It has been a dramatic couple of weeks in our neighborhood. As you know I serve in the Young Womens as 1st Counselor and I am over the Mia Maid class. I love all of the girls so much, almost as much as my own children. I have been feeling some concern for a certain Young Woman and after trying unsuccessfully to get her to open up about anything, I approached her 2 best friends who are also in the class. They told me a lot of information that truly, I wish I didn't know but it shed some light on why the spirit was continuously prompting me to visit and talk to her. Well one piece of information in particular was important enough for me to go to our President who then went to the bishop.
The girl gets a visit from our President, and from that visit decides that she hates all of us leaders and her two best friends, not to mention the church. The 2 best friends are mad at me for betraying their trust, and so it is Drama in the Riverton Farms Ward.
I talked to the 2 best friends and explained to them that when a friend even mentions "suicide" you do not keep that a secret. That was the part of the secret that I did not keep a secret and they felt that I betrayed their trust. I'm not sure where the line of loyalty and safety meet but I was sure that I was not supposed to keep that bit of information a secret no matter who of the 3 girls it hurt. The bishop and our YW president were the only 2 I told. All of this happened on a Monday....Feb 11th to be exact.
This YW still came to our activity the following night, shot daggers at me with her looks but hey, she was still there right? She also came to last weeks activity.
I get a call on Thursday (Feb. 21) at around noon saying that this particular girl has gone "missing". Her mom went in to get her up for school and she was not in her bed. I almost had heart failure. What had I done?
To condense the rest of the story, I was a wreck. I felt that I had started this whole mess. I questioned myself for following the spirit when it caused so much heartache for so many people. And then which possibly resulted in her running away. I went to visit her parents, with our President, to somehow express my sorrow and apologize for, well, I wasn't sure but I was sure I needed to apologize. She proceeded to uplift me. I know as a parent, I wouldnt have handled it as calm and assured as she did. She was comforting me when I should have been the one doing that for her. She also thanked both of us for telling her what we did since she really didnt know.
This YW was gone from Thursday until Saturday night when the police found her and her friend in Orange County. They were off on the side of the road in a car. The officer drove past, turned back around and ran the plates and found that it was the car that had been reported missing. What a huge relief!
Anyway, the drama has passed. She is getting help. I still, in a small way feel responsible for her running away but no matter how hard it may be, whether the initial doing or the consequence of following, never ignore the spirit. It will always lead to do right. I know this without a doubt. You just may not be the most popular person in the world because of it. I have learned from this experience that I need to care less about what the world thinks and more about what the Lord thinks and that I am his instrument. I am so thankful for the gospel. BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO HAVE TEENAGERS!!! :)
