Sister Rosie Johnson, matron of the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission, recently shared memories of Sister Sadie Wells, who was killed in a car accident earlier this month.
“Have you ever heard it said that when good people leave good things continue to happen?” Sister Johnson wrote on the blog she keeps for the mission.
She talked of the transfer that placed Sister Wells, Sister Douglas, Sister Young, and Sister Faamaile at the intersection that day, when their car was broad-sided by a school bus that ran through a stop sign. They had just picked up Sister Young, Sister Wells’ new companion when the accident happened.
“Sister Sadie Danielle Wells was transferred to the ultimate area; Heavenly Father’s side of the veil, perhaps to fulfill a special assignment in teaching the gospel there,” she wrote. “Sometimes we think that President Johnson is in charge of transfers. He is an instrument through which the Lord makes those assignments. But ultimately the Lord knows where he needs each of us to serve. His kingdom reaches on both sides of the veil.”
Sister Johnson also shared pictures of Sister Wells throughout her mission and discussed how the mission is doing now.
“This past week we held four memorial services throughout the mission to honor and celebrate the life of this exceptional missionary. She will be greatly missed, but memories of her will truly inspire each of us to be better missionaries. Our faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father’s glorious plan have been renewed and the comforter has given us peace and strength. Sadie had a strong, vibrant testimony of Jesus Christ. This was evident in the way she lived, loved and served. We have no doubt that the good that she generated will continue on forever.”
Sister Johnson also shared this memory from Sister Bradshaw, Sister Wells’ trainer.
“Sister Wells and I went on a nature walk one preparation day. There was two pull-bars along the trail that we wanted to get a picture on. For the life of me, I could not get on the bar, so I said, “Sister Wells! Give me a boost!” She helped me up and we got a great picture. On the last day of my mission I was being picked up in the mission van by the assistants. After we hugged goodbye, I started to get into the van and she ran up behind me and put her hands under one of my feet as a joke to help me in. As she did so, she said, “Sister Bradshaw, I’ll always give you a boost.” That is who she was, and that is who she continues to be.
I miss her. I always will. The sadness that I felt for losing her, my mission baby, my friend was crushing at first, but it has been replaced by something else. The sadness changed for me. It has been a strange experience. Something that I never expected. My grief turned to joy. How in the world could I feel this joy when something so sad had happened? The comforter has worked within me to speak peace to my soul, and to awaken the faith that I have in my Savior. I realized that of all of the missions she could have gone to the Lord sent her to the Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh mission. Of all the missionaries that were in the field, I was chosen as her trainer. Of all the places we could of gone, we opened New Bloomfield, and of all my companions, Sister Wells’ family is the only one I met when I returned home. So many miracles had taken place in her life, and in mine to allow us to be together for those 12 weeks and bond us together after.
I have a testimony that the Lord is in ALL the details of our lives. The work Sister Wells was doing here has not ended because she is no longer physically with us. She continues to work, lift, and strengthen. She continues to “give me a boost!” Wellsy is one of the angels around about to bear me up.
I know Christ lives. I know Sister Wells will live again. My faith is in the atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.”
