Week of Miracles - Mission Miracle

This week has been an exciting week for our son Seth.  In our religion, our boys are encouraged to serve a 2 year mission for our church at age 19.  So, our son Seth has been making preparatons, completeing all reading assignmets, getting his dental and doctor visits done, going through the interview process, and finally was able to turn his missionary papers in.  On Wednesday, his long awaited call arrived.  Many of his friends and family came to watch him open his call.  It was an exciting night to find out that he would be serving in the Guatamala Quetzaltenango Mission.

Now, the miracle in this call is that out of the entire world, he was selected to go to Guatamala.  Our other 2 sons were given calls within the United States - which I was very grateful for, but Seth is going to another country.  Not just another country, but Guatamala.  On Seth's paperwork, we were able to list missions that family members had served, so we listed Samoa, Ukraine, Spain, New Jersey, Washington, and Germany--hoping that maybe he might go to a mission that was dear to the hearts of his grandfather, his dad or brothers.  But, no, he gets called to Guatamala!

The miracle of this call is that we have a special and dear friend from Dan's mission,  Aaron, who's entire family is from Guatamala.  Aaron, after being baptized came to Utah to live.  He has been like a son to us.  He has had an interesting childhood suffering from much abuse.  He found so much joy in our church, that he left his difficult life and came to Utah.  While living here, he became involved sexually with a minor, and now is serving time in prison.  His is a heartbraking story, but one with a purpose.  He is a wonderful young man, and we have been honored to be a support to him through these difficult times.  He is the only member in his entire family of our church.  I know God loves him and his family, and I have known that God has a special plan for Aaron.  This prison experience is a refining time for him, for something great.  We joked earlier on the phone with Aaron that maybe Seth would be called to Guatamala - to his people.

What a shock when Seth announced that he was going to Guatamala.  This is truly a miracle to see God's hand in the path and connections in our life.  It  gives me goose bumps to think of being part of something big, huge as important as bringing the light of Christ to not only Aaron's family, but to an entire culture.  As I read in the scriptures of missionary stories, among the Nephites and Lamanites,and to think that my son will walk the same paths as some of these ancient missionaries,and bring joy and happiness to many, including Aarons relatives.  This is incredible,beautiful,and totally miraculous to see God's hand in the life of my family.