Journal Entry before Christmas

I am bone tired and Jeffrey has gone to pick up a dinner again. What a wonderful man. I’ve taken a shower, put the dishes on the table, and sat down to jot a few notes about the Lord’s tender mercies today at the Dental office. Everything went according to plan this morning and we bought some temple clothes for Esther Magno, the sister of Jonah our regular volunteer assistant. Jonah went back home to take care of her mother and will be back in January. Meanwhile Esther has taken her place to volunteer in the Dental Clinic and get ready for her mission. Esther has been called to Brazil and will enter the MTC in Brazil in February. She is going home for Christmas and will be back sometime in January to finish her preparations for her mission. We sent a package back with her for Jonah too. Lots of snacks and nuts for the long bus ride back from her home. It was interesting that the snacks cost about the same as the complete temple outfit of clothes. I think the church is subsidizing the saints here so they can get the things they need. Anyway I went over to the church offices a couple of times and walked to the store and on the way past the MTC chatted with some of the missionaries we have had in our office. I'm always surprised when they smile and talk with me after leaving with a numb side of their mouth for a few hours and heavy work done on their teeth. It was nice being outside in the sunshine after assisting all morning.

Jonah let me take pictures when Dr. Stewart cleaned her teeth

Assisting means you get up and down, up and down, holding the rinse and spit cups, washing them out, holding the aspirator and whatever else the doctor needs. I assisted again for a few missionaries towards the end of the day. My feet are weary. I was very tired by the last patient and of course he happens to be a special needs patient. He only has 14 useable teeth left in his entire mouth and all of those have cavities. Dr. Stewart very carefully patched up three of those teeth and then had to extract a stump. This young man has had three extractions of stumps in his mouth already – about 9 days ago.  I was tired, Elder Stewart was tired and I prayed and prayed that his hands would be guided, that this young man’s life would be blessed for good, and that the root would pop out – no complications. I turned away just after the root slipped out in one piece so no one would see my tears of thankfulness well up. Elder Stewart told me later that he prays on all of his extractions.

I have watched the Lord’s hand in the lives of these missionaries and in the day-to-day running of the Dental Clinic. I have no doubt of the fact that our Heavenly Father watches, guides and sends assistance to His missionaries – me included.