This week marks the halfway point of our mission. Yesterday as I (Eileen) was looking at
Facebook, a posting I wrote three years ago came up. It was written after my first day serving as
a nurse in the Missionary Department of the LDS Church. As I look back at the last three years I am
struck by the ways in which the Lord has had a hand in the course that our
lives have taken.
After returning from our mission to Indonesia I was not
interested in pursuing another mission.
Russell wanted to stay busy and became a volunteer in the Perpetual
Education Fund Department as a church service missionary. Church Service Missionaries are usually
part-time and are not living away from home.
One day while he was gone the phone rang. It was Elder Davidson from the
Church Service Missionary Department stating he was returning my call. I kept
insisting I had not called him. I
finally realized that Russell had probably called and since the phone was in my
name the caller ID probably had my name listed.
I was ready to hang up when the words came out of my mouth “do you have
a need for a nurse?” I was surprised as
soon as I said it. I had been looking at part-time nursing opportunities but
had not interviewed yet. Within 24 hours, I was visiting with Sister Turner in
the Missionary Department and decided this would be something I would enjoy
doing a couple days a week. After
serving for several months in that role my manager approached me and asked if
Russell and I would become full-time missionaries doing recommending for senior
missionaries. My first reaction was not a chance! It hadn’t been long since we had returned
from Indonesia and I wasn’t ready to serve again. Within a couple of days the
spirit had worked on both Russell and I to the point where we thought we should
say yes to the position. I served six months as a nurse in the Missionary Department
and then Russell and I served 18 months together. We are now serving our third full-time mission
together in Germany; a mission I decided to pursue. The Lord has a way of making the seemingly
impossible become possible.
I am grateful for my husband and his patience with all of my
faults. He has been a wonderful companion to me. I believe our relationship this mission has become
stronger than ever, despite the challenges that have come our way.
Last Monday we had the opportunity to listen to Elder Joseph
Sitati of the Seventy talk to our FHE group of senior missionaries. Elder Sitati grew up in Kenya and is a
convert to our church. He focused on
President Monson’s directive of reaching out and “rescuing the one.” He related an experience while serving in the
Area Presidency of West Africa. He said every Sunday they would go visit
members who were struggling spiritually.
It was one of the most enjoyable experiences that he had. He also
stressed the importance of an education.
We enjoyed the video clip below regarding his efforts to get an
education.
After his talk he opened it up for questions. I asked if he would relate the story of the
rotating fast leading up to the recognition of the LDS church in Kenya. He told me this story a few years ago after
hearing that I had done medical work in Kenya with Operation Smile.
In 1989 Dr. Craig Merrell visited Kenya as a physician with
Operation Smile. He was aware of some of the political challenges the LDS
Church was facing in Kenya, particularly the difficulties with the Church gaining
legal recognition. Dr. Merrill initiated a plan having members of his Stake
Presidency and others from his stake who wanted to become involved to fast on a
rotating basis for 40 days for the Church and its members in Kenya.
Touched by the faith of Dr. Merrell and the members of his stake in
the U.S. fasting for the Church in Kenya, Elder Satati organized a similar
rotating fast among the Church members in Kenya. Each day a member would fast until
the Church received official recognition, which it did on February 25,
1991.
As Elder Sitati related this story I was reminded of the strength
and power that can come through fasting with faith. Last week a family member asked if we would
fast for her family. Although I have
fasted for her on a regular basis over the years, I was happy to be invited to
fast again.
Tuesday we were invited to have a personal interview with Elder
Sabin of the Seventy. We were touched by
his interest for not only the progress of the welfare program within the Europe
Area, but also our family situation. His
questions were thoughtful and his comments seemed inspired. We were grateful to have had this unique
opportunity of being tutored by a man who has been called to help lead the
Church in Europe.
It was with sadness that we learned this week of the passing of the
daughter of one of our fellow senior missionaries. Their daughter is the same
age as one of our daughters. It made the news even more tender to us as we
thought of our family and how saddened we would be if it were one of our own children.
Today we have been praying and fasting for our daughter, for the
couple who’s daughter passed away, and for our fellow missionary who is in the
hospital recovering from meningitis. We recognize that there is little that we
can do to affect the outcome of any of these three situations, other than to
show concern and offer faith and prayers on their behalf. We know we have a
wise Heavenly Father who watches down on each of us. He is aware of our trials,
loves us and wants us to be happy. While He may not always remove our trials or
do things on the timeframe we would prefer, He can both strengthen us to be
able to bear our trials and, as in my case over the last three-and-a-half-years,
heal us.
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