As a pre-teen for about a year, I lived in an Orphanage called Hollygrove Home for Children and learned that people can be kind and they taught me how powerful kindness is. They helped me learn skills I still use to this day.
After I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-saints, I saw what a real family looked like. I was very impressed. And then, in about 1984 - I learned what being part of a real family was like.
In this family, each morning, we knelt in prayer, children being voice as well. We prayed for each other and many times I was moved to tears by the way the children expressed faith in each other. Then, everyone went their way, either to work or school or about other chores.
One of the things I learned from their children was flexibility. For example: While the parents were out of the country, I was in charge of the children, all six of them. The main rule I had was, be sure to come straight home after school. I wanted to be sure they were all right.
One day, one of the girls was very late. When she got home I asked why she was so late. I was all ready to ground her, until I heard why. A friend of hers had a father that was abusing her friend verbally and she wanted to stay and comfort the girl after the father left.
That day I remembered how important it is to help another in distress, even if you get in trouble when you get home. Rather like when I was a child and stopped to help a little boy who was being abused. I'm glad that old adage of "when you are abused you become an abuser" is not true. I hugged her and let her know I was proud of her for helping her friend, then we spoke about the situation and we prayed for her friend. In that family, we laughed together, we prayed together, we worked together and we played together. They were and are an eternal family.
While living with another family, I learned about working with a bishop. I had seen something that bothered me, so I went to our bishop and spoke with him about it. He let me know I had a right to be concerned and he stepped in and helped that family. The Relief Society President also came out and helped when another family had problems. It felt good to use the gifts God has given me to be of service to others.
I also learned a good lesson about gossip. Up until that point I did not know that gossip is not just about things not true, it is still gossip when you speak about things that are true as well. I was speaking to another woman and gossiping. Whining, if you will. The woman I was speaking with told me that she would not be able go to the prayer circle with me because I had caused her to have bad feelings about another person. That made me sit up and pay attention. I thanked that woman for helping me to learn such a valuable lesson. Now, when I catch myself gossiping, I ask for help to stop it, right then. Sometimes, I forget, then I remember and repent and try again to not do it any longer.
I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to see that first real family there in Sunland, California. That was the kind of family I want, and I know now that my family is the family of God.
Around the world, everyone is my brother or sister. Every older woman and man are my grandmother or grandfather. Every Bishop or Branch President is my father and mother. Every Prophet is my teacher and leader. I can be good to them to show my respect to the Lord for giving me this gift. All children are like my own nephews and nieces. God has restored me a family a hundred fold.
There is a scripture that says, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Matthew 19:29
God never lies. I do so pray that I may endure well that which I must suffer before I am able to go home to live with my eternal family. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can all be saved. And if we will follow the Lord, we will be with our eternal family.
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