Spirits in Prison - 1-13-09

Hey William,

We got to see a couple of pictures that you sent to Anneke. They are the ones of you in a park, and one of you with Elder Davis. Anneke thought that it was cool that you got Dirty Rice for Christmas. She said that you will probably start cooking, and make all sorts of good meals.

The new semester just started for Benson and Anneke. Benson found that he was signed up for a weightlifting class, a "girls" weightlighting class. He said that it wasn't so bad, but he was really uncomfortable in the locker room. Just kidding. He was told that he had to drop it and sign up for the guys class.

The weather has been beautiful, the snow is melting and the sun is out. Mary Ann made "Shrimp Etoufee" for dinner on Sunday. It was like a cajun curry and it was delicious.

On Sunday I had an assignment at the Hospital Branch. Mary Ann and I got to deliver the sacrament to women on the Maternity Floor, and I had to give a talk in 2 sacrament meetings. I gave a talk about the Pres Utdorf talk, "Lift where you Stand". I thought that it went well, but the real incredible story was given by Br. Randle. I will relay it to you as best as I can because I think that you will enjoy it.

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Spirits in Prison By Quint Randle

As a member of a singing group I was invited to perform our spiritual songs at the womens prison in our state. We arrived early to setup our equipment in the off white room that was used as the prison chapel. Once we were ready to start, the women were marched into the room wearing the standard prison clothing of dingy white jumpsuits. The appearance of half of the women did not surprise me, they looked hard and worn from years of drug use and hard living.

But I was not prepared for the look of the other women. Any of these women could have been my sister, my wife, my mother or grandmother. They showed no indication that they belonged in such a place as this.

As we performed our songs I thought of how blessed that I was that I had not made the mistakes that had cost these women their agency. I also thought of how close this scene looked like a session at the Temple, but not. Everyone dressed in dingy white, in a dingy white room. Contrasted by the brilliant white of the Temple decor and the beautiful clean white clothing of the temple goers.

We had a second opportunity to perform at the women prison a couple months later. As the women arrived for the performance, I was surprised to see them dressed in clean beautiful jumpsuits. The new jumpsuits had been donated by a business in the area so that the women did not have to wear the dingy white jumpsuits anymore. It was then that I realized just how alike that we all were.

Although these women have been convicted of civil crimes and wore all of the indications of being criminals. We all are quilty of spiritual crimes against our Heavenly Father, and that only through his son's atonement can we ever hope to be made white again, and be aloud to dwell with our Heavenly Father.

Our spiritual crimes, and our Heavenly Father's judgement is no less real then the civil judgement's against these women. But our Savior, Jesus Christ, has already "served time" for our crimes and has already paid for our sins.

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I hope that you are finding success as you lose yourself in the work. I know that this is exactly where your Heavenly Father needs you to be right now. I love you so much and you make me so proud as you show me how much you are growing with every letter.

Make this a mission worthly of a lifetime of good memories.
Love,
Dad, Mary Ann and Benson