Master Weaver

We have often heard the analogy of a master weaver intricately weaving a beautiful tapestry. This analogy describes how the Lord works in our lives. Sometimes we are able to step back and look at the big picture and see just a glimps of that intricate work. Lately we have had those opportunities. We'll share a few of them.

When a missionary couple arrives there is a lot of preparation on our part as zone leaders. Once we receive the notice that they are coming, we email them things they need to know. We also video conference with them to answer any questions they might have and to tell them what to expect. We need to make sure the apartment is ready, the computers and phones are ready, their work station is ready, and we determine which car will be theirs. We also have to coordinate who will pick them up at the airport and which vehicle to pick them up in. And then there is lining up which missionary couples will invite them over for dinner during their first week, and who will show them around the apartment or take them on their first grocery shopping expedition. Finally, we arrange a meeting with them a few days after getting here to orient them with the rules and lifestyle here in Germany.  That's the norm. It does not include all the extra little emergencies or last minute adjustments that come up.

One day last week we were getting prepared to pick up a new missionary couple the next day. The elder of the couple they would be replacing asked us to join him to confirm which pool van we would be using to drive to the airport. With keys in hand we walked over to parking lot where the pool vehicles are parked. As we were walking, the elder got a phone call. It was the Area President.  Word had just come in that the arriving couple announced that his mother was dying. The arriving couple were told to stay back to be with his mother until she passed away. All our plans had just been postponed.

We still proceeded to check on the van. As it turned out, we got the keys to the wrong van and the right van could not be found.  This meant that another layer of work was just put on us. We were already busy with our normal office work assignment and our zone leader work.  Now, not only did we need to make changes to the plans we had for the arrival of these new missionaries, but we had to solve the missing van and wrong keys dilemma.

As we walked back to the office, we knew we needed to talk to the individual who in charge of fleet vehicles. He works in an office in another town. Lo and behold, who comes walking up to us?  Yep, it was the fleet manager and all was resolved within minutes.

I'm convinced that the Lord intricately arranged everything to happen precisely as clock work to help us through this little incident.

Want to hear another one?  I'll be brief.  One missionary couple came out less than a half a year ago and had to leave the mission for medical reasons.  Why would their mission be cut short?  Wouldn't the Lord have known that they would not be able to stay?

Here is where it gets interesting.  The elder saw doctors and had surgery before coming out.  He continued to have problems even though the doctor said he would feel better over time. Nevertheless, he didn't. So while here, he saw a German doctor. They ran some scans which were reviewed by the doctors here and a specialist in Salt Lake. It so happens that the specialist was a member of their ward in Utah and knew of his health issues. He advised them to come home for surgery. In the several months they were here in Germany, a doctor who is world renowned for the surgical procedure required moved to their area in Utah.

This one is not so intricate, but is still special This elder had to come to Germany to have his scan sent to Utah for the missionary doctor to  diagnose his problem. Somehow, while this was going on, a doctor moves into the state and happens to be the right doctor for this type of operation.

So, put that intricate weave together. Want one more?

A young sister missionary gave a pass-along card to a guy while she was serving in Nurnberg, Germany. A short time after that she was transferred to Frankfurt. She finished her mission and went back home. Several months later she came back to Germany with some friends to visit the areas she served in.

While she was visiting Frankfurt she ran into an elder who was attending a missionary conference.  This elder was there for only a day. The city he was serving in was Nurnberg. He told her that just the week before a man was baptized and thought that she would be excited to hear about it since she was the one who found him. She had no idea who the elder was talking about.

Biking to a nearby town.

It turned out that this was the guy she gave the card to. He had misplaced it, found it just six weeks ago, looked up the church and after talking to the missionaries was baptized.  Needless to say, she traveled to Nurnberg, met him, and talked with him for quite some time. Though she still doesn't remember giving him the card, what a special moment that must have been for both of them.

Think of the weaving of this one.  This sister comes back to Germany a week after he is baptized and happens to meet the only missionary who could link the two together and that missionary happened to be at a conference that one day.

You can't tell my that all these incidents are coincidental.  There is a master weaver intricately weaving things together and creating a beautiful tapestry. Our Father in Heaven truly is amazing.

I've been riding my bike every Saturday for two hours.  I've been loving it.