When a Friend Makes All the Difference

The week before Mike came home from the hospital (October 8, 2013) I had so many scheduling pieces and details to organize. I felt tired, overwhelmed, and afraid. Lisa had told me on numerous occasions that her door was always open. As I drove toward my home late one night, I felt incredibly overwhelmed. How would I balance all that Mike needed with all that the children needed? As I drove past Lisa’s street, I heard her voice and saw her kind, sincere eyes in my mind. It was 11 p.m. but I turned around to see if her lights might still be on. I pulled up in front of LIsa’s house and called to see if she could talk for a few minutes. Lisa invited me in and her incredible optimism, faith and love filled the room. She hugged me, got a paper and pencil and began to break the week into days and hours. At the top of the paper Lisa wrote, “The Rays Week of Miracles.” She organized carpools so the children could still enjoy their activities even though I would need to be at the hospital for long hours everyday. That bit of “normalcy” made a tremendous difference for our children.

Lisa also helped me find ways to adapt family traditions so we could still capture those family moments but so that they would be reasonable in the time and space that we found ourselves. She made a plan to organize meals and carpools. She made phone calls to help organize help that I desperately needed but couldn’t quite ask for myself. Lisa would show up without warning to drop off “Halloween cereal” or after school treats. She helped our children smile and laugh. She helped me laugh and allowed me to cry. She helped our family maintain a sense of normalcy in a time that could have been filled with desperation. Because of Lisa’s sincere love and service, I found I wanted to also share with her the victories our family experienced. I would send a quick text to share a little miracle we had experienced and Lisa would respond with her unlimited love and enthusiasm. I mentioned once that our daughter, Bri would be singing at a local restaurant. Lisa and her husband, Matt showed up that night for dinner at the restaurant and to show love and support to Bri. Lisa’s testimony of the Savior shines through the way she lives her life. She ministered to me in both physical and spiritual ways. Almost daily I received some sort of text message from Lisa and always they contained words of encouragement and faith. I will forever be grateful for Lisa’s friendship and love.

Lisa now serves alongside her husband in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Minneapolis, Minnesota Mission.