Elder Steele Carries the Fire Wood

A short Email that we sent to the Steele Family

Last night we drove up to a small village to visit a member family.  Their oldest daughter has turned in her papers and is waiting for her mission call.  Sister Thomas and I have been assigned to be their home teachers.  We were not sure where they lived so we persuaded the Elders to allow us to follow them there.

After driving for 30 minutes out into the African countryside we came to the village.  As we approached the village we saw a typical African scene where a woman was carrying firewood on her head and she was headed back into the village.

As I looked upon the scene, appreciating it for what it was, the Elders' car in front of us suddenly pulled to the side of the road and stopped.  Elder Steele, who was driving, was out with a bound and proceeded down the hillside to the woman offering to help her carry the wood.  It was an act of pure charity.  I took a couple of pictures as the story developed and wanted to share them with you.

There is one where Elder Steel has taken the wood from her.  One where they are getting directions from her to her home and a final showing the path where they carried the wood.  This picture is somewhat deceiving.  The grade where either the women or Elder Steel had to carry the wood was over 30 degrees.  (The Village is on the side of hill) Finally, there is one of Elder Steele in the family's home we were going to visit with Sister Thomas.

I got out of our car and had the pleasure of watching this unfold.  This African Woman was someone's Mother or Grandmother.  I have always been trained to treat older women as if they were my mother.  This was drilled into me in my youth by my mother and father.  I still strive to do that today.  I had the opportunity to see this training come into action through your son.  I can tell by this one act alone about the training that Elder Steele has received from his Mother and Father.  If I can paraphrase the Book of Mormon.  "He did not doubt his parents knew it."

You should know that your son is a pleasure to be around.  He is a wonderful, faithful, obedient missionary that acts with compassion and love to those around him.  We are grateful to be able to serve with him while he is here in Queenstown.

Our love to all the Steele's (who from your son's accounts is at least 1/3 of Nephi)

Elder and Sister Thomas