Two days in a row down memory lane; I'm not sure what to do with it all...
I received a letter today from a retired general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; whom I will not name in this post. Those of you who know me well may recognize the story.
Fourteen years ago I visited Elder _____ for a pre-mission interview, several months before I received my call to serve in the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission of the LDS Church. The short version of the story is this: he treated me rudely and only authorized my mission after insulting me for the better part of an hour.
I've harbored a certain measure of resentment ever since, until last Sunday...by some bizarre "coincidence," this same Elder _____ attended sacrament meeting with my wife Rhonda. She knows the story well, and wasted no time confronting him with his offense. She says he felt very sorry for his actions and asked for our address. She gave it to him, and today I received the letter.
I quote the letter in part:
"I was very sorry to hear from your dear wife Rhonda, that I had offended you very deeply a few years ago in an interview. With all my heart and soul I hasten to ask your forgiveness for my words and attitude toward you. Please forgive me for my lack of understanding, for my failure to help you in your time of need, and for my obvious shortcomings as a representative in the Kingdom..."
Now I sit with this letter on my heart...how shall I respond? Of course, I must forgive.
I received a letter today from a retired general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; whom I will not name in this post. Those of you who know me well may recognize the story.
Fourteen years ago I visited Elder _____ for a pre-mission interview, several months before I received my call to serve in the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission of the LDS Church. The short version of the story is this: he treated me rudely and only authorized my mission after insulting me for the better part of an hour.
I've harbored a certain measure of resentment ever since, until last Sunday...by some bizarre "coincidence," this same Elder _____ attended sacrament meeting with my wife Rhonda. She knows the story well, and wasted no time confronting him with his offense. She says he felt very sorry for his actions and asked for our address. She gave it to him, and today I received the letter.
I quote the letter in part:
"I was very sorry to hear from your dear wife Rhonda, that I had offended you very deeply a few years ago in an interview. With all my heart and soul I hasten to ask your forgiveness for my words and attitude toward you. Please forgive me for my lack of understanding, for my failure to help you in your time of need, and for my obvious shortcomings as a representative in the Kingdom..."
Now I sit with this letter on my heart...how shall I respond? Of course, I must forgive.
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