Pink Barbie Car

Our experience last week with Kari (the white house and blue shutters) was marvelous so naturally we did it again! On Thursday we created a "know, feel, do" and lesson plan, these are our notes: 

Single mom with two young kids. She grew up in church but now she only attends sporadically; she is looking for a church. She never had a loving father, or much of a father growing up so she struggles with feeling that God is a loving Heavenly Father. She lives in the Camelot trailer park. We will identify her by the pink Barbie car in her front yard.

That afternoon Sister Herzog and I pulled into the Camelot trailer park and said a prayer of faith. We drove around the entire park and did not see a pink Barbie car. We prepared to park the car and walk around the trailer park to ITL for half an hour before moving on, but I felt a distinct pressure on my heart that this was not where we needed to be. I remembered that down the holler a little way there was another small trailer park. This trailer park was much smaller, it only has 5 or 6 single wide trailers in it. But we did not let ourselves doubt. We zipped around a curve and crested a small hill into the trailer park. As we coasted into the park, the first trailer merged into sight. Our hearts seemed to freeze in our chests as our eyes fixed on the pink Barbie car in the front yard of the first trailer. With giddy excitement Sister Herzog and I parked the car and bowed our heads, grinning in prayer. We lept from the vehicle and rushed to the door. Our enthusiastic knock was greeted by an elderly woman named Maryanne (which we did not expect!). Scurrying around Maryanne's ankles was a four year old girl. With faith filled hearts we began talking with Maryanne and connecting with her. Soon she explained that her daughter, Mary, actually lives in the trailer, and that she was only babysitting for the evening. Mary was out that evening with her other daughter.

Single Mom. Two young kids (4 and 7-year-old daughters). Pink Barbie car in the front yard.

Maryanne explained the situation to us and we learned that Mary did not grow up with a consistent father figure. Although Maryanne is married, their relationship is practically nonexistent because he is enveloped in drugs and alcohol. Mary is looking for a church for her small family, and Maryanne wants to attend wherever they choose to. We taught Maryanne about the Book of Mormon and how it blesses families and teaches of our Heavenly Father's love. We taught the very "know, feel, do" lesson plan that we had created and the Spirit was a powerful witness to Maryanne that these things are true.

We have an appointment to see them all again this week.

The Lord is merciful, He is fun, He is all knowing and He is sustaining. With eyes of faith and "with God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). I know that "If [we] canst believe, all things are possible to [the missionary] that believeth" (Mark 9:23). I have seen it time and time again, and I know that this is the work of Almighty God. I know that this is to change the world, and I know that God's purposes will be accomplished through manifestations of His will being done here on earth. His will is manifest by miracles. 

I love you and I love the Lord!

love,

Sister Shumway   

A typical ward member in West Virginia.