Take for Granted

 A new family moved into our ward so I arranged a time to go meet Ariana and took some crumble cookies with me.  She sent me a cute video of her boys opening the box and deciding who would like each one.  Ariana told me a bit of her conversion story and then the last year of custody issues they have been dealing with for Haylie.  

She is from Houston and her parents have her and an older daughter who is autistic so they invested a lot in Ariana and wanted her to be a dancer.  She was put in performing arts school since she was little and at 14 she lived alone by one of these schools.  Her parents would drive in for drs appointments and for performances but she was living alone to go to this special school  She became friends with these girls and she was invited into their home a lot. She said she loved to be there and there were pictures of Jesus around and they would invite her to join them for scriptures.  She said she loved that family and just the feeling she got being around them.  They moved to California which was devastating for her but before they left they introduced her to their cousins and she said even though she didn't bond to them like the first family, she still had that same feeling of joy when she was with them.  They were Josh Groban fans and so she was driving (16 now) and saw a billboard that he was coming to Houston. She called them and told them and they said they knew and had just gotten tickets and one for her. She said spending time with them again reminded her that she wanted what these two families had.  She said she had never prayed before but she got home from that concert and knelt down and said to God,  I don't know what those families are doing to have that feeling but I want that in my life so how do I get it. She said the words came to her mind.  It is there church.  She said she got right up off her knees and called them and said what church do you go to and they told her the Mormon church.  She said I need to come with you and so she received the lessons.  Her parents absolutely refused her request for baptism and her mom was worried that she would become a stay home mom and no longer pursue her dance career.  She said on her 18th birthday she got baptized and her parents withdrew all support.  No help with college, living expenses etc.  She was invited to stay at a young married couples home and sleep on their couch.  This girl had a brother that had been through a divorce and had a three year old little girl.  He was dating a girl they did not care for so they asked Ariana is she would go on one date with him just to let him know there were other options. She said she knew by date two she was going to marry him.  He is ten years older.  So imagine her parents reaction when their 18 year old daughter tells them not only did she join this church but she was marrying a 28 year old with a 3 year old little girl.  She said that she totally gets their reaction now that she is a mom, but she knew she was doing the right thing.  Her parents did not speak to her for a few years.  They now have a good relationship.  So she became a step mom to Haylie.  The mom had given up rights to Haylie and they have had sole custody of her.  They have always let Haylie see her mom whenever the mom wanted to or made herself available and have never said anything bad about her. She has since had a few kids with different guys and lives in Waco in a trailer park. She served them last year that she wanted custody of Haylie. They think she wants this now because Haylie is 15 and can be an asset like babysitting.  They for sure thought they would not lose this battle since she had signed her over and they had her this whole time but Haylie wants a relationship with her mom and for once her mom wanted her and that is hard for a young girl to not want.  She won the court case and now they had to turn her over to her mom who has a totally different lifestyle than Haylie has been used to and they get her on the weekends.  The day I visited they had not seen Haylie for six weeks and this past weekend was the first weekend they were having her.   I asked her how it went and she said it was a little strained but it went as good as it could.  She said this last year was so hard on them emotionally as they had all these court dates and she said how that it is decided we feel like we can begin to breath and just take it one day at a time.  

Anyway I came away from visiting her with a few things.  One she really needed to talk and open up to someone and I was there for almost two hours.  Sometimes just listening to someone's story helps them.  I came away so impressed that she at so young recognized goodness and sought after it even at great sacrifice.  I am so used to knowing what I know that I take for granted that not everyone has that knowledge .  That knowledge of the plan of happiness brings perspective and peace in a world that can seem confusing and chaotic and contentious.  I forget that having the spirit with me as I go about my day makes me different.  People can feel something and like Ariana they don't know where to get it.  I need to be better at sharing. Anyway this family I feel is going to be such a great addition to our ward and you can just feel Ariana's strength and that she is all in.  I feel like that is rarer and rarer these days.