“Don’t Forget Us”
By Rayonna Hale
It was in November,2006, as I was traveling home from visiting my daughter and family in Ogden that as I drove past the point of the mountain and the prison, that a clear audible voice said “Don’t forget us!”
Over the years of being a convert member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” and having received the gift of the Holy Ghost at baptism, of which is a companion to guide, protect, inspire, comfort, witness, to name just a few, I have learned to “listen” to its promptings, which come in various ways.
Upon hearing this I immediately called my singer songwriter girlfriend, Karyn Grant, and said “Karyn, they want you to sing at the prison…..” It took me several weeks to find out how and who to contact to do this. I was to learn that the prison has several branches with Bishops, Relief Society presidents etc. called.
I came in contact with the Relief Society president, Susan Johnson, and she put the process in the works, which included getting “clearances” for myself and my girlfriend, and all equipment needed to sing. The anticipated day arrived, and we eagerly with prayer arrived to sing for the Relief Society sisters.
The spirit was so strong as Karyn sang her gifts given through song the lyrics and message of love from the Savior, His Atonement, and the remembrance of “who” we really are, “daughters of a Heavenly Father and Mother” princesses, and queens in the making. Many sisters bore their testimonies to the fact that they had indeed forgotten “who” they were and as a result had made choices which led them to where they were this night.
Our hearts were filled with the common knowledge of a Savior who knows us by “name” and knows our pains and sorrows, who always has His Hand outstretched to ours to lift our burdens, and many times sends others and their hands, hearts and voices to remind us of this very thing.
I personally was overcome with the love I felt for my fellow sisters having had my own experiences traveling lifes highway and recognizing the need for the Savior in my life daily through prayer, and living within the safety of the commandments He has given. I too, having experienced pain through my own choices or choices of loved ones, emotional abuse, substance abuse and addictions, children born out of wedlock, broken laws of the land. I could easily empathize. What I testified to, to the women, was the Lord heard and was answering their call to “not forget them” and I was reminded of the scripture in D&C 128:22
” Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King of Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.”
