If Only I Knew....

we made a difference at all....(I think all missionaries have these same thoughts during their missions; it is not unique to just me.)

That was the thought in my heart very early this morning.

I was thinking about our mission.  About the sad stories, the people, the despair, the desire to get a job, the few jobs out there, the heartbreaking stories every day.

 I just thought about what we do every Monday and Tuesday and truly wondered if we made any difference at all.

Then the day went on in earnest....laundry, exercise, errands, busy stuff.  I was invited to a jewelry party in the evening, so I went.

The man selling looked familiar.  "Didn't you come into the LDS Employment Center?" I asked.

He had.

"What has happened since I saw you?" I asked.

"Well, the day I was in the LDS Employment Center, a missionary there said he knew someone in his ward who might need my help in his business."

It started coming back to me.  "Do you work for Dan Purcell (a programmer in my ward)?"  I asked...yes the man said he did.

"That missionary was my husband!" I declared.

"Well, I work for Dan; it's worked out great.  I really like him and he allows me to get off work in the early afternoon to be able to do this side gig."

As I continued talking to him I recalled my thoughts of earlier in the morning.  It was incredible!  It was such a response in answer to my unspoken prayer.  I was humbled and grateful.

Being truthful, this doesn't happen often; in fact, too infrequently.  We rarely know the results of the people we send out on interviews, if the people we work with get jobs, if their lives are changed at all.

But, for one brief moment today and for one young father, I realized that what goes on at the LDS Employment Center does make a difference.