When friends get sick

I have a dear friend that I met on my mission 15 years ago. Her name is Bobette Lucey. There is a great story behind our friendship. I was a new missionary, and my companion and I had both been transferred into a new area. We were out tracking on our first or second day in the town, when we met Bobette. She opened the door, and said " I know you." We were surprised, and said, no we had just come into town. She said, " I really feel I have met you before." She invited us in, and she was right, things were very familiar. We kept going back and having great conversations, and we continued to feel that we had met before. I found out that she had lived in Omaha- which is where I am from, but had moved from there to be married when I was just moving there at 5 years old. We finally realized through the spirit that we had a connection from the pre existence. We both knew it to be true, and our friendship and love deepened. I was with her in that area for 9 months!! (Highly unusual for a missionary) . She was not ready to join the church, but we had such spiritual meetings. She can even show you the hole that I wore in the arm of her couch picking at it unconsciously!

I was transferred and other missionaries worked with her. I was only gone for 4 months and then- Boom! back to Plano, and my friend Bobette (also highly unusual for missionaries) I was beginning to feel that my only purpose for serving a mission in Texas was for Bobette. By the last month that I was there, I was with Sister Cole (yes same last name as me now, she is my sister in law) and we had a very Spiritual experience with Bobette where she now knew the church was true and that she wanted to be baptized. Also she had met with President Kerr, our mission president on occasion with some questions since she was RLDS- sorry I had forgot to mention that in the beginning. That is why this conversion was so unique! So she requested that President Kerr do the honors and baptize her, and he said yes! It was a special time.

A year later, I was living in Utah and myself and 3 other sister missionaries that had worked with her decided to fly her out to Salt Lake to go through the temple. Even President Kerr and his wife were there. It was so wonderful! She even went to Bridal Veil Falls with me, my family and future husband to be.

Seven Years later Melody (my first companion) and I went back to Dallas to see a family- the Chastains- go through the temple. It was so great to see everyone and to be there for that. I took my 3rd child Logan who was about 6 months old. Bobette came to see us. It was so special to see her again, and to see her holding my son. It really tied things together for me, of how our lives are weaved together.

Over the last few years we unfortunately have lost contact. Lately she has been on my mind, and I even tried to find her a month ago. My mission president also ran into my sister in law and asked about Bobette, saying he wanted to contact her. We now know that even when we temporarily loose track of someone we love, the Lord never does.

My dear friend Bobette is in stage 4 of cancer. I found this out while again trying to search for her. On facebook, nonetheless, I found a "Pray for Bobette Lucey" group. I looked, and there she was. Her two daughters, who I know, started this prayer group, and there are an amazing number of people in it praying for her. She now is back in Omaha where my family still is, under going her cancer treatments. My heart is deeply touched for my dear friend. I love her dearly, and I just had to put some of these feelings into words, as I remember the impact that she has had on my life. She taught me a great deal about persistence and working things out in the Lord's time. She is a mother, grand mother, and my friend. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.