Our Dear Family,
With the approval of our “chicken project” we are spending a lot of time trying
to find other organizations that LDS Charities can help. We can’t believe
the hard work involved in trying to find organizations to give money to!
This week we had a mission conference with Elder Kearon, the President of
European Area. He is a 70 and has been called to be one of the 7
presidents of the 70. His visit was wonderful. A man that inspired
both young and old missionaries.
Then Friday morning the wonderful happy feelings of the week ended. We
received a phone call from President Szabadkai, our mission president. He
told us that Elder Miller’s father had just died. Elder Miller just got
transferred to Miskolc a couple of weeks ago. Just before this transfer
he was the mission president’s assistant, a great young man. We were
asked to have Elder Miller come over to our house and use our phone to call his
mother. We were asked to give support and love to this young man.
The following incidents leading up to this news, the world will say, “it is
just a coincidence.” But we bear testimony to you that the Lord knows and
in this case helps a young man in time of need.
I.
During
our conference, out of the blue, a missionary stated that his mother died when
he was just turning 18 and it had a major impact on him deciding to go on a
mission. Most in the room were wondering, “What was this elder thinking
about when he made this statement.” It had nothing to do with Elder
Kearon’s message and completely changed the topic that was being taught.
II.
Elder
Kearon responded by saying that his father died when he was 19 and understood
the emotions of losing a parent. He discussed dealing with death and how
we have a choice to respond positively or negatively to a loved one’s death.
III.
Elder
Kearon then told about losing his first child, a little baby boy that did not
survive heart surgery. For such an upbeat meeting, the topic of death was
dealt with in a very uplifting way, which looking back was inspired to prepare
a young man for news the next day.
IV.
Elder
Miller’s companion, Elder Robinson, lost his father at the age of six. A
companion that can be there to talk to and discuss the sadness and loneliness
of losing a dad. Of all the places to be transferred to, one, whose
companion had lost a parent.
V.
The
now mission assistants decided last week that they would come to Miskolc and do
“splits” with the zone leaders, Elders Miller and Robinson. They ever got
permission to drive a car up to Miskolc with the four missionaries.
Because of the decision earlier in the week to drive the car, Friday’s trip was
an added blessing instead of fighting the crowds on the subway, then on the
train, Elder Miller had companionship, but also quite time on the trip up to
Miskolc.
VI.
Friday
morning, the zone leaders and Sister missionary leaders held a special meeting
with Elder Kearon. That is why Elder Miller was still in Budapest on
Friday. It was just before that meeting that Elder Miller learned about
his father. Being in Budapest at the mission home, President and Sister
Szabadkai and Elder Kearon was able to comfort and console Elder Miller, with
Elder Miller knowing that the messages were coming from ones who had lived this
situation. A coincidence in the timing of the Friday meeting?
VII.
Upon
arriving at our house in Miskolc, Elder Miller was able to go into our office
and be by himself. We sent the other three missionaries out to do
tracking and allowed Elder Miller to be by himself, which gave him some crying
time before he spoke to him mother and little brother on the phone and on
Skype. There are only three senior missionary couples in our
mission. We are the only ones that have phones that can call
internationally and have computers/laptops to Skype in the privacy of a
home. Only three senior couples and Elder Miller was just transferred to
a city with one of them. . .
VIII.
After
he had time to talked to his mom and brother and spend time being by himself,
he spent time with your mother and me. Your mom told him about Granddad
Zinke’s death when she was 19. She was able to tell him about the
emotions of losing a parent half way around the world. She told him about
the anxiety of really not knowing if he was really dead, because she could not
see the body. The emotions of not being able to say good-bye.
IX.
Isn’t
it strange that three people within a 24 hour period of time were placed in
Elder Miller’s life who all lost a parent at or near the age of 19 and a
companion who had also lost a father! Just a coincidence, we all know
better than that.
Yes, the world will say, these are just coincidences, but the Spirit told all
involved something different. We know that this young man, who has been a
very good missionary, received blessings of angels, angels in the form of a
missionary who made a comment that “had nothing to do” with the message being
given by a general authority, angels in the form of a general authority who had
lost his father at the same age, angels in the form of a mission president and
his sweet caring wife who loved this young man, angels in the form of a
companion who knows about losing a father, angels in the form of a 2 ½ hour car
ride with a former companion and current companion to take his mind off of the
sadness, angels in the form of your mother giving him advice about losing a
father when you are so far away from him and the thoughts and doubts that may
come into his mind.
We bear testimony that God lives. That he knows each one of us.
That in this case, God felt it necessary to place many angels in the path of
Elder Miller. On a sad Friday, your mom and I were able to add to our
testimony that God lives. We quote President Eyring who is much better at
stating the obvious, “You need never feel that you are too small or too
insignificant for God to take notice of you and the service you are giving in
His name.” (Another coincidence, this just appeared on the Deseret News
website this morning.)
Mom and Dad, Nema
and Hepa
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