My mom had 13 or more in her family. She was the fourth from the bottom, so she had lots of older brothers and sisters. We were Catholics, but like I said, we never went except to funerals. The funerals were very emotional and that is what I thought church was and wanted no part of it.
I remember in grade school when kids talked about Mary and Joseph around Christmas. I thought Mary and Joseph were new kids!
When I was a teenager, around 15, my brother had a girlfriend who always invited him to BYF (Baptist Youth Fellowship). He didn�t like to go, so she talked me into going. I did but never understood what they were talking about, but they had great refreshments! I was going pretty regularly until a boy said at one meeting it was okay I was there as long as I wasn�t a Catholic or Mormon. Well, that was the end of that!
I graduated in 1970 then got in with a drinking crowd. I got pregnant.
My whole life I wanted someone to love. My mom and dad were good providers, but not very affectionate. We never touched each other unless we were fighting. I don�t hold it against my parents that they weren�t affectionate. They were doing the best they could. So anyway I was a mom, someone to love and someone to love me.
Then I met a wonderful guy. Andy loved me and my baby. We were married. He�s a wonderful person. I�ve only seen him mad once in all the years we�ve been married.
His job moved us from Wendell to American Falls. He had a job and I stayed home with the kids. Not only being lonely, missing my family, I felt there was more to life. Two Mormon missionaries welcomed us to American Falls and invited us to their church. I wanted my kids to go to church, but what church?
I was cleaning house one day and I prayed in the only way I knew crying asking God why I felt so sad, like a puzzle with the main piece missing. I remembered my friends I�d gone to BYF with, so I called Bethany Baptist Church. I remember Pastor Knight talking to me. I didn�t go to church, but God sent me a message.
I needed or wanted my youngest to go to a preschool because all the neighbor kids were in school. When she started, I wanted her to know some kids. Well, God opened �Bethany�s Little Friends� at the church. Vickie Mayer and Ella Glasscock were so friendly and I loved it there.
I wasn�t ready for church yet but I started sending my girls. Kathy McLean was one of their teachers and she was so friendly I was almost afraid of her! Then I started going because I read all the girls� take-home papers and I had to know more. Mary Mayer insisted on hugging me, but I wasn�t sure how to hug. I was always as stiff as a board. I guess I was on defense. Viola Mayer would see me in the store and acted glad to see me! I couldn�t believe these people. What could they see in me? I thought if they knew me they wouldn�t like me.
One of the ladies from the preschool, Leah Mayer, asked me to go with her to a disciple class Thana was having, so I did. I learned a lot. I gave my life to the Lord.
He�s healed me and He loves me. Last year, 2002, the girls I�d gone to BYF with came to my 50th birthday party. I shared with her how I knew she, as well as her family, had prayed for me. I thanked her for loving me and now I know the Lord too.
Delores Nutsch