Elder Gardiner

Last night I received this email:

Purvis Ward Family Home Evening Compassionate Service

Your family is invited.........
TO LOVE ELDER GARDINER
Elder Gardiner's father has been diagnosed with a fatal brain stem tumor and has been given 2 weeks to live. Elder Gardiner found out
this weekend. He will be transferred to Texas on Tuesday morning.

Meet at the church at 6pm, Monday, March 8th,
--then carpool to Jason & Krista Grover's home
Sing & share our love and concern
for Elder Gardiner & his family
Banana splits to follow

Elder Gardiner is a full time missionary and he has been serving in our ward for 4 months. This has been his very first area. Tonight I explained to the kids what we were going to do for Family Home Evening and why and they were very touched. Every prayer they’ve said tonight has been a prayer for Elder Gardiner and his father. It started to rain when we left our house tonight to drive over to the church and the kids and I said a prayer that the rain would wait until after we were able to sing to Elder Gardiner. On the way to the church- I kid you not- the rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow appeared across the sky. When we got to the church there were a lot of other families there, which was very touching considering the short notice for this impromptu expression of love. We all caravanned over to the Grover’s and stood outside their house and sang to young Elder Gardiner. It was poignant.

Tonight I was grateful to be in a ward that treats one another like family. I was grateful that my kids could start to develop an awareness of the pains and sufferings of other people and that now they know they can be an active part in soothing someone else’s pain- even if it’s just a little bit. And I was grateful, once again, for the Plan of Salvation.