My companion and I met this man whose name is Ron. When we met him he was 22, and about a year before we knew him Ron had been driving down 94, between St. Charles and St. Louis, when he hit an icy patch and got into a serious car accident. He broke his neck and now he is a paraplegic…in a wheel chair. This is his story:
Dear Family,
We have been recently teaching this 22 year old guy named Ron. Ron got in a very serious car accident in January 1998 which has left him paralyzed. As far as I can tell he is very lucky to be alive. He has a lot of pain and bitterness inside. Always wondering, "Why me? I had everything going for me. I was a cop, I had a girlfriend. I feel like I was closest go God then."
I asked him, "So do you feel as if you are being punished?"
"Yes," was his reply.
As we listened to him I felt on a low scale some of the pain that he may have been feeling. (I know I can't fully understand because it didn't happen to me.) I kept thinking in my mind, "Tell him that he is is a child of God." And so I testified as boldly as I could in the name of Jesus Christ. I let him know that God knows him and loves him and knows all that he is going through. I also let him know that he is a child of God...a SON of God. I have never felt the Spirit stronger in my life as I was bearing my testimony. When I finished he said, "Now that makes sense." It was me speaking but they weren't my words.
I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father. I am also thankful for Jesus Christ because when he suffered for our sins he also suffered all the pain and sorrow one might go through. "And lo, he shall suffer tempatations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death, for behold, blood cometh frome very pore, so great shall be his anguish" (Mosiah 3:7). He knows. I am also thankful for the Spirit. For he "teaches [us] all things" and "guides [us to] all truth" (John 14:26; 16:13). We are not alone!
I think this is what it all boils down to..."blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble" (Alma 32:16). Our Heavenly Father, our loving Heavenly Father never punishes us but he does give us tests and trials. "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless-whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day" (Mosiah 23:21-22). He has promised to deliver us from bondage.
It's really amazing the things that I have learned on my mission. Things I've learned from other people, and from myself. This has been the best experience of my life. I never would have been able to make it as well.
I know we were sent here to help Ron come unto Christ...to help him give his bitterness to Christ.
Well we are also teaching a young girl named Jenny. She has been coming to church for about a month. Her father is very less active and her mother isn't a member. Jenny used to come to church when she was a little, with her aunt.
We met her our first Sunday here (St Peters, MO) and she told us then she wanted to be baptised. So far we have taught her the first three dicussions all within a weeks time! I am really excited for her. My only concern is how in the world we will know how to get her family involved. Mainly her parents.
There is a mavelous work and a wonder taking place. Isn't it exciting? And even every single member person can be a part of it.
I love each of you and hope you all have a wonderful week! Until next time...
Love,
Sister Campbell
That was the last time that I saw Ron until nearly two months later. He was in his wheelchair sitting in front of our house just staring at it. (We lived in the same neighborhood.) I was so glad to see him. He still looked the same. I felt at that moment, as we talked to him, that he was sent to us. I know that he is one of the Lord’s elect who has to overcome many great challenges. I know that he can do it if he is patient and if he will put all of his trust, all of his faith in the Lord and realize that even if he won’t be able to walk again, in this life, he will one day.
I just got out of class and I have to write in my journal now while I am still feeling the way I feel. I feel the Spirit so strong that I am trembling. We went to a LGM (large group meeting) and we talked about the Holy Ghost and the ways he gives his witness to us. The conversion process goes like this: Feeling the SPIRIT + Acting on the SPIRIT = Conversion. And one of the key things to getting that is bearing testimony and letting the Spirit teach. I just cannot describe how important this is. I have felt the Holy Ghost teach me through the Elders in my district and through my teacher, Brother M. They are all so awesome! I want to be able to teach like them. Over these past few days I have grown to love each of them. In a way I feel like their mother, or big sister. I feel like I should look out for them. But they are all on fire! And so am I! I love it here! I love this work! And I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord! Oh, I wish I could describe the way I am feeling -exactly- but I can't. How do you describe something so powerful. You can say that you feel warm, or that you have chills, or something like that but how can you really write your true feelings. I guess that the way I feel and the way each of us feel is special and individual to each of us, and it is important to recognize the Spirit in our lives. We have to in order to feel close to the Lord. And here at the MTC I do feel this way. It is so wonderful! It is so wonderful, it is so wonderful! Oh, I am so thankful for this gospel, I am so thankful for the Atonement. I love this Church and I love being a missionary!
