Emotionally this has been a tough ride for every member of my family, but none more than Daniel. With the church sending more missionaries home every day and guidelines being constantly updated, changed and clarified, this is an extremely difficult time to be a missionary. Last week his first health review occurred and just three days ago he was told that he would get to stay in Oregon, for now at least. With updated guidelines being sent last night, he is in back under consideration to be sent home for health reasons. Basically, any missionaries who have had any symptoms or needed any treatment related to their condition in the past five years are slated to go home. Daniel got that phone call from the mission president’s wife late this afternoon. It is not certain yet, the mission president and his wife are praying about it, but Daniel was told to call home and counsel with his parents, which he did, and as much as we all want him to be able to stay, we are all willing to submit to the Lord’s will. The guidelines also state that missionaries sent home for health reasons will be released, not reassigned.
Daniel is grieving. I can see it in his face. He hits his six-month mark tomorrow and he desperately wants to be able to stay. He has so much more he wants to learn and experience. He has so much more he wants to offer. He feels like he’s just barely figured out how to be a missionary and now, it will likely come to an end. However, he is a different person than he was when we dropped him off at the MTC last September. He has truly become converted to the Lord and I hope that he will be able to cling to his faith and remember that in the ultimate end, all will be well. He posted on Facebook a few hours ago and the testimony that he bears give me great hope that he will be able to endure this great disappointment and allow it to help him learn and grow.
The first verse of the hymn “Lead, Kindly Light” has been in my mind often this past week, particularly the last two lines.
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene—one step enough for me
Sometimes it can be a challenge to take that one step that you can see. It requires great faith to walk along a darkened path. We are all walking that path right now. None of us knows what is ahead. But pray for all those missionaries, and there are many, whose plans have suddenly shifted, who are returning home much sooner than planned, who are devastated that they will not be able to serve longer, who’s paths have suddenly turned dark. They need as many of us as possible to sit down beside them on the emotional rollercoaster, help them get through the dark tunnel, and step back out into the light.
(This is Daniel's latest Facebook post)
Hello folks!
These past weeks have been really stressful, hasn't they? Between the developments in COVID-19 and the chaos it has caused, the world seems to be quickly falling apart.
As the situation has developed over the past weeks, a scripture and a picture have come to mind repeatedly. In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, it says, "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9) This scripture reminds me every time I read it that God is in control at all times. Never will the events in the world surpass God's ability to stop them. God can command the universe to do His will, and the universe will obey. Because of that truth, this picture has taken on deeper meaning for me over the past weeks as well. It serves as a reminder that Christ has infinite power over the Cosmos and nothing can happen save it be God's will. We may not understand why God has allowed the world to be as it is, but I testify that God has a reason. There is a purpose behind all that God allows to happen on Earth. As current events continue to unfold, I invite you all to remember that God knows what he is doing. Christ has power over everything. Because of that, there is no reason to fear the future. Whatever happens is the will of God, and it is our job to trust in God and his infinite power. Trust God, folks, and everything will work out!
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