September 21, 2012

      Hello to our friends and family. Let me tell you about my friend Billy Reed. Fifteen years ago I was involved with prison ministries at the Jefferson City Corrections prison. This was the prison where men were sent who had committed some pretty serious crimes, and many of these men wouldn't be getting out for a long time if ever.  I would go in on Sunday nights and meet in a small room in the basement of the prison chapel. Anywhere from three to ten men would usually attend, some who sincerely wanted to be there and others who just wanted to get out of their cells. Three men, who I remember well, who became my friends, came each and every time. T.J. aka Terrill Jennings, aka Porter Rockwell (because that described him better), Richard Beckham, now deceased, and Billy Reed. These men always came with a contrite heart and wanted to worship the Savior. I always felt the Spirit within those walls and always felt safe with these three men around me. As with all of us at some time in our lives we wish we could rewind an event that had occured where something went wrong, where someone was hurt, or a car was damaged, or a crime was committed. But we can't do that and have to go on with our lives whatever that might be. In these men, I never saw anger against the system, "woe is me", or "I've been wronged", just sincere men wanting to make the best of it. I was not allowed to baptize them or give the sacred elements of the Sacrament but the Spirit of the Lord was there none the less. After about seven years these three men were transferred to other prisons and I was called to serve in other responsibilities. We kept up correspondence and I never forgot what those men taught me.
     Fast forward to 2012. I received a phone call from Billy Reed. He had been released from prison, was in a half way house in Kansas City, had a job and had a car. The system had felt he had served his time and now he was out in the world to survive on his own. Billy always said if he got out he would dedicate his life to the Lord. Well he was baptized recently into the Church of Jesus of Christ of Latter-Day Saints and last week attended the Kansas City temple to do baptisms. He is one excited and pumped man. I am so happy for him and glad I could play a small part in his life. I look forward to seeing him in 2014 when we come home.
    May we always remember Matthew 25: 35-36 "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; Naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me".
    May we always emulate in some small way what the Savior did for mankind.

John