Miracles

August 2010 –Temple in Boston and

Joseph Smith Memorial in South Royalton, Vermont

Miracles

Miracles have long been a recurring theme in the mission, a culture of confidence in Christ and His invitation to come unto Him and receive His gospel. We studied miracles this morning, “manifestations of divine or spiritual power, a response to faith, natural results of the Messiah’s presence among men…” (Bible Dictionary, p. 732-3)

Miracles happen, some large, others seemingly small but no less significant. The most marvelous are the changes that come to us as individuals, both us as missionaries and those we teach as we accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His succoring and redeeming grace.

Small ones: President Wilkey knows from a power outside himself, the needs and the concerns of missionaries. Sister Mom L is doing lots of driving—New England roads are expanded cow paths—and hasn’t wrecked yet. It’s a

miracle and a blessing that L has much assistance, temporal and divine, in helping missionaries with health issues, everything from strep throat to muscle spasms to fluid in the cisterna magna to supraventricular tachycardia. (Now, that’s a miracle that she can even spell the conditions.) It’s a Miracle that Missionaries usually act far beyond 19-20 year old maturity in teaching, in serving. President W gets minimal sleep and still has energetic enthusiasm and good health.

The greatest!-- we accompany companionships to teach. We sat with an eye surgeon, seeking the truth that transcends temporal sight. Another time we visited a woman in her mid 60’s who through the difficulties of abuse as a child, of a challenging marriage, and of a congenital heart disease is searching to know God. We listened and shared our testimonies with a woman and her four growing boys. She had endured rape, assault, removal from her residence in another state and change of her identity to preserve her life and that of her children. Yet she was as humble and confident that she is as loved by God as h

er littlest boy, an energetic one year old. There was majesty in her simple, pleading prayer. She and her 11 year old son will be baptized soon. We attended the baptism of a man once a prisoner who basically memorized the Bible while incarcerated; his change is not only apparent in appearance but in his attitude toward life. We have felt the overwhelming love of our Father and also our Savior for each of us.

We have listened as missionaries pour out their hearts, their fears and joys, their insecurities and their mistakes. The miracles of righteous choices and change! We love every one of the 100 elders, 19 sisters and several senior couples.

We pray for the miracle of restored health to our beloved missionary, Leisa Worlton who returned home August 10^th and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last week. The tumor that her mother reports to be the size of a small cantaloupe probably has been growing for many months. Despite her health challenges and several doctors’ visits and tests as a missionary, Sister Worlton worked hard, influencing many lives. Though she had symptoms as a missionary, she was magnified far beyond her capacity. It was truly a miracle that she continued valiantly despite increasingly poor health.