A WEEK OF MIRACLES

Last week Eileen wrote about a young sister missionary who had been in the hospital.  Eileen spoke of the blessing it was for the sister’s ER doctor and then the neurologist in the hospital to both be members of the Church.  We both feel it was God’s way of telling all of us that He is aware of the situation and that He loves the sister missionary who was suffering.

This week the miracles involving this sister missionary continued.  The neurologist in the hospital said that she needed to see a neuroimmunologist after being released, and that he would put a referral in for her to see one in Kansas City.  When someone from the clinic called Eileen on Saturday morning to make an appointment, we were both amazed.  What clinic calls on the weekend to set up appointments?  Eileen was even more amazed when she was able to get an appointment for the young sister missionary to be seen the next Friday.  Usually it takes weeks if not months to get in to see any kind of neurologist.

Two days ago, I (Russell) drove Eileen to the doctor appointment so she could be with the sister when she saw the specialist.  The neuroimmunologist was a young woman from India.  The doctor felt that our young sister should be hospitalized immediately for an extended period of days for intravenous medical treatment. Eileen explained that if the situation was that serious then the sister would most likely need to return home for treatment.  The doctor asked where she was from.  The young sister said Idaho.  To which the doctor commented that she loved the mountains and had done her post graduate medical studies in Utah.  Eileen asked the doctor if she knew a Dr. Melissa Wright (Eileen’s niece), a neurologist at the  University of Utah?  The doctor said she studied under Melissa and considered her a good friend.  The doctor said it was Melissa that she had thought of trying to call in SLC to get our sister missionary into treatment as soon as possible.  At this point, I think Eileen and our young sister missionary were amazed at the series of miracles that God was providing for the sister missionary.  But for the  doctor from India, the series of “coincidences” pretty much blew her mind. I’m sure there will be more to this story next week.

As we were driving home from the doctor appointment on Friday, Eileen received a call from Missionary Medical.  It was in regard to a request Eileen had made with regard to another sister missionary.  A doctor had recommended a test that normally would have required the missionary to return home to receive, or have approval granted by the “special exception committee.” Eileen had prepared such a request and sent it on to President Sommerfeldt, as he would have to be the one making the request.  Since the young sister would be completing her mission within weeks, there was some thought of just sending the sister home a few weeks early, something the sister missionary was praying hard could be avoided.  The call from Missionary Medical was to tell Eileen that after thinking about it overnight, Missionary Medical was authorizing the test without need of going to the special exception committee.  The young sister missionary was elated at the news. Eileen and I had just witnessed our second miracle that day.

Both Eileen and I have been trying to tie up all the loose ends with our jobs so the transition to the Stimpsons beginning on Monday can go as smooth as possible.  I have had two apartment complexes that have been giving me fits for several months with their inaccurate accounting of our rent payments.  Did I say that politely enough? Although I have sent both landlords detailed accounts proving our payments, neither was very interested in clearing up the matters. Midweek, while saying my morning prayers, I found my self mentioning the situations to God.  After doing so, I immediately felt ashamed  of bringing such a trivial matter up in prayer.  I apologized and went on.  To my amazement, later that day I received emails from both landlords wishing to resolve the matters. To me, it was a tender mercy and a reminder that God is in the details of our lives.  

Yesterday was my last day as an ordinance worker in the Kansas City Temple.  It has been a privilege to serve there.  I will miss my fellow ordinance workers and the patrons.  Some of the patrons are so regular that I have become acquainted with them.  Brother West brings his wife, who is blind, almost every week.  Sister Palelei needs a walker to get around slowly, but still does two sessions most Saturdays.  They are all great examples of faithfully enduring to the end.

Eileen presenting at Zone Conference. I am hoping I get missionaries to call Sister Stimpson rather than me.....especially if it is in the middle of the night or if it is with a mental health issue.  Missionaries still have my predecessor's phone number in their phones. She left 18 months ago. 

A few of our favorite people at our favorite restaurant. Dennisons invited us out prior to our leaving, and  invited Sister Creer for her bday. Sister Creer declined to have the Mexican hat put on her head along with the singing and banging drums.                                      

We had a tour of the Midwest Genealogy with our senior missionary zone. We have 8 senior missionaries serving there digitizing records.  

        

Sister Kofford holding a 130 year old book which she is digitizing. She said the pages crumble they are so fragile.                                                   

                                        

Sister Palelei goes to two temple sessions each Saturday. She mentioned once in her testimony that each week she goes to the temple fasting.  She is truly dedicated.