He's Home!

Jacob's home. He arrived home October 1, 2008. Finally. I'm reminded of a book Mom used to read to us. Fortunately....unfortunately.....

Jacob began his trip home on September 27. His plans were to catch a bus to take him to Rajahmundry, which is an hour and a half away. Unfortunately, there was a long line of people and the buses were late. Fortunately he was able to get a cab to drive him to Rajahmundry. He was able to attend church there on Sunday, and then he headed to the airport to catch a flight to Bangalore. Unfortunately, when he arrived at the airport, he found that the office elders had made an error in his flight plans. They had him leaving 10/28 instead of 9/28 and his visa expired on 10/2. Fortunately, he was able to catch a train to Bangalore. Unfortunately it was a 20 hour train ride. Fortunately he was able to have an air conditioned car and he eventually arrived in Bangalore. His flight from Bangalore to Frankfurt, Germany was fairly uneventful. We got a collect call (yikes!) from him in Germany. Unfortunately, right before they became airborn, the flight was abruptly aborted and they were brought back to the terminal, some sort of malfunction. Fortunately, he was able to get another flight four hours later. Unfortunately, when he called us, he knew he would miss his connection in Chicago and he had no idea what flight he would be on or when he would arrive in Raleigh.

Shayne looked online and figured out what flight Jacob took from Germany, and from that took a guess at what flight he could get to Raleigh. We were expecting to hear from Jacob once he arrived in Chicago, but he never called (it turns out he barely had enough time to make it through customs and then catch his flight). So, we left for the airport at 9:00 p.m., hoping that he would be on the flight arriving at 10:00. The next one wouldn't come until 9:00 a.m. the next morning.

The girls waited so patiently.....


And then he arrived!! Fortunately, Shayne had guessed the right flight. Unfortunately, Jacob's luggage didn't make that flight.... Note the absence of luggage behind us..... Fortunately for him, we were excited to bring him home without the luggage. He looked wonderful, even after so many days of travel.

And, in keeping with fortunate things, Shiloh successfully made his first visa run into Singapore.

This picture was taken in Kuala Lumpur. He had a zone conference there, which is about a six hour bus ride from J.B. Behind Shiloh are the Petrona Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world. Apparently, this is how all the kids pose for pictures.

Shiloh shared with us his experience with Ramesh, a convert from Nepal. I was going to put in just parts from it, but I couldn't decide which to leave out. It was all too good to not share.

September 24, 2008

Ramesh Sarki Kumar is Nepalese and he is here on a few years work visa. He has an amazing testimony. We watched The Restoration with him in Hindi. as it finished, with tears in his eyes he said, "Its true, I know its true." He is reading the Book of Mormon on his own (in Hindi) and is already in Alma. He has already started helping us with missionary work, he gives us referals and will teach with us. I consider his baptism a miracle. The night before his baptism he called us (Saturday, September 6). He said that he and his boss got in an argument and that he was locked away in a locker and that he didnt know where he was. We were concerned and asked if there was anything we could do. He told us, "there is a hole in the wall that I think I can escape through. I will not miss my baptism, nothing can stop me." Elder Etable and I were still severly concerned. The next day being Fast Sunday, Elder Etable and I fasted for him and his well being. We went to church the next day and he wasn't there. We waited a while and tried to call him. We got a hold of him and he said he was on his way. He showed up in poor condition. He looked dirty, he hadn't shaved or showered, he had also gone without food from the time he was locked up until he arrived at church. None of this discouraged him and he smiled everywhere he went. Satan's second attempt to keep Ramesh from the Covenant of Baptism was with the font. The water faucet was barely leaking into the font. The Elders Quorum President in our branch, Benjamin Tay, discovered this and told us we had to reschedule. This was my first baptism and I felt so pressed by the spirit that he needed to be baptized that day. He suggested doing it later in the day but Elder Etable and I had to leave immediately after church to take the six hour bus ride to Zone conference. Elder Etable and I, with the help of two other brethren, began filling buckets in the bathrooms. We dumped buckets of water into the font for a good hour, progress being minimal. When we stepped into the font, the water was mid-thigh deep. I baptized him slowly and carefully to insure that it was done right and he was baptized. Elder Etable and I made it to Zone conference on time and this Sunday Ramesh will receive the Aaronic priesthood. That was one of my happiest days in the mission. As I was reading Our Heritage, I read this paragraph and reflected on the experience, "Whenever important advances are being made by the Church, it seems that the adversary of all righteousness mounts a concerted effort to stop the growth of the Kingdom of God. But the dedicated Saints of God overcome the problems and grow stonger..." (Our Heritage, Pg 17, paragraph 4.) I know that Ramesh's baptism has eternally changed his life and I know that his example and choices will have lasting effects on his family and everyone that he meets. He has a genuine, humble testimony that is stronger than the foundations of the greatest buildings. A testimony that the best of architects could not duplicate or imitate. A testimony that is based on the pure and simple knowledge that Jesus Christ is his Savior and Redeemer and that the only true and living church is on the earth today. That God has again called prophets to lead and guide us, even President Thomas S Monson. He knows without doubt, the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and that in every way Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that the church was restored through him. I am so grateful to have been a part of his life. As it said in Our Heritage, Satan tries more than ever to cripple the efforts and pivotal moments in our lives and the lives of others that lead to the salvation of our brothers and sisters. I know that as we have faith and do all that we can, just as Ramesh did, God will pull us through.

It's great to have Jacob home but I'm also glad we still will be able to get weekly emails from a missionary. After two years of checking emails every Wednesday, it's good to know that will still continue on.