The Look In Her Eyes

Sunday past, I had an experience that I will forever consider to be sacred.  It was very short but very powerful to me.  It was a very busy day as Sundays here usually are.  We normally have investigators coming to church and were watching for them.  That morning, the primary president had asked me to do a presentation of a little program we are setting up for the branch and the relief society teacher had asked me to teach part of her lesson.  One of Ken's speakers had called in sick and one had an emergency and so was going to be late.  Nothing on my mind, you know the feeling. : )

Anyway, sacrament meeting went off with few hitches and as I walked down the hall I saw one of the less actives we work with going into the branch president's office.  We have been working with her, her non-member partner and his son for a few weeks, an amazing story in itself which I may share at another time.  There was nothing unusual about this so I went on to gospel essentials as always.  We had a wonderful discussion there on prayer which I enjoyed very much.

After class, I needed to talk to Elder Jarvis about logistics and was planning to look for him when he came straight at me and said, Susan (name changed) needs to say good-bye.  I walked up to her and she grabbed me and hugged me like she would never let go.  The thoughts going through my mind were a big mix.  I thought perhaps something awful had happened but everything else seemed normal.  She was sobbing and I moved back as far as possible with someone hanging on to me like a frightened child. 

That is when I saw it, that look that I have seen multiple times here but never more profoundly than this moment.  That look in her sparkling, shining eyes that says, "Can I do this.  Will you help me.  I'm so happy but so scared!  I want so much to change but don't know if it is possible.  I want what you have."  It will be a very long time if not forever before I forget that look.  It was absolutely haunting in a positive kind of way.  I have seen it in the man who seemed like a child curled up in a chair pelting us with questions.  I have seen it in the 12 year girl in the 18 year old body that I had to have "the talk" with.  I have seen it in the man who lost his daughter and doesn't understand.  It made me want to do even more to help these brothers and sisters whom I have come to serve.