Can you say GOLDEN?

A couple weeks ago McKenna was in class and a girl named Makenzie asked if she could talk to her in the hallway.  Worried she'd done something wrong she agreed.  What came out of Makenzie's mouth surprised McKenna, but in a good way.  She asked why McKenna makes different choices than the other kids?  Mainly the choice not to have a boyfriend- something she's had the opportunity of more than once this school year.  Then Makenzie wanted to know what makes our church different than others?  McKenna was nervous to answer the questions.  She said she wasn't sure what to say.  She rattled off some things that were correct but without confidence.  She came home and told us about it and said Makenzie wants to know more.  We gave her some ideas to better answer the questions she'd already asked and reminded McKenna that after she was baptized she was given the Holy Ghost and that he's there for her, she just needs to feel for him then listen.  We reminded her that Heavenly Father loves Makenzie too and wants her to know more about the gospel because he wants her to live happily and return to him as well.  By bedtime her confidence was boosted.

The next day McKenna came home and said the conversation went much better and she wanted to come to church with us.  A few days later she couldn't find McKenna but got the number of my other daughter, Neicia, and asked if she could come hang out at our home. Neicia was already at the seminary building so Makenzie went there to meet her.  Neicia introduced her to Brother G. and he and Neicia answered more of Makenzie's questions.  Neicia gave her a Book of Mormon so she could read it for herself.  Then they came home and marked scriptures that Neicia knew would be specific to her...(Neicia has prepared herself for this.  She has over 80 scriptures memorized- often she's our scripture go-to girl.)  Later McKenna came home with the girl next door.  I heard the most beautiful sound.  McKenna yelled up the stairs, "Makenzie, Alexis and I are going next door, would you like to come?"  Makenzie replied, "No, I'm reading the Book of Mormon!"

Fast forward 2 weeks.  Makenzie is amazing.  Not only because she's loving the Book of Mormon, can tell the Plan of Salvation in detail, and is excited to be recognizing the spirit, but because she exudes sunshine.  The happiness is bubbling out of her, she's receiving answers to her questions.  She reminds me of Joseph Smith.  She's just a few months older than he was when he knelt in that sacred grove to pray.  Like him her desire to know where she came from, why she's here and where she's going is enormous.  She too has checked out other churches but nothing been right.  Yesterday, I picked her up and on the way to church I explained that church was going to be a little different than last week because it was fast and testimony meeting.  I explained what our day and meeting would be like.  After the 3rd testimony was borne she jumped up and went to the pulpit and bore the most beautiful testimony.  She said that she knew the gospel was true, that she's so happy to have found friends in my girls who have been so willing to share it with her.  She was grateful for the missionaries for answering so many of her questions and that she is happy to be finding Christ.  Yesterday afternoon was her 4th missionary discussion.  My husband gave the opening prayer.  When he was done she asked if we'd teach her to pray and if she could say the closing prayer as she has some things she'd like to talk to the Lord about.  As the missionaries were teaching her she kept excitedly saying things like, "Oh!  I just read that," or "that's like Nephi!"  My 12 year old said she thinks Makenzie already knows more than she does.  Her spirit in our home has been overwhelming and wonderful.  She's a truly remarkable, faithful girl who is anxious to be a member of the church.   How blessed we have been to be a part of this, to know her, and to feel of her spirit and of Heavenly Father's as he seems to be wherever she is.  I'm also overwhelmed with joy to see my own girls testimonies growing, as they are sharing what they know to be true and are also being touched by Makenzie in return.


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