Today I was reminded of the time I was blamed for a person’s decision not to come to church anymore.  It was after the Proposition 8 vote in California.  I didn’t live in California and neither did this person, but it affected her husband and eventually her.  I was her visiting teacher for a time.  When this was happening I had been reassigned different women to visit.  I had no idea she was falling away.  Then the fateful day came that she announced to everyone in Relief Society that she didn’t believe Joseph Smith was a prophet. The air was sucked out of me. I had to leave the room.  She was one of our teachers and here she was announcing this.  After her lesson was over, the other sisters in the ward came up to her and hugged her. They gave her encouraging words. They said they would pray for her.  I felt impressed to tell her that maybe if she read Rough Stone Rolling about Joseph Smith that it might help give her a better perspective.  It didn’t and I was blamed by a few that I had caused her falling away from the church.  I felt horrible.  I wrote to her because by this time I had moved away.  She said it wasn’t my fault, but it was hard not to feel that way.  Then today I was told one of our Primary teachers wouldn’t be back.  She just called the Primary president and said I am not coming to church ever again and you need to find a new teacher.  What a punch in the gut.  She was just there last week.  I know this girl because I have advised her on her academic goals at the college where I work. Now I wonder if I will ever see her. Will she avoid coming into the office? I do know that I won’t say anything.  I will act as if nothing happened.  Maybe this isn’t right and I am sure there are many in the church who would say so, but I am not the judge of others actions or their testimonies.  I have learned my lesson.  One’s faith is so personal and even though we all have the same goal which is to return to Heavenly Father how we get there might not be the same.  I will not be running out to tell her to read a book or to pray a little harder.  I will let her be.  I will handle this one with care and I will pray a little harder in hopes that she will come back.