Linda's- marknlinda2003@yahoo.com
Her daughter that has cancer that we returned the favor to is Shanna Her email is shepherdshanna1@gmail.com She lives somewhere by Provo.
So sorry..... it didn't send last night.
Love you, Mom
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Hi Angie, my name is Benson Isom, Elder Isom right now. I am a missionary in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission. I have been out for over a year and you don't know it but you changed my mission and my life. I will tell you why.
I got to Florida and like most missionaries I was home sick and still trying to figure life out. I was doing alright though. I was raised good and I was not going to quite but 2 years was going to be a long time.
Last October almost a year ago I received a long email from my mom. I started to read and it was a normal email. She told me about the apple orchard, family and life. Then she told me that a neighbor came by and dropped of 25 dollars for my mission. My mom asked me what I wanted to do with the money. She could keep it in my room and put it on my debit card. Before she told me to decide she wrote I need to tell you a story first then decide what you want to do with the money.
My mom went on to tell me a story that happened 24 years ago, now it will be 25 years ago. My mom and my brother Justin were in primary children's hospital. It was a normal, lonely night as the rest of the family was in Idaho. Then an Angel came, not a heavenly personage but YOU. You came and gave my mom a little envelope. You didn't stay long and then you left. I don't know if you know the rest of the story but I think that after all these years you would like to know what happened.
Well after you left my mom went over to the bed and my mom and brother Justy opened the envelope together. As they looked inside Justy hollered, we're rich. There were no phones back then so they had to wait till my dad called that night to tell him. What you didn't know was that the tires on the car were badly balding. That money was enough for new tire for the car and there was also enough for a tank of gas so my dad and sibling could go to Utah and visit.
You also didn't know how much that act of kindness would do for me. If some small Wyoming farming family could do that then I can serve a mission. As I read my mom’s email that day almost 11 months ago I started crying in front of my companion. You didn't know then but that little envelope with small bills would change so many lives and how a huge reach.
I hope it was alright but a few weeks ago I shared your story on a virtual sacrament meeting, I also shared it Andrew months ago in a talk in another sacrament meeting.
To finish up the email that my mom sent me, she went on to explain about your daughter Shanna and what she was going through. My mom wanted to return the favor and send her a little envelope. I told my mom that she could take that little 25 dollars I got from the neighbor and she could give it to Shanna.
Angie, you and your family changed my life. I thank you so much. I don't think you could have imagined how big of an impact that little envelope had on my family. I would love to meet you one day. I hear you live in Provo and that's not too far from Blackfoot so I would love to drive down and thank you in person. Of course, it will have to wait for another year. The Lord needs me here in Florida. I thank you and your family. I know it wasn't just you who helped with that envelope. Share this with all of your family. I heard your mom is still alive and I would love to meet her someday also.
Love, Elder Isom
