Daisy Hill and Angels

(BY THE WAY - I have changed the name of this blog to Daisy Hill. It seems apt. I live here. I'm heading there.. one day :) It makes me think of the song 'I'll give you a daisy a day, dear', and Neil, who always does. It sounds up, (challenges) and over, (the hill!), but pretty along the way :) It makes me think of my mother, who loves daisies. And Meg Ryan in 'You've Got Mail', saying, "Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"

Wow. And to think that all I was really thinking was that I didn't really much like 'Sandy Speak'!... lol xo)






I've been reading an autobiographical book by Elder F. Enzio Busche and would like to share with you a few passages:

(One day while working at the Church administration building, Elder Busche was told that there was an elderly German woman who wanted to see him. )
'I saw a woman who must have been from a respectable home and who was trying to be charming, but her clothing was a little ragged. Her manner did not fit her appearance.
'Her name was Sister Neuberg. She was a German convert.. I do not believe that she had ever married or had a job. She must have always been with her parents.. When they died, she was suddenly alone and did not know where to go. She was in her sixties or seventies. What she had to say was astonishing.
'She had $1,500 in cash that she wanted to give me for the missionary fund.. I was reluctant to take her money and asked her why she wanted to do that. She told me that she had talked to the Lord, and the Lord had told her the money was needed for poor missionaries; therefore, she wanted to give me the money..
'Why didn't she give it to her bishop? Wasn't she a member of a ward? She said, "Ah, yes. My bishop.. always gives it back to me and says I should keep it for myself, but he doesn't understand, and I don't want to confuse him. For years, I have gone to the temple grounds and given it to a person that I thought looked trustworthy. But then the Lord told me I shouldn't do that. He said I should give it to a General Authority who could give me a receipt and who would make sure the money went to the right place."
'She told me that she had told the Lord that the General Authorities did not understand German.. She said the Lord had told her that the Church now had a German-speaking General Authority, and she could go to him. She had asked the Lord what the name was and the Lord had told her, "It is Elder Busche."
Elder Busche was doubtful, but 'finally took the woman's money, gave her a receipt, and made sure it got to the missionary department.'
He was 'surprised when she came again the next year and the next. Every year, she came with $1,500..' He 'became more interested and learned to listen.
'She told me many things.. one day, she told me the Lord had told her that a big flood would come and there would be a river running down State Street in Salt Lake City. I thought she was a little deranged because we were in a desert. How could a river possibly run through the middle of the city?
'Of course, I was shocked when just a couple of months later there was a river running down State Street. It was the famous 1983 flood, which came practically without any warning. After that, I had more respect for what she said.
'One day, she was unsettled by a talk at general conference.. she said to me, "Yes, I went to the Lord and complained about that talk and that brother, but the Lord told me, 'They are all different, but they are all acceptable unto me, even the least among them is acceptable unto me.' So what can I do? I have to live with that and stop complaining and sustain them all."
'She told me one day that the Lord would soon take Elder Bruce R. McConkie to Him. That was before it was made public that Elder McConkie was sick. Soon after, I learned that he had cancer and then he passed away. I finally had to accept that Sister Neuberg had gifts and insights that were very unusual.
'Once when she brought the $1,500, I asked her where in the world she got the money. She told me, without any embarrassment, that she was making a special sacrifice because, she said, "I want to show the Lord how much I love Him and how much I appreciate His atonement for me." She went on to explain that her father had left a small endowment for her to live on. She lived in a little house where her parents had lived. She saved the money for the missionary fund by not using any utilities. She did not use any heating all winter but wore two big sweaters, a big coat, and a wool cap. She did not cook any meals but ate raw or cold food. She said, "It's only a small thing that I can do. The Lord has done much more."
'..She told me many events that did occur. She was very alone and had no one to talk to. I was probably the only person that she ever told some of the things in her life to. She said, "People don't understand me. Home teachers don't come to me because they are afraid of me. They all think I'm a little crazy and weird. But I like to have my visits from the Holy Angels. I speak with them and talk with them about the plan of salvation, and they give me comfort."
'She surely lived a different life than a regular person. Besides her frequent walks through Temple Square, she spent all day long reading the scriptures and other religious bookds. All were in German... her English was so broken that most people could not understand what she said.. I finally realized that I was probably the only living person with whom she felt comfortable speaking..
'She was always happy and enthusiastic about Christ and the beings from the other side of the veil. She looked forward to being with them and felt honored to be going home soon.'

____________


When I was younger I know that I was very critical by nature. I found that I sometimes hurt people, under-estimated and under-appreciated them. A few timely experiences in my youth helped me to learn that no good or joy comes from being judgmental of others. At least, I am still learning that lesson, but I believe it with all my heart. The scriptures don't tell us to judge one another. They do teach us repeatedly to love one another, then they explain what that means, in the verses that describe charity.

I honestly quake internally when I stop to wonder how many angels in rags (metaphorically) I may have overlooked or, worse still, have actually looked down on. I try not to do it.

I feel so grateful that Heavenly Father doesn't overlook anybody. And that He does bless the truly deserving and needful.

Further along in the book, Elder Busche also told of a recently converted woman who was visiting America for the first time, from her home in a newly opened Eastern European country. She told him of the poor circumstances of the members in her home branch, and of 'the many sacrifices that they joyfully made.'
'Then she said, "Once in a while, we have holy angels visit and comfort and strengthen us." She added with a smile, "Can you imagine? I have found people in Salt Lake City who have never seen an angel." She laughed as if that were the strangest thing she had ever heard.'

Truly, many of us surely live far below our potential for blessings.


(ps - Did any of you happen to notice the light reflecting off the book cover, just where the words 'Reflections of..' were printed :) !?
..hah,.. sometimes I think I am wasted on you guys... :)