Hey guys, just got this email from Gentry's mom, and after I was done drying my eyes, I knew I had to share it...
Now that I know that his emails come on Mondays and is there when I get to work it makes me look forward to getting up now! I love hearing about his happenings and the teachings of Our Father in Heaven and of His Son, Jesus Christ. He sent me some pictures of his nasty kitchen and I was so upset with the condition of how the other Elders are keeping it. He says that they will not wash their dishes and one of them just washes a dish as he needs it. DISGUSTING!!!! I want to call the Mission President and complain but I will wait to see what Gentry wants me to do... if anything. We are just not accustomed to that. The saying goes... cleanliness is next to Godliness right????!!!!! Not in this case.
I must share with you how I know that Our Father in Heaven's hand is in our lives and others. In Gentry's second email, he told of a lady that he and his companion were teaching. He said that they had asked her to read a verse from the scriptures and when she pulled out her glasses, he said that they broke. Gentry said that she looked so helpless because she had just been saying how she sometimes looks at others who are doing "bad" things in life and they seem to get blessings anyway. Gentry said he wanted to cry. He told her not to compare herself to others as she does not know what these people have to contend with once they go into their homes at night and what sufferings they have "behind closed doors."
After getting this email, Stake Conference was about 3 weeks later in Charlotte. My family and I got there fairly early and was summoned by Allison Lucas to sit with them and some others from the Monroe Ward. Not knowing that the 2-3 rows in front of us were reserved for investigators and new converts, a member of the church, Sarit Catchatoorian who is an eye Dr. in Charlotte sat in front of us with his mother who recently had joined the church. He knows Gentry and his daughter and Gentry are friends. He turned around and wanted to know about Gentry's mission and said that he and some other Drs. would be going to Ghana to do some volunteer work at an eye clinic and if I wanted him to take something to Gentry then he would ... if he could find Gentry. I never got from Gentry what his physical address was but prayed that they would make the connection. I told Brother Catchatoorian about this woman and what had happened when Gentry was teaching her. He said that he was taking 300 pair of reading glasses and maybe he could give her a pair.
Gentry says that he was at church and Brother Catchatoorian comes in with the package and he could not stop smiling! He said that Brother Catchatoorian hugged him and handed him the package and a letter from his daughter, Latisha. He said that it felt like "a piece of home!!!!" He said that the best part was when Brother Catchatoorian asked where was the lady whose glasses broke? Gentry was like huh? Brother Catchatoorian told him that I had told him about a lady whose glasses had broke while she was being taught. Gentry said that he thought she was there at church that day and Brother Catchatoorian told him that he had brought her a pair of glasses. Gentry said he could have cried!!!!!! They found the woman, I believe her name is Jane and she tried on a few pair of glasses and was able to wear the second ones. Gentry said that they had not seen her in a week and "just think if she had not come to church that day she would not have received the glasses." Gentry said that after church she asked about being baptized. Gentry said that he and his companion want to teach her more before she is baptized as he did not want her to join the church based on a pair of glasses but hopefully with her seeing the blessings that come from Heavenly Father it will lead her into the waters of baptism.
Gentry thanked me for everything and said that I was all the way in America but was able to help bless this woman. I do not feel that it was me that did anything... it was Our Father in Heaven's hand that...
1. Lead Gentry and his companion to Jane
2. Gentry emailed me to tell me Jane's situation
3. Brother Catchatoorian just happened to pick Ghana to go to to volunteer as he told me he had 2 other
other choices but chose Ghana
4. Brother Catchatoorian is an eye Dr.
5. After searching for the church and going out of the way... (the church was only a mile from the hotel
where Brother Catchatoorian was staying), he found Gentry
6. Jane just happened to be at church that day as she had not been in week
Look at Heavenly Father's hand!!!!! I am sure that this is just the beginning of how Gentry will be a part of touching and blessings other lives and helping them to come to know Our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. To my friend and brother, Sarit Catchatoorian, I thank him and am grateful for his efforts, for finding my son, delivering my package and blessing the life of Jane with what might seem "small" to many but was truly a blessing in her life. WOW!!!!!!!!
Gentry continues to adjust to the food and feels that he has lost some weight. He says that of the 4 of them that share an apartment, he is the only one that has not gotten sick from eating the food. Brother Catchatoorian says that he took Gentry and his companion to dinner along with the other Docs that were volunteering. He said that they needed a cab to get to the restaurant and to get a good price, you negotiate with the driver. Brother Catchatoorian said that Gentry put on his Ghanain accent as was able to get them a good fare. I found this to be funny as I saw Gentry's personality and acting ablility come out. Gentry says that because he is African they don't cheat him. Gentry continues to try to "light a fire" under his companion. He feels that their companionship has gotten better. Gentry says that the people of Ghana are friendly and he loves them.
He is reading now in the book of Alma and is impressed with himself as scripture reading was not, let's say his first love!!!!! I can see the growth in Gentry and am so proud of him and the choice and choices that he has made in life. He says that because of different experiences that he has had in life, he feels that he is able to share that with the people he teaches. I love my Elder Son and do miss him greatly! I thank ALL of his friends, church members and my family for helping me to help him "be the best that he can be!!!!" He is a child of God and is truly a blessing in the life of me... his mother!
