Flashback #24: I Believe in Family

From a long time ago when I was in Nashville:

I've been having a bit of trouble composing my posts lately. My plan is to have one post about each of my family members and talk about a Christlike attribute that I see in them. To me, there are few things in this world that can teach better than example, and they all come from Divine guidance.
   It's not that I've been homesick (sorry, Mom and Dad), but when it comes to family and home, it's hard for me not to share the most exciting experiences and the times when I have learned the most from this family member, and I want those experiences to stay special.

In my own life, there are similar times when I have learned specific lessons from my Heavenly Father. What I have learned is so great that I want to share what I know with the whole world! I am so grateful that I am able to do that to a small degree by serving a mission. I want to tell everyone that their life, their family, and any weakness they may have can be healed through obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It really is that simple.  

 And then I think of my heavenly home, and my Heavenly Father. I want to stand spotless before Him one day and tell Him that I did ALL that I could to fulfill what He has in store for me.

I'm not entirely sure where I was going with this one either. I do know that I really wanted to make my parents proud. Two weeks left. Yikes. I actually said it. I don't have long. However, with the short amount of time that I do have, I know that the Lord is not wasting any time in trying to teach me the value of family and what it really means for a family to be made eternal through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This week has been a tough one for sure as I have had many thoughts and concerns that have been pressing on my mind.

I believe that I have talked about President and Sister McKee before. Last week we received some very sad news that Sister McKee is in the hospital as they are treating her for a heart attack and a stroke and a number of other things including at least two surgeries that have all taken place within the last seven days. I truly do believe that the only thing that is sustaining her other than the carefully trained physicians are the many prayers and fasts that are being offered for her sake.

My companion and I were also sad to hear on Thanksgiving, the same day that we were informed of Sister McKee's condition, that one of our very dear and remarkable sisters from our ward (congregation) passed away suddenly, leaving behind a 13 year old son, 18 year old daughter who was at college, and her husband and extended family. She was young, just 47, and a very healthy, active, energetic, and enthusiastic woman. We need more wonderful people like her in the world.

It was just a few days later, that Sunday, when we also found out that there is another dear family who welcomed a new son into the world who is fighting for his life in the NICU. It was just a month or so ago when she bore her testimony about how much she values family and that it has been a trial for her and her husband to have their own family. My heart and prayers truly go out to them as well.

I really must admit that this past week with all of this going on has really been hard for me, and there have been many nights and church meetings and a memorial service filled with tears. Selfishly I have thought to myself, "I can't leave these people now. I would feel like I am walking away from them and not supporting them at all." I have suffered loss before, and I have faced hard trials, but not like this. I do know that missionary work goes on, and God's Plan of Salvation goes on. I know that these challenges aren't intended for me. Call me crazy, but I do feel so blessed to be part of them and to witness the miracles that have come and are continuing to be poured out upon the family and friends that are involved with these three situations. I have seen great courage and character and leadership happen on levels that astound me.

There was a night, I think it was Monday night, when I really was having a hard time. I feel helpless. I did talk a little bit to a dear friend of mine. That usually helps. Right before bedtime, there were some words that came to my mind. My favorite motto that I have said over again,

Everything will be okay in the end, and if it's not okay, it's not the end.

I also recalled some overheard words of wisdom from a few weeks ago, that sometimes we don't let present trials shift and change us to be the person that God intends us to be.

My dear friends, I want you to know that I KNOW that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, families can be together forever.

No matter what happens to Sister McKee, no matter how painful it may be for the family to lose their young wife and mother, no matter how challenging it may be for the family with their child's life hanging in the balance, I KNOW that it will all be made right because of Christ.

This is what is bringing me comfort. I know that God will provide a miracle and through these trials many of us are presented with the opportunity to know Him more, and to know His plan.

My prayer is that each of you, if you have not met with the missionaries before, if it has been a long time since you have had a strong relationship with God, or if you are looking to improve your faith that you already have, or for any reason at all, I hope that you will find the missionaries to find out how it is possible to receive comfort and learn more about God's plan for families in the gospel.

I promise that you will never forget or regret your experience.

Please, go out, and have a miracle-filled day.
With much love, Sister Franson

Also please feel welcome to visit this blog (click on the picture) to learn more about Sister McKee's condition. All are invited to pray tomorrow, November 29, 2012 for her at 12 Noon Central time.

Hands

I saw something yesterday that broke my heart. 

Sister Warwood and I visit families day in, day out. We see a lot of people. It's just part of what we do. Yesterday, we visited a family that I have come to love and have compassion for. I think that by visiting this family, I have been able to feel more love that the Savior bestows upon His servants in a way that I never expected, and in a way that I wish I didn't have to see. 

They do not come from a perfect home. They do not come from great financial means. Although they know of Jesus Christ, they do not have a strong Christian background. 

Yesterday in our visit, the husband and wife were arguing. I could see how exasperated she was, how tired and how hard she had worked all day and felt that she had nothing to show for it. I saw how confused the husband was, seeing that this was a situation that he was tired of trying to fix. He would give suggestions to solve the problem and would be wrong. He didn't know what to do either, and he got to the point where he almost didn't seem to care. I got the impression that this was a common occurrence in their home. Their children needed attention, the mom needed acknowledgement, and the dad needed understanding. This family needed love. 

Sadly, as a missionary my stewardship only goes so far. I can't give marriage counseling, I can't take care of a home or children. I probably wouldn't be much good at any of that anyway. All I can do is share the gospel and hope they will accept it, and the family has to choose to accept and implement its principles.

As Sister Warwood and I walked away, I thought, "What would the Savior do if He was in that home? How would He feel? What would he say to them? What would He teach them?" I know how I felt, and it was not good. I wanted to help them so much. The love of Heavenly Father that I felt for them was that of deep sorrow. This family has all the access to every tool they need to build a strong and unified family, but HOW do I teach them to use it?

Well friends, I still don't know. So, I am asking something of you today. 

If there is someone you know who needs you, someone you can teach, someone you can love, someone who could use a break from the kids, someone who could use a spiritual message, someone who could use a listening ear, if there is ANYONE that you can think of who may be in need, go and be the Savior's hands for them today. You have so much power to uplift someone. The world is at your fingertips with which you click the button of a keyboard. Use those hands and see how you can heal a heart. 

 

Have a service-packed day.

Sister Franson

A Special Calling

And.... this is the big sister. This picture is sometimes how I feel about her, and this is how she sometimes feels about me. We have this understanding though, this mutual agreement that we still love each other no matter what.

     In the Old Testament, there is a story about a woman named Hannah. Now Hannah, for whatever reason, had not been blessed with children in her life. Because of this, Hannah "was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore" (1Samuel 1:10). She prayed to Heavenly Father to bless her with a son, and promised that if He did, she would give her son to the service of the Lord. The Lord then did bless Hannah with a son, and she named him Samuel. True to her word, Hannah brought Samuel to the house of the Lord to learn. He grew to be a great prophet and servant of the Lord.



    Motherhood is a divine calling. It is one of the most selfless callings that this world has. When we choose to raise our families and teach our children in the ways of the Lord, great things can happen. Hannah was later blessed with many other children in her years, and Samuel still was part of her life. Not only did Hannah's choice to teach her children of the Lord bless her family, but it was also a blessing to many other people as Samuel led them to know the Lord.



Photo by Jenn Davidson



   My older sister and her husband were recently blessed with a healthy baby boy. Because of the testimonies that I know that Brittany and Scott have, I know that they will ALWAYS choose to raise their family the way the Lord would have them. I've been told that parenthood isn't easy, that sometimes when you want the best for your children, they still have agency and can choose to make wrong choices as well as choose the right. All we can do is teach what we know and lead by example. I'm so excited for Brittany and Scott. Brittany has always been a good example for me to follow and Scott has accepted and loved our family like his own. It's through these principles of selflessness, care, and love that families can build their foundation upon Jesus Christ, "whereon if men build, they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12)