Last night Brett and I had the opportunity to serve in the Lindon Cannery. It was a welfare assignment, so it was longer than the typical shift if you are there to purchase goods on your own. They sent the sign up around on Sunday and I sent a txt message to Brett and asked him if he would go with me on a date. I know you aren't supposed to txt in church, and I don't normally, but I needed to know if he would be willing.
Our Assignments
We arrived at the cannery at 3:30, a half hour before our scheduled shift. We sat in the car, both reading articles on our phones. At 3:45 we decided to go and check in. Lucky for us, we were in charge of labeling. (no dirty clothes)
Brett's assignment was to get the cans from the cooler, and my job was to stand at a conveyer belt and make sure the cans all had labels on them. We were working on pork and beans.
When I first arrived at my station, a missionary came and introduced himself to me and gave me instructions on what I was to do. I was nervous that I wouldn't do a good job, or that I would miss a can, but I caught on quickly and took care of the job at hand. Brett was across the way from me and another missionary kept going back and forth between us and setting up 'a date'. He was so funny. He would come and tell me that Brett thought that I was quite the catch and that he wanted to set us up. Then he would go over to Brett and tell him that I thought he was pretty neat. We conversed for quite some time about our 'date' that we would go on when we left for the evening. Funny thing, I told him where we were eating and just as we were getting ready to finish our food, he and his wife showed up to eat. We had a good laugh and he told us he was checking to make sure Brett followed through.
A New Friend
We had been at the cannery for about 20 minutes when the missionary that was helping me asked me how many kids I had and what their ages were. I answered him, and a few minutes later he said "I bet you would be just like my Kim if she were still here." I looked at him and asked him if his daughter had passed away and he told me that she was killed by a drunk driver when she was 17. We are the same age. We reminisced about Kim, and I told him about Azure and we talked the night away. We spoke of the pain of losing a loved one, a pain that can't possibly be understood until you go through it yourself. He often made comments about how it was hard for him to look at me because he pictured me being his daughter. My heart ached.
In the end, I got his phone number and promised to visit him and his wife, who now suffers from fibromyalgia. I don't want to replace their daughter, but I know how important it is to be able to talk about those you love who have passed beyond the veil.
Another Testimony
Standing on that stool at that conveyer belt last night, I was proud of the membership I have in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It gives me countless opportunities to serve others. Not only did I assist in the process of canning for the welfare program of the church, I made a new friend, and I can only pray that I can help heal a broken heart. I believe it is what the Savior would do if he were standing right beside me. I'm grateful to know it is where I belong.
