So far it looks like a real miracle underway, an amazing story of rescuing a lost soul. A young lady in a broken family who just turned 18 had been in our prayers for a long time. We were pained by the stories we heard and the tragic downward spiral in her life. We knew she was smart and had vast potential, but it was being wiped out by drugs, horrific friends, and a lengthy list of tragic problems.
She was leaving home and about to trapped forever, it seemed, in a hopeless situation, when an LDS family with their own children and challenges did something amazing. In spite of the risk, they brought her into their home and gave her a chance to find herself again. To my amazement, it seems to be working. In a new environment away from the worst influences in her life and with loving coaching, she was able to see that she could change and regain control over her life. The rescue, to me, is a miracle. It is a touching example of what I like best about the teachings of the Church, namely, the idea that each soul is a daughter or son of God with infinite potential and the power to change, with God’s help.
The Gospel expands our imagination. It helps us imagine that the drug addict with a criminal record and abundant bad behavior is worth loving and helping. It helps us dare believe that change is possible. It helps us take on risk to reach out to others when we might normally want to just lock up our doors and stay away. It helps us defy the world’s logic that “everybody is doing it” or “a little sin is perfectly OK” and strive to live better each day. But the results of such expanded imagination are far from imaginary. While disappointment is common in dealing with mortals, sometimes, as with this young lady, the results are miraculous.
Thanks to all of you who dare to love and serve those in trouble in spite of the logical temptation to stay away. Thanks to all of you who love, pray for, and reach out to those who seem lost. They can be rescued, and whether they respond or not to your efforts, they are infinitely worth rescuing and loving.
Thanks especially to a brave LDS family who reached out to a lost young lady and brought her back. I chatted with her recently and then the LDS father and was simply delighted to hear details of the story. More wonderful than I imagined was possible.
I was pleased to read this. I am glad that all turned out well for everyone involved.
My family and I reached out to a young man. Actually he kept hinting to us that he needed our help. We turned our lives upside down to accomodate this person. We were struggling financially (we still are). We did everything in our power to advise without being preachy, guide without being pushy, and showed him we trusted him. We also had rules, and guidelines, and he knew what was expected of him.
He turned on us, and it turned into a real mess. We live in a small town and this kid lied about us, his family lied about us, his mother back stabbed me, and it caused some problems in our ward.
He had brought drugs and porn into my home.
About seven months ago I found out he impregnated a girl three years younger than him which would legally constitute rape. The girl miscarried. His younger sister totalled a car, and she had been drinking, underage. He totalled a car also.
He is wandering from job to job, wasting his life. We knew he would not do anything of worth, which is sad because he had potential. His sister is as bad as he is. The entire family is messed up, on both the kids mother and father sides of the family. I know because I have been unfortunate enough to have dealt with both sides of this kids family, including cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.
I do believe that I will never do this again. I will help in other ways.
Burned
It is risky business to take someone in. I have done so once and seen other people do it too only to have it back fire. One thing I have learned is that I am not a mental health professional and while love and support are essential to someone's well being and recovery, love and support alone will not cure them. They will have to have the desire to relearn behaviors that are acceptable to society.
Steve
When is a risk too great? I know of a situation where a Bishop took in a 25 year old depressed young lady. Her parents had abandoned her. After a year the girl had a job and moved out and is doing very well.
When a family has children I worry about taking someone in.