sick during those middle school
years that he was not able to go to school. By the time he finished his chemo treatments at the
age of 15 he had significant brain damage. So he never attended middle school or high school.
Jacob is now 23 years old. He is a very simple and very loving young man. He and his mama
(as they say in the south) have a great love and dedication to each other.

We ended our week with our first zone conference. It was a great day of spiritual learning.
President Farias and his wife, Ozani are from Brazil. We got to sit with them at lunch. It was
wonderful getting to know them. They had moved to the U.S. one year before being called as
mission presidents. When I shared with them a bit about myself, he asked me if I would share
my conversion story with the Elders at our next zone conference. He said he’s been looking for
ways to keep the spiritual mood during lunch. I guess the Elders can get a little rowdy at
timesѡѢѣѤ. I’m always honored to share my conversion story with anyone that wants to hear it.
We spent the day last Tuesday with our new friends, the Cairns. They offered to do the driving
to Atlanta. We had a wonderful morning in the temple. We loved the recent changes that have
been made to the endowment making understanding of the ordinances more easily understood
and so beautiful. Brother Cairns has known many Jewish people and was excited to hear of my
heritage. He wanted to take me to what he called the “Jewish Kroger” store in Atlanta. I was
absolutely astounded to find a complete kosher meat section, dairy, bakery, frozen foods, and
shelf-stable aisles. They were in the process of setting up a whole new section for Passover. I
have been telling Elder Hintze for years that matzah ball soup just tastes better when made with
kosher chicken. I have never been able to buy a kosher chicken in Utah, but now I can make him
some “real” matzah ball soup!! I was so happy to come home with a bag full of Jewish comfort
foods. Our last stop was lunch at Goldman’s Deli. Oh my, what a treat that was. I’ve never
tasted chopped liver that was anything close to what my mom used to make. But their appetizer
tray with chopped liver, smoked white fish, and egg salad was the icing on the cake of this
glorious day!

We went with the Elders to clean up sister Denise’s yard. While we were there, a woman walked
out of the house next door and just kind of wandered over to see what we were doing. We talked
with her a bit, and she asked us who we were and what we were doing. We explained to her that
we are missionaries and we teach people about Jesus Christ. The Elders asked her if she would
be interested in meeting with us and she said yes. So, we have an appointment to meet with her
this week. Normally, it is the Elders’ job to teach new investigators, while Elder Hintze and I
typically work with people who are already members of the church. But in this instance, I am
going to get to teach her because she has been reaching out to me through texts. Sometimes
women just connect with women more easily. I am very excited to get to help the Elders teach
Latrice.

In our Come Follow Me Lesson for this week, which covers Matthew 8, Mark 2-4, and Luke 7,
when I read of all of the miracles that Jesus Christ performed, such as healing the leper, ridding
Peter’s mother-in-law of her fever, and restoring life to the son of the widow of Nain, I am
cognizant of the miracles that the Savior has performed in my life. They are not always miracles
that others can so easily see, as they were able to see in these examples. I believe that the Savior
performed all of these obvious physical miracles to help us to recognize that He is also our
spiritual healer. Through our faith, he can heal us in both physical and spiritual ways. Not
always with the outcome we may think should be, but through our faith, we can see His healing
in our lives.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!
Elder and Sister Hintze