WARNING!.. Depressing Post :(

Stake conference was a really humbling experience tonight and I am so grateful I went. The theme of my Stake conference is "To the Rescue." This lady gave her talk about adoption. She said that the need for Foster Families in the East Valley is huge and there are so many kids who are stuck in bad homes, because they have no where to put them. She told a few real life stories of some of the children and one in particular I would like to share. It made me cry... a lot, so if you don't wanna hear a sad story then stop reading.

This boy was 4 years old (sorry I don't remember his name). He grew up in a crack house with his little sister. He watched his parents do drugs, etc, everyday. He remembers having to steal food for him and his sister, otherwise they wouldn't eat. When times got bad in the house he remembers hiding with his sister for long periods of time. He would stay awake at night just to keep the rats from gnawing on his little sisters hands and feet. He would hear his dad on the phone buying liquor and he remembers having to go pick it up at the liquor store. He remembers being so terrified walking at night (age 4), having to cross the street with all the cars and even more terrified bringing it back wrapped in a brown paper bag and hoping he wouldn't accidentally drop it or have someone steal it from him, because he knew he would be in big trouble when he got home. At the age of 6, he and his sister were finally taken from their home and put into separate foster families. The dad in his new foster family physically abused him every day. When his dad got home he would lock him in his room. His 8th birthday was coming up and he was gonna have a birthday party. He remembers being so excited, because he has never had a birthday party before. When he got home, he saw that the little belongings he had were all packed up, his party was canceled, and he was told he was going to a new foster home. The lady who was telling this story said that that's when he came into her home. She heard that it was his birthday so she got a cake, balloons, and gave someone $20 to buy as many gifts as they could with the 20 bucks, so when the 8 year old boy got to their home, they had a surprise birthday party waiting for him. She ended up adopting this boy. He was baptized and sealed to their eternal family. For Christmas he was debating on whether or not he wanted a gameboy or scriptures with his name engraved on them. He went back and forth and finally decided to ask Santa Claus for the set of scriptures. Santa of course brought him both :) He and her birth son turned their mission papers in at the same time. They both got called Spanish speaking, but to different places. They reported to the MTC the same day, so they were in the MTC together and learning Spanish together. This little boy is now married eternally to an amazing girl. They are expecting their second baby. He is an amazing husband and father and he works very hard to support his family.

The lady giving the talk said it would shock you to hear how these children live.. with physical abuse, drugs, pornography.. And not only that, but these innocent children experience these things every single day. She has also adopted other children that have been sealed to their family and she said not only did they teach their children the gospel, they lived it. They would read and pray everyday as a family. She said, "Can you just imagine how wonderful it would be if everyone of Heavenly Father's children could be sealed to an eternal family. I know that could never happen, but can you just image."

This hit me pretty hard tonight. I know there are children who are suffering, who live in really bad environments, but to actually hear of one little boy's horrible personal experience, who is now this lady's son, who is happy and living the gospel, who didn't turn out like his birth father running a crack house, because she took him in and showed him love. She did exactly what our Savior would do and exactly what our Savior wants from us. We are His hands and we need to be "to the rescue". I wish I could live in a house like this..

..and have 967 children to take care of, to love, to teach the gospel to.. to rescue. I love my Savior Jesus Christ! I only hope and pray to be near like Him as it is possible for me and to show others and my Savior how much I love Him by being His hands here on earth.