Choose God

 Brinley's letter April 26, 2021

I think one of the reasons I was called to Idaho was so I could learn from the people here. 

It seems that every time I meet a new family I have the thought "I want to be like them someday" or "I want to implement that in my family" or even just "wow they're the coolest!!" 

Seriously the amount of Christlike and loving people there are out here is so amazing to see. The highlight of this week was definitely meeting a family who I'll call the Smiths.

We saw the Smith family almost every day this week because they helped us weed a lady's backyard, pack someone up to move, join in on a lesson we were teaching, and fed us dinner. 

It seems like every time there is a service activity, the Smiths are the first to sign up. They are always looking for ways to serve others.

What makes this selfless service even more impressive, is the fact that they lost their 17 year old daughter unexpected almost exactly a year ago.

The Smith family has every excuse to turn inward and take a break from helping other people, but they don't. Instead of being sad or bitter, they are one of the most Christlike families I've ever met. 

We asked them how they could be so willing to help all of the time when they are going through this hard trial themselves. 

Sister Smith told us that in those first weeks after her daughter's passing, they read lots of articles about loss. The odds of a family staying together after a trial like that was very slim, and the statistics showed it clearly. It was very disheartening to read, and eventually they came to a realization- the choice they had was very simple:

They could choose to turn inward and be bitter and upset, or they could choose to turn towards God. 

So they chose God.

Within the first week, Sister Smith bought a notebook. She didn't have the strength to write sentences, so she just made bullet points. 

"Tender mercies from the Savior"

She wrote down a little description every time she saw one. And the tender mercies poured out. She said in that first week she had already filled pages.

In the following year, the Smiths decided that service is what helped them survive, so they make it their family motto.

I want to be like that family!! 

I think one of the biggest realizations I've had on my mission is that the happiest people don't have anywhere close to a perfect life. They don't always have the most money or the nicest clothes or the perfect family conditions. No person is without trials, even if they seem like they have everything going for them.

What these people DO have in common is that they choose God. 

They teach their kids to pray. They choose to serve. They read the scriptures as a family. They aren't anywhere close to perfect, but everything seems to fall into place.

Because they choose God!!

I want to choose Him too.

Hope you have the best weeks🥳

-Sister Gwilliam

Pics:

-Laura surprised us at church!!! (She is our friend from Boise)

-Call ins with the sistas

-Cute drawings of me and Sister Maycock

-Helping people move😎

-Spot Sister Maycock