Well yes, it HAS been a very long time since I've posted on this blog. Just got caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities, I guess. In the interim we saw the mission of President Dennis James and Sister Jan James come to a wonderful conclusion, all the missionaries very sad to see them go. They had such a powerful impact for good on so many lives, and the effect of their teaching and their love and example will be eternal.
With the loss of one mission president comes the greeting of a new. President Matthew S. Holland and his wife Paige now head this mission. They began their service on July 1, 2018, and the Holland family immediately faced several major life events (besides moving across the country to a new home, community, and job): Their oldest son came home from his Spanish-speaking mission just days after they arrived; their oldest daughter left for the MTC in Provo to learn Mandarin for her mission in Leeds, England; their two teenage children faced the challenge of making new friends and getting settled in a new school district. I'm happy to report that all are still standing, smiling and gracious, with positive attitudes and strong faith that all is well.That positive attitude is being put to the test now, as North Carolina faces an approaching hurricane Florence, said to be the strongest storm to make landfall in 50 years. It's been called a "once in a lifetime" storm. It has been downgraded from Category 4 to Category 2, recently, but the effects will still be felt across at least the states of North and South Carolina, and who knows where after that?
Initially, after close coordination with stake presidents and other leaders, all missionaries in the southernmost Wilmington zone, closest to the beaches that will soon be flooded, were evacuated to Fayetteville. Then, with more information on the projected strength and direction of the approaching storm, all Wilmington, Fayetteville and Fayetteville West missionaries were evacuated farther north to the Raleigh / Durham area where they were assigned safe houses in which to hunker down and wait out the storm.
Through all the days of planning and preparation, President Holland remained upbeat and positive, a steady hand of stability and humor. His concern encompassed senior missionaries as well, and he made sure that we contacted all seniors to verify they were evacuated from the southern areas and had a safe place to wait out the storm. Some of them went to neighboring states where they had family to stay with. Those of us who work in the office feel confident staying in our apartments or nearby homes. And the members of these northern stakes have welcomed the young missionaries into their homes with gracious warmth. It is so heartwarming to see such generosity and love extended to these young servants of the Lord whom I have come to love so much.
The tender mercies showered on us are numerous. Here's TM #1: In our staff meetings in August, before any threat of storms was felt, we all felt a great urgent need to emphasize emergency preparedness. Sister Bray, who became a part-time service missionary last year, has a background of working with the Red Cross, and was a first responder for Hurricane Katrina. She was asked to spearhead the preparedness effort, and she did a magnificent job. With mission funds, she purchased large blue buckets, plus supplies to fill them, such as gloves, plastic bags, sterile wipes, first aid kits, snack bars, peanut butter, etc. Then Sister and Elder Bray took sufficient supplies to each of the six zone conferences held at the end of August to create 72-hour kits for each companionship. In addition to the bucket, they received six liters of water per companionship, enough to get them through the expected duration of a major event.
All this preparation was complete before Florence appeared on the scene in the Atlantic and started heaving herself slowly toward the North Carolina coast. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." We are, indeed, prepared. We can sleep when the wind blows.
As I type, at 8:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, the sky is uniformly gray and brooding; the outside atmosphere is hot and moist, like a sauna, and a gusty wind is whistling around the trees. I parked my car right outside my apartment so I could make sure it stays put by force of will. But in reality, if water or wind decided to move it, I really could do nothing.
No rain yet, but it's early days; this is just the beginning. I have experienced North Carolina rain, which can be a drenching deluge even in normal times. The rain that's coming will likely rival that experienced by the inhabitants of the earth who weren't lucky enough to be aboard Noah's ark. There is a rocky ravine behind my apartment block, with a meandering stream that makes a musical sound of falling water. This monster storm may change that tinkle to a roar. Mud slides are predicted, power outages and communication disruptions are expected which may last for days. And yet, I feel calm.
President Holland quoted this in his testimony at our Monday staff meeting: 1 Nephi 4:1 "...let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth..."
Mark 4:37-40 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
I have seen over and over while on this mission that the Lord is in charge. His work will go forward despite the storm. Brother Oman, the service missionary who helps the mission with bicycles, told me some stories of when he went south with a crew of men from his stake to help clean up after another major storm. The people were so grateful to have help cleaning up their yards and homes and salvaging their precious possessions, and so flabbergasted that the help was being offered without expectation of reward or payment of any kind. The yellow shirts were welcome everywhere. One of the mayors held a press conference and said, "I'd like to thank two groups of people: The LDS Church and the Mormons."
Brother Oman told me that he met some missionaries and asked them if they were busy with the clean-up efforts. They said, "No, we're too busy teaching." When people are brought to face their weaknesses and evidence of their own mortality, they often turn to God, and may be more open to the truth of the Gospel.
September 23, 2018
Huh. So this was not published last week [daughter's note: My fault!], so I'll just continue the story and list some more tender mercies:
TM #2: President Holland and the seven Stake Presidents worked in concert to plan and prepare masterfully. The decision to evacuate Fayetteville as well as Wilmington turned out to be truly inspired, as parts of Fayetteville were flooded and other parts were made inaccessible because of flooded roads or fallen trees. If our missionaries had been left to shelter in place in Fayetteville, there would have been much hardship.
TM #3: All the weather models showed Florence staying at Category 4 as it came inland to wreak destruction. But quite without scientific explanation, the storm wall began to break down while Flo was still over the Atlantic, and when it made landfall at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina (the place where I have dabbled my toes in the Atlantic a couple of times), it was downgraded to Cat. 2, then Cat. 1, then "tropical storm." It did still cause massive flooding; rain was torrential; roofs were torn off, and there were deaths from falling trees and downed power lines. Almost a million people were without power for days. But imagine how much greater the damage would have been if the Lord had not tempered the storm!
TM #4: The saints in Raleigh / Durham took our missionaries and kept them safe, sheltered and fed for many days. Throughout the mission, all companionships went to safe houses for 2-3 days until it became apparent that the storm would not hit too hard, then they went back to the apartments that had been verified to be safe. The Fayetteville missionaries received the news just yesterday that they could return to their own apartments except for a couple of areas that were reported to be still flooded. The Wilmington missionaries will stay in the north a week or three longer because, even if their apartments are undamaged, the roads are still flooded or impassable because of downed trees or power lines.
TM #5: Yesterday we had every missionary at the Raleigh Stake Center for training in safety procedures for when they participate in clean-up projects. Again, the perfect person was in place by divine design, as Elder Bigelow, the Senior Assistant, had worked in a coal mine before his mission and was well-versed in safety procedures. The Lord's plan has been revealed in a marvelous manner throughout this month.
I had a plan for the last month of my mission: Knowing that Sister Wilson, my replacement, would be here early in September, and knowing that she had served a prior mission in the office in Africa, my wonderful plan was that I could just turn it all over to this experienced, capable woman and take some time off to tour, sight-see, just be lazy in NC. September was going to be a breeze.
However, as I have shown above, the breeze became a howling storm and we were ALL kept hopping to meet the constantly changing situations and meet the needs of the missionaries. As my mother often quoted, "The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley." That's taken from a Robert Burns poem, and it means, loosely, things don't always work out the way you planned them. So, no vacation for me. Just a sweet sense of gratitude that the Lord has allowed me to finish my mission focused on service to Him and to his chosen messengers.
Two years ago, someone I respect greatly suggested that I should serve a mission; that it could work a miracle in my life. I am so grateful for that advice. I began my mission in April, 2017, and will leave on October 2, 2018. I have come to love these missionaries, and this work, and my testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel has grown daily. My plans may not always work out, but the Lord's plan for me has been elegant. Yet another tender mercy in my life.
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| "The genuine and simple religion of Jesus will one day be restored; such as it was preached and practiced by Himself." Thomas Jefferson, 1820 "It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of 1820." Joseph Smith |
Missionaries all over the world are tasked with bringing this message of love and hope to the world. It is my great pleasure and honor to share in that task in my small way. Quite simply, I know the Church is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God to restore it to the earth. That same mighty God who rules the elements and who will protect those who serve Him. That is my testimony.
