Every Person Counts!
Today as I sat in sacrament meeting I started to write down my testimony in my journal, as I do every fast Sunday, and it wasn't long until I was just overtaken by the gratitude I have for each and every person I have come in contact with in my life thus far.
The thing is, there are no such thing as coincidences. You don't just meet someone by "chance". Everyone you meet you are meant to meet. God is in EVERY LITTLE DETAIL of our life! This past month has been full of experiences where I have been able to be reminded of some of the people that have had eternal impacts on my life.
Take just one minute to think about the people that have had the biggest impacts on your life? Who has inspired a change in you that, looking back, if you wouldn't have met them or changed, would you be a different person? I can most definitely think of a couple of those kind of people. One in which, I have been really grateful for recently.
I am grateful for Samuel DeVaney who around 8 years ago made the decision to serve a mission. He accepted the call to serve in the Idaho Pocatello Mission. He put his life on pause to serve the Lord. He left his family for two years so that others could be with there families forever. I am grateful for Samuel DeVaney because he taught me the gospel and sparked a change in me that has changed everything for me. Everything I have and everything that I am I can track back to the first time Elder DeVaney taught me in a loving home of a close friend in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Well this past month, after 6 and a half years, I was able to take a road trip to Las Vegas and REUNITE with Samuel DeVaney, his beautiful wife, and their daughter. Driving to Vegas I kept expressing how excited I was for this meeting. I has butterflies of excitement! Every couple hours I would burst out a small dance and a squeal because I would remember that we were going to Vegas to see the missionary who changed my life!
Seeing him walk up to me with his family was so surreal. Let me tell you a funny side note, I seriously don't think I have talked to Sam since my baptism day on March 19, 2011! I only organized this dinner meet up through his wife. (He's not into social media lol) But, I could not remember much about Sam, without pictures to remind me of the special day I don't know if I would have even been able to put a face to the name. And I most definitely would not recognize his voice. The only thing I could remember about Sam was that he CHANGED my life! I could remember the exact thing he said, the exact scripture he shared, the testimony he bore in that first lesson over six years ago!
We greeted each other with hugs and we went into dinner. We began to talk about how our lives have changed since we last talked... six years ago... he graduated college, got married, had a beautiful baby girl. I graduated high school, served a mission, and I am going to school. The conversation never dulled. I told Sam that he was quite the hit in England and that several people have heard the impact that Elder DeVaney had on Sister Smiddy's life.
I felt impressed to share with him my memory of meeting with him, though it was small, (I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER HE HAD A STRONG SOUTH CAROLINA ACCENT?!!?!?!?!). I shared with him my gratitude for his decision to serve. I recited the scripture that he shared with me in that first lesson, I quoted his testimony that he bore, and I told him of the thoughts and impressions I had as we watched the Restoration DVD.
His wife mentioned that out of all the people he taught on his mission she had heard the most about me, which honestly surprised me because as a fourteen year old investigator, I was shy and quiet. I didn't say much, but I listened, I learned, and I felt the spirit. I was always SO EXCITED for the days I had lessons with the Elders. I was so excited to FEEL the Spirit! That night at dinner Sam told me that I had impacted his life in a way he didn't have words to describe. As we shared this tender reunion I realized how SO MANY PEOPLE have a HUGE impact on OUR lives, but ALSO that WE IMPACT OTHERS AS WELL.
Having served a mission, I feel that every person I taught on my mission did more for me than I for them, but I never thought of me making a difference in the missionaries lives who taught me. But, that is just the thing... every person you come in contact with is for a reason, every single person counts! And they can make an impact on you and you on them. We don't even always know or feel like we are making a difference, but Sam reminded me that we are.
I am grateful for people because if it wasn't for Samuel DeVaney's decision to serve a mission, I wouldn't have the friends I have, I wouldn't be dating my best friend 😉 (sligh shout out), I wouldn't be where I am, who I am, NOTHING. Everything I have and everything I am started with saying yes to an invitation to be baptized.
Heavenly Father is so REAL. He really does lead you to the people you need to meet. And I think the coolest thing is that He will use YOU and I to help others. He will give us opportunities to impact others and to inspire others to change. I am grateful for God for trusting me and giving me opportunities to meet and be lifted and inspired by so many people. People from all over the world.
I know that God loves us, he loves YOU!
God is good people!
I am grateful for PEOPLE.
The thing is, there are no such thing as coincidences. You don't just meet someone by "chance". Everyone you meet you are meant to meet. God is in EVERY LITTLE DETAIL of our life! This past month has been full of experiences where I have been able to be reminded of some of the people that have had eternal impacts on my life.
I am grateful for Samuel DeVaney who around 8 years ago made the decision to serve a mission. He accepted the call to serve in the Idaho Pocatello Mission. He put his life on pause to serve the Lord. He left his family for two years so that others could be with there families forever. I am grateful for Samuel DeVaney because he taught me the gospel and sparked a change in me that has changed everything for me. Everything I have and everything that I am I can track back to the first time Elder DeVaney taught me in a loving home of a close friend in Blackfoot, Idaho.
Well this past month, after 6 and a half years, I was able to take a road trip to Las Vegas and REUNITE with Samuel DeVaney, his beautiful wife, and their daughter. Driving to Vegas I kept expressing how excited I was for this meeting. I has butterflies of excitement! Every couple hours I would burst out a small dance and a squeal because I would remember that we were going to Vegas to see the missionary who changed my life!
Seeing him walk up to me with his family was so surreal. Let me tell you a funny side note, I seriously don't think I have talked to Sam since my baptism day on March 19, 2011! I only organized this dinner meet up through his wife. (He's not into social media lol) But, I could not remember much about Sam, without pictures to remind me of the special day I don't know if I would have even been able to put a face to the name. And I most definitely would not recognize his voice. The only thing I could remember about Sam was that he CHANGED my life! I could remember the exact thing he said, the exact scripture he shared, the testimony he bore in that first lesson over six years ago!
We greeted each other with hugs and we went into dinner. We began to talk about how our lives have changed since we last talked... six years ago... he graduated college, got married, had a beautiful baby girl. I graduated high school, served a mission, and I am going to school. The conversation never dulled. I told Sam that he was quite the hit in England and that several people have heard the impact that Elder DeVaney had on Sister Smiddy's life.I felt impressed to share with him my memory of meeting with him, though it was small, (I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER HE HAD A STRONG SOUTH CAROLINA ACCENT?!!?!?!?!). I shared with him my gratitude for his decision to serve. I recited the scripture that he shared with me in that first lesson, I quoted his testimony that he bore, and I told him of the thoughts and impressions I had as we watched the Restoration DVD.
His wife mentioned that out of all the people he taught on his mission she had heard the most about me, which honestly surprised me because as a fourteen year old investigator, I was shy and quiet. I didn't say much, but I listened, I learned, and I felt the spirit. I was always SO EXCITED for the days I had lessons with the Elders. I was so excited to FEEL the Spirit! That night at dinner Sam told me that I had impacted his life in a way he didn't have words to describe. As we shared this tender reunion I realized how SO MANY PEOPLE have a HUGE impact on OUR lives, but ALSO that WE IMPACT OTHERS AS WELL.
Having served a mission, I feel that every person I taught on my mission did more for me than I for them, but I never thought of me making a difference in the missionaries lives who taught me. But, that is just the thing... every person you come in contact with is for a reason, every single person counts! And they can make an impact on you and you on them. We don't even always know or feel like we are making a difference, but Sam reminded me that we are.
Heavenly Father is so REAL. He really does lead you to the people you need to meet. And I think the coolest thing is that He will use YOU and I to help others. He will give us opportunities to impact others and to inspire others to change. I am grateful for God for trusting me and giving me opportunities to meet and be lifted and inspired by so many people. People from all over the world.
I know that God loves us, he loves YOU!
God is good people!
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