Connections

My dear friend and I went visiting teaching yesterday.  It was bitter cold and we were bundled up hoping to run quickly from the car to the warm living room of the sister's home where we were scheduled to be at 10:30am.  Unfortunately, she wasn't home.  So Jeanette and I lingered in the cold driveway and tried to quickly think of a Plan B before we froze to death.  Brunch?  Show up to the other sister's home early?  A random drive until 12:30?  

None of those ideas seemed like the best use of our time.  

We have a mutual friend who happens to love Coke from Sonic and who happened to have some exciting news to share, so we decided to drive through Sonic and pop over to Robin's house unannounced...because Robin is one of the few people who doesn't mind that sort of thing.  After 30 minutes or so at Robin's there was some question about whether our next appointment would be available or not, but Jeanette and I hopped in the car and drove over to her house anyway, and knocked on the door. 

And here is a list of a few of the wonderful things that happened because we decided to be spontaneous and let the spirit guide our day:

• We helped someone prep a crockpot full of chili for dinner.  
• We held a baby so her mom could get a few chores done.  (ok, Jeanette got to hold her the whole time, but sometimes I get to do that job, too, so it all evens out.)
• We watched a mission letter opening via Facebook.  (That's where a prospective missionary opens his letter to reveal to family and friends the much anticipated mission call and to see where and in what language he will be serving.)  
• We heard the most awesome and inspiring conversion story.
• We shared some Diet DP (with coconut...which is my new, all time favorite drink in the whole world) and Coke.    
• We learned about the climate and people of Mongolia (via Google.) 
• We cried over the amazing and often startling way that Heavenly Father can change hearts and move mountains.  
• We learned about family history and indexing.  
• We shared family stories. 
• We admired some beautiful sewing of Texas pillowcases in one home and a gorgeous, intricate tatted doilie in another. 

And in one short morning, we connected with not just the two sisters we had hoped to connect with, but with five sisters total...not to mention each other.  As I sat across the living room in two different homes and watched each of those sisters share a few of their hopes, some challenges, and a lot of their joys, I was completely filled with vast love for each one of them.  Some of them are my friends, and some just happened to cross our paths that day...although I don't for a second believe that was random.  But how grateful I am to have been available and willing to be in a place to feel connected to those women.  The whole experience made me think of Sister Hinckley's quote...

Doesn't that just inspire the heck out of us to want to know everyone's story?  It inspires me.  And it's so true.  Everyone that I've taken the time to get to know on a more personal level, I have come to love immensely.  Imagine what would happen if I took that time with more people?  

I'm grateful for inspired, unexpected, meaningful connections.  And I'm SUPER grateful for an awesome visiting teaching companion who doesn't let a little unanswered door stand in the way of a productive morning.