Nov 29

November 29, 2006

This day started out as a stay-at-home, catch-up day and turned into the hardest day we’ve had in the mission field so far. While working here, the father of the little girl who was killed last Saturday came over and asked to borrow the chairs from the church. As they loaded the chairs Robert visited with him and he asked if we would come and talk to his father. This is the man who ran over the little girl..

First we went to visit Murphy, the baby’s other grandfather. We had a good visit with him. He’s so sad, but Robert shared with him that the baby is in the Celestial Kingdom with Father in Heaven and that seemed to bring him some comfort. We also brought him the CD’s of the hymns. He likes music so much and had said he would like to be able to listen to the hymns. We thought this would be especially comforting right now. Then he wanted to know if there was a place he could read the words of the songs, so we went back to the church and stole one of their hymnbooks to give him. We thought the Lord would understand. He then asked if we would visit with his daughter, the baby’s mother.

The mother and the grandfather were both at the same house so we went over there. How do we describe the intensity of feelings there…the extent of grief we found at this house. We knew we were unprepared to deal with it. What could we possibly do or say to help them? Our only consolation was the scripture that says, “I will go before thee. I will be on your right hand and your left.” There is nothing we could do to help these people, but God can help them. We only pray that as we entered the house God and His Son went with us. The poor mother and father are not more than 20 years old, if that old. They are both in shock. The grandmother is dealing with her son’s grief, the loss of her granddaughter, and her husband’s guilt and suffering. The grandfather was in the back bedroom and the grandmother said, “Come. Come back here and talk with him.” I have never experienced such pure, raw suffering as in that room. He showed us a letter he wrote to his granddaughter pleading for her forgiveness. He told us he wished he had been drinking when he ran over her because then he would have been arrested and sent to prison and at least could have been punished for what he’s done. All we could do was assure him that he was forgiven. We told him his granddaughter loves him and is sad that he is suffering and that she’s in a good place right now. Robert powerfully testified that he knows the man has been forgiven and he must give up his guilt. Finally, Robert asked if we could pray with him, but neither one of us can remember what he said in the prayer. The spirit was so strong in that room it was like it wasn’t really even Robert talking. Our hearts ache for this family and hope you will all remember them in your prayers.

We asked what we could do to help them and they said they need more food, especially vegetables, and that they need some more money to pay for the funeral. Apparently the funeral cost $700.00 and they’ve paid all but $300.00. We went to the store and all they had there was carrots, so we bought several packages of carrots and some soda and took back to the house. We told them we’d talk to Pres. Bonito about the money, which Robert did tonight and he said he’d see what he could do. We put $100.00 in an envelope and will probably ask Pres. Bonito to give it to them anonymously, as we’re not supposed to give money for any reason.

This little girl’s name is Daena (Dana) Gooday. She turned one year old in April. The parents told us she was an amazing little girl, always smiling and happy. She loved her grandfather and was running out to his truck to see him. They said she could already talk and the last thing she was doing before she died was sitting on the sofa with a Bible in her lap turning the pages like she was reading it. We think this little girl was ready to be called home. Her time here was short and if it hadn’t been the accident something else would have taken her. That’s just the feeling we have…that she was ready to go home to her Heavenly Father.

What a blessing it is to know that death is merely a temporary separation and that if parents are faithful to their covenants they will be reunited as a family. How thankful we are tonight for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for His ability to bring peace and love into this chaotic world.

Finally we ended the day with 8 Boy Scouts who just love to play basketball and were full of life. It was a blessing to us to be with them. We needed their laughter and boyish innocence much more than they needed us.