Letter 4 15 17 Easter

Today is Easter Sunday.  In August of 2015, there was a USU rape case reported in the Utah newspapers.  The story went that in the fall of 2014 a frat boy had been studying with a girl and during the course of the evening had raped her.  It was a graphic story and I remember feeling sad for the girl and thinking that it would forever change her life.

In August of 2015 our bishopric was starting our second year of service.  We'd had a great year and I was excited to meet the new group of students.  Time passed and we met most of the kids.  However, there was an apartment of girls that was mostly inactive.  Bishop requested an interview with them.  Come to find out, they were really nice girls.  During the course of meeting them, one of them opened up to him that she was the girl who had been raped.  She felt like nothing she could do would help her overcome the feelings she was having and the fact that her parents were upset with the direction of her life, and as such, she'd quit coming to church.  Bishop asked her to continue to meet with him and she agreed.  She has been proactively dealing with her issues and with him for the entire balance of time we've been in the bishopric.

Two months ago, she had her appendix out and afterwards texted Bro. Goodrich that she wanted to speak in church.  We agreed and set a date.  Today was that day.  As she spoke, emotions were close to the surface as she described how she had made changes in her life such that she was able to feel the atoning love of the Savior.  I have to say, she is a beautiful person; she glows; she's happy; all of the "stuff" you'd expect from a true follower of Jesus Christ.  She might even have it to a greater degree of light because of her deep and abiding testimony of the atonement.

As you teach, and as you deal with the challenges of the modern world, keep in mind that there is only one person who understands all of the wickedness and the associated feelings that come along with such behavior.  Not only does he understand, he has personal experience with those feelings and knows how to return from the depths those feelings cause.  He is Christ the Redeemer.  He has set-at-one the family of man with God.  All of life's challenges can be overcome through him.

This is a hopeful message you are called to preach in your respective missions.  Lift where you stand.  God bless you as you endeavor to do so.  Be strong as missionaries of our Lord. 

You're such good young men and I love you,

Dad