The beautiful baptism of Eli and Christine Lucat...
Eli first met the elders in Grand Island. He and Christine were taught by Elder Smith and Elder Mapu and were fellowshipped by many missionaries. (Eli can name every single one, many of whom have returned home. Hopefully, you are all seeing the fruits of your labor!) They loved the ward and members in Grand Island and the missionaries and their message but weren't yet ready to commit. When Eli and Christine moved to Omaha, they all lost track of each other. One day in Wal Mart, Eli and Christine noticed a companionship of sister missionaries, Sister Orton and Sister Borla. They approached them and told them they had been taught by Elders Smith and Mapu and that they loved them. The sisters quickly offered to continue teaching them and they happily accepted! After a few lessons, their teaching was continued by Sister Slater and Sister Abbott who were serving in the Ralston La Vista Ward where Eli and Christine were living. Yesterday this wonderful couple was baptized and today they were confirmed! What a wonderful weekend for all involved and a beautiful new beginning for this sweet family.
Steve was left with
cerebral palsy after a surgical error when he was a young child. His
mother Ruth spent her whole life from then on as his primary caretaker.
Sister Blomstead of one of the North Platte wards became one of Steve's home
health care workers more as an effort to help Ruth than out of need for a
job. She provided far more than the services she was paid for and genuinely
came to love Ruth and Steve. She would often share her love for the
gospel with them. At her suggestion, Sister Galbraith and Tiritilli began
to make visits to Ruth and Steve and ultimately began teaching Steve.
President Gardner and I had the chance to attend one of these visits.
Steve was very interested in all they said. He even asked
questions. We were so touched to see the sisters had really been given a
gift of being able to understand his speech and answer his questions.
They testified with strength and with such love. Steve was so touched,
felt the Holy Ghost and desired to be baptized. Ruth is very protective
of Steve and while she thought there was a lot of good in the church, she
declared many times that, "after 90 years of living, she wasn't interested
in making any changes." She was also concerned that just the process
of entering the baptismal water could be dangerous for Steve. Illnesses,
especially respiratory, are particularly dangerous for Steve. She wouldn't
budge despite Steve's persistence. President Gardner, seeing The Lift, on
Mormon Messages one day, recognized that this was inspiration and contacted the
stake president and two North Platte bishops and suggested the priesthood
quorums organize men to come each night and assist Ruth with the difficult and
heavy lifting task of getting Steve into bed each night. (She had hired
help do this but had found multiple times that these aides had stolen from her,
reported hours they hadn't actually worked etc. and this had become a real
trial for her.) The brethren as well as Elders Olsen and Hubbard, the zone
leaders in North Platte at the time began to take care of this nightly routine
as well as reading a chapter from the Book of Mormon with Steve and Ruth before
bed. Ruth's heart was touched and she allowed Steve to be baptized.
The Elders and Sister Blomsteads’ son were with him in the font to carry and
support his weight. It was a beautiful experience for all to see the joy
on his face. A few months later after attending church with Steve,
reading and asking for herself, Ruth too was baptized. Steve passed away
at the end of January following a bad respiratory virus. Elder Hubbard
was blessed to take Steve's name to the temple and complete his work at Ruth's
request. His work was completed two days before Steve's funeral services
and he was buried in his temple clothing. Ruth is so excited to see her
eternal family again and looks forward to doing her own work or having someone
else do it for her as well. Ruth and Steve and their story has been a
delight. We were able to see someone go through the whole process.
Steve endured much for sixty years before finding the gospel but was grateful
every day for the truth he had found.
