Story

Faith Promoting Story I heard this morning (in others words double heresy)

Sunrise at the Manila Temple 

When Elder Bednar came to visit the Philippines, there wasn’t an MTC meeting scheduled into his very busy schedule but the president and others wanted it. The mission president and his wife and the MTC staff had been prayed mightily that the apostle would visit them, since most of the missionaries in the MTC had never seen a real apostle. They didn't mention anything about it to the missionaries.  

A very last minute meeting to shake the hands of the missionaries was scheduled at 6 pm as Elder Bednar was on his way to the MTC gym where the devotional for the whole Philippines would be broadcast. The missionaries all ran to the Joseph Smith Chapel. Elder Bednar came in to shake hands but instead asked the President if he could speak to all the missionaries. He talked about the mission call itself, that all missionaries are called to serve by the prophet, but that assignments, though given and/or confirmed by revelation by apostles, can fluctuate depending upon a lot of variables. But they should know that wherever assigned to serve, the Lord will bless them. 

 I’m so sorry I don’t have his exact words and of course I’m inferring and not telling you the exact words I heard, so I’m mangling his profound statements. 

On his way out of the door he then shook a few hands, including one sister in the front row in particular who was in almost uncontrollable tears. She told him that his talk was for her, that she had been re-assigned, and now she understood. 

Then he needed to get to the devotional broadcast. But on his way out, he stopped decided that he wanted to speak more with that particular sister, and asked President Carlos to find her. So he personally met her and she was still crying. She told him that she had been reassigned since her call and had struggled, that she had felt she had let God down and was unworthy, and that's why her visa hadn't come. That is until the apostle's talk, which finally gave her a great feeling of peace. Elder Bednar gave her some very sweet comforting words.

Manila Temple sunrise

The reverberations of this one act of an apostle of God are ongoing. Those in her district were particularly touched since they knew her back-story--this was a testimony to them that God answers prayers collectively and individually. The MTC staff knew that God answers prayers. One young elder, who had been praying for a witness that Elder Bednar was indeed an apostle, received it when he understood that God was blessing Sister R_____ through Elder Bednar.  How else would the apostle know to talk about such a random theme?

Sister Stewart wanted to know more about this story and asked Sister Carlos (MTC mission president’s wife) Sister R___s' first mission call was to Peru and the Provo MTC first to learn Spanish, but her visa didn't come through so she was assigned to begin in a nearby Philippine mission. For months the visa didn't come and didn't come. The sister began suffering from anxiety and depression, which she'd never had before. She struggled. She thought she wasn't worthy and that's why God didn't grant her visa. Eventually, her mission assignment was changed--to a different Philippine mission and she'd go through the Philippine MTC first. She'd still worried and felt anxious ... until Elder Bednar spoke. Then she felt peace for the first time in months. Sister Carlos said her whole demeanor changed, that she was a new woman, happy and cheerful and excited to serve, and she affected everyone else in the MTC.  So the ripple effect is still going on as Sister Stewart and I conferred how Elder Bednar talks about asking the Lord who he is suppose to care for when he goes places. The Meetings are okay and important but he is always looking for the one.

This time he found her.