Never Too Late

I love my little brother.  He's funny.  No, actually, he's hilarious.  He's quite the prankster, but he's also kind and loving and generous.  He would give the shirt off his back to a stranger.  Matt was just twelve when I got married and moved out of the house, so I didn't really get to see him grow up.  He made many friends in high school.  I didn't get to see it, but I can imagine that he was always the life of the party.  He's a great husband and father.   He's also a recovering drug addict.

I'm not one hundred percent sure of the circumstances that led to him being prescribed heavy-duty painkillers, but he became addicted to them.  I'll never forget the day that my mom called me and told me that Matt was an addict.  I was sick to my stomach.  He had done some terrible things to support his addiction, but he was getting help, she said.  He lost his job.  He nearly lost his family.  He ended up spending some time in jail for theft.  He cleaned himself up and got a great job.  I still don't know to this day whether there ever was period that he quit using, because he ended up losing his new job as well.  Turned out, he was stealing from his employer and others.  He even used his closeness to his older brother to gain access to some of his valuables, which he stole and sold to get money to support his habit.  He did some pretty awful things to people who loved him.  Some of those people have still not forgiven him, my other brother included, and it's hard to blame them.

After losing his second job, Matt moved his family to a different state, presumably to get a fresh start.  He got another fabulous job and a great house.  My little sister and I went to visit him for a few days one fall, during one of the "clean" periods in his life - or so we thought.  We ended up inadvertently accompanying him on a drug deal, we found out a few months later.  He was sneaky.  He had ways to hide his drug use from everyone close to him.  His wife thought he was clean, but really, he had just found new ways to hide.  After stealing from yet another employer and getting fired, Matt finally got checked into a rehabilitation center.  His addictions were too strong for him to be able to get clean on his own, so rehab was really the only option.  This turned out to be a life-changing experience, in more ways than one.  While he was in rehab, Matt renewed his relationship with Heavenly Father.  He became an avid Bible reader, and is now the youth pastor at his church.  He gives all the credit for his ability to give up his addictions to the love of God.  I'm really proud of the progress that he's made.

Matt gets teased quite a bit about his middle name.  It's an odd name for a boy to have, unless one is familiar with the Book of Mormon.  Because Matt left the church quite a few years ago, I'm not sure if he understands what an amazing and consummately appropriate name it is.

I got really emotional while I was reading today.  I read verses 9 and 10 in Mosiah, chapter 23, and I was hit with an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the unconditional love and grace of God:

...I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance;  

Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

I thought of my brother.  I thought of the things he did to support his addiction - truly abominable things in the sight of the Lord.  I thought of him in rehab, on his knees, pleading with God for help and forgiveness.  Finally, the Lord heard his cries and answered his prayers.  Not only was Matt saved from his addiction, the Lord has made him an instrument in bringing so many youth to a knowledge of His truth.  He invites youth from all walks of life into his home for weekly Bible study.  He gives a sermon to youth in his church on Sundays.  He is an instrument in the Lord's hands.

As much grief and ribbing as he has received as a result of his middle name, I only hope that Matt can now appreciate the unconscious foresight that my parents showed when they chose it.  You see, Matt's middle name is Alma.  And one thing that I have learned through this experience is that whether your name is Alma or Matthew Alma, no matter what choices you have made in your life, it is never too late.  Never too late to turn your life over to God and become an instrument in His hands.

I love you, Matthew Alma.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 22

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 23