Flying fiery serpents

 

Today was a very enjoyable day.  We were up early so we could attend a Sacrament Meeting in Burgos about 1 hour from here in Cauayan.  After Sacrament Meeting I was privileged to set apart a beautiful young sister as a missionary.  Her mission starts this week.  She will do 1 week home missionary training and then go to the Missionary Training Center in Manila for 2 weeks to start her mission (yay! the  training centre has reopened).  While in Burgos, we attended two Sacrament Meetings.  People here are so kind and because we were an unexpected guest at the meeting, the leaders quickly rearranged the meeting so that I was given an opportunity to speak.  It was not something I expected, as I am happy to quietly attend, but as the Mission President presides over the Districts, I am often asked to speak at the end of the meeting.  Fortunately, earlier this week I had read in the Book of Mormon an explanation of the children of Israel's experience with flying fiery serpents while following Moses in the wilderness.  I related to the horrible experience they had, as I am terrified of snakes.  When faced with these snakes, the children of Israel quickly repented and asked that Moses implore God to take the snakes away (a reasonable request).  God did not remove the snakes, but chose rather to teach them about the coming Saviour.  A brass serpent (a symbol of Christ) was lifted up on a pole (as Christ was lifted up on the cross) and all the afflicted people had to do was look to this symbol of Christ to be healed (as He is the great healer).  It was so simple that some did not look and perished. 

Just like them, we must learn to train our eyes (and hearts) to the Saviour so He can heal and help us.  We can look to Him and incline our hearts to Him in many ways.  Some significant ways to look to Him are to have faith in Him, obey Him and sacrifice for Him.  Yes, we are to sacrifice for Him.  Joseph Smith taught:  "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation".

I watch with amazement just how much our young missionaries sacrifice to fulfil their duties as missionaries.  School, marriages, friends, family, music, sleeping in, fear of COVID and so many other things are placed upon the Lord's altar to allow these young missionaries serve.  Sister Craig and I mingle our small sacrifices with theirs.  It seems that everyone must, at least for a time, give up something or someone that is most dear and difficult to sacrifice.  This test of faith seems to be almost customised to cause maximum hardship so one is able to truly sacrifice and demonstrate to God (and himself) that they are willing to sacrifice for God and by that, look to Christ.  For sister Craig and me that one hardest thing to sacrifice is family experiences.  I do not miss work much.  I do, however, miss the people I work with and for.  I do miss friends, skiing and golf but I know I will enjoy those sweet people and pastimes again.  Time and experiences lost with family cannot, however, be returned.   There are birthdays, baptisms, hikes, ski trips and hugs that will never come again.  It is, on occasion, kind of hard.  

Yesterday, we were up, dressed and ready for the day at 6 AM so we could watch our favourite son in law (we only have one) Trevor be ordained a High Priest in the Church.  Oh, how we wished we could be there in person.  Fortunately for us, a dear friend in the Stake Presidency arranged for us to join by video call.  We appreciate his wonderful kindness.  The Lord is aware of these things and often parts the veil just enough for us to know we are not alone and that he is watching, helping and of course, loving us.  Trevor lives near us in Canada but his parents live in Wyoming.  They had been anxious to visit his parents in Wyoming for some time, but travel  remains difficult because of the pandemic.  They felt strongly this week that they needed to do what ever it took to get down for a visit.  While he and his family were there, the Stake Presidency determined that he was to be made aa High Priest.  They felt also that the ordination should occur there before they returned home so his father could ordain him.  Sister Craig and I marvelled at the timing.  If those decisions of the Stake Presidency had been made sooner or later by even a few days Trevor's father would not have been able to ordain him.  His father would have been unable to travel to Canada to attend to that happy duty.  Sister Craig and I were pleased with his ordination but we were even more pleased by this simple but clear demonstration of God's kindness and love to us and our family.  

On June 22,  I received a call from my brothers that my father had passed away.  I have hesitated to write about this, because I am, by nature, private about such things.  This blog would not, however, be complete without mentioning this.  He died at age 85, peacefully in his sleep.  Just before I left to come to the Philippines while visiting with him  he said to me:  "If I die while you are gone, do not come home" (his words proved prophetic).  I had not imagined such a thing.  He had always been there, bigger than life.  He is a unique colourful personality.  A kindly man who believed not only in second chances but in infinite chances.  He was also man with 1000 stories.  Many of those stories involve his aggressive and inattentive driving habits with often hilarious results.  Once while driving he did not notice an upcoming curve and was forced to make a quick turn which he successfully accomplished, but not before launching his dog out the open window at almost 100 kilometers per hour.   The poor dog had been sleeping over his left shoulder on the back of the seat.  The dog did survive.  There was also the time that he managed to drive over himself with his own truck, but that is a story for another day.  I love and honor him.  I never ever doubted his love for me or his love for God.  Again, because of the miracle of technology, Sister Craig and I were able to participate in the Funeral by video call.   I loved being part of it.  Again I have seen God's hand in this experience.  Friends and family have anxiously asked how I am doing.  I worry about my father's kindly wife, I worry about my brothers, but I am better than fine.  I have felt a flood of support from God through his Holy Spirit.  The memories of my father are sweet and gentle.  There is no deep sadness or grief.

My message today is simple -  as we look to Christ (lifted up as the Brazen Serpent was lifted up) through faith, obedience, sacrifice and in many other simple ways, He will help and heal us with His tender mercies; which are embedded in the details of our lives.