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The Church That Never Forgot Me
By Rebecca | April 21, 2008
Betsy was a member of the LDS Church who was not active. She married a non-member who was at first supportive of her somewhat limited involvement with the church. Then he came home one day to find two Elders watching television and violating other mission rules. He threw out the missionaries and forbade any church representatives to visit their home in the future.
Betsy was classified in church records as “do not contact.” However, she was assigned visiting teachers. They were told to only send letters but not to call or visit Betsy. I don’t know how long this had been the case when my mother-in-law was assigned to be her visiting teacher.
Even though my mother-in-law had never met Betsy, she sent her a card or letter each month. She wrote about her family and what was happening in her life. Sometimes she would share an inspirational thought or scripture. Mostly, though, she tried to pretend that she was writing to a friend instead of a person she had never met and knew nothing about.
After five years of sending cards, Mom heard from Betsy. She told Mom that after five years of faithful writing, Mom probably deserved to know something about Betsy. The letter contained some details about Betsy’s life and her family.
A little while later the Young Men and Young Women in the ward organized an activity in which they would personally deliver Christmas Cards that Ward members wanted to send to one another. The youth collected cards, sorted them and then personally delivered them to the correct house. Mom was asked to deliver cards addressed to Betsy.
Mom called and made arrangements to drop the cards at Betsy’s home. At the appointed time she packed the children in the car and drove to the address. Betsy lived in the country on a large parcel of land. Mom was nervous. But Betsy welcomed her and the children into her home. It was the first time in years that Betsy had received a visit from any church representative. She introduced Mom to her family as the woman from “the church that never forgot me.” She had even kept her children home so that they could meet her visiting teacher.
Several more years, more months of unanswered cards and letters, went by. During that time it became a tradition for Mom to visit Betsy and her family on Christmas eve or the day before. She would take a basket of goodies and talk with Betsy as her family prepared to celebrate the birth of the Savior. The visits were never easy for Mom. She always felt a little awkward.
I was invited one year to go with her on her annual visit. It was then that I first heard the story of Betsy and the hundreds of cards and letters Mom had sent.
Betsy had a large, loving family swarming over her house and ranch. Her husband and sons were building a bonfire in the yard. Her granddaughters lounged in the front room near the Christmas tree. I met Betsy and was surprised at how much she knew about me, my husband and my kids–all from Mom’s faithful letters. All told, we were there for maybe twenty minutes but I could feel the love and respect that Betsy and all of her family had for my mother-in-law.
Sometime later Betsy was diagnosed with cancer. Mom’s letters gave her hope and encouragement, even when treatment took her far from home. At one point, Betsy’s daughter brought Mom some home grown vegetables to say thank you for lifting her mother’s spirits.
It seems that a story of this sort should have a spectacular ending. But so far it hasn’t ended at all. Mom still writes. She still takes treats over once a year. For several years the two have been saying they should get together for lunch sometime. And the spectacular part is that through small and simple notes, Betsy has consistently felt the love of the Lord in her life. Small and simple notes from a visiting teacher who belonged to the Church governed by the Savior who never forgot Betsy.
Topics: Relief Society, Service, Sisters, Testimony, Women |
