"If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole." Mark 5:28

On April 7, Good Friday, we kicked off an ongoing program to be held at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in Old Town, San Diego. The program is named Inspire, Music and Messages of Hope. The Battalion has a smallish theater that seats about 60 people and once a month we present a program in collaboration with the missionaries there. Our first program on Good Friday focused on how Christ's power, coupled with our faith, can make us whole. The source of this teaching is the miraculous healing of the woman in Luke 8. In an act of faith this woman with a flow of blood reached out her hand to touch the hem of Christ's garment as he passed by and was immediately healed. Christ's words to her are so profound, "Daughter be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." Certainly, it was her faith in Christ's power and acting upon that faith that produced the desired miracle. But this miracle could not have been performed without Christ's power to heal. His power is there and is constant. We are the variable in the story, we must reach out in faith if we are to be healed both physically and spiritually. This is something we want our missionaries to fully understand and more importantly live and teach.

Since our last post we shared a wonderful experience with one of our visa reassigned missionaries, Elder H (EH). Each transfer we receive a small number of missionaries who are assigned to serve outside the United States but, due to visa delays, they are temporarily reassigned to serve in San Diego while they await the proper paperwork. During covid, there were large numbers of visa reassigned missionaries throughout the United States but things are more or less back to normal. During his time in the Missionary Training Center, EH's cohort all received temporary reassignments and their branch president felt impressed to tell the entire group of missionaries that they would all reach their originally assigned missions. Fast forward 16 months and EH was on transfer away from his 18-month mark, and the only member of his cohort who had not traveled to his original assignment. EH resigned himself to accept the Lord's will and be content to serve his entire mission in San Diego. Then, on a Friday afternoon, we received word that the papers and visa for EH were in order and he would be departing. It was not clear which month this would happen. When President Merritt called to share this joyous news, President asked EH how he felt about not getting to Peru. He assured President he "had his" 'nevertheless' moment and was going to serve faithfully till the end of his mission despite not getting to his original assignment." When President told him, "EH, your visa has come through!", there was silence on the call . . . a moment of disbelief, unsurety, could President be joking and then. . . we are pretty certain, silent tears. It took us all by surprised when early Monday morning we received an email with a travel itinerary for EH stating he would be leaving that day. The problem is he was serving two hours away and could not possibly make it to the airport in time. After a few frantic calls, getting flights changed as well as transportation for EH to the airport we bid EH farewell and sent him on his way. With his departure, the branch president's promise was fulfilled and we all had reason to rejoice. EH is thriving in his new locale.

Another miracle came when we received word that we would be receiving missionaries assigned to speak and trained and schooled in Haitian Creole. A wonderful blessing but one that could take 6-8 months before we actually received any such missionaries. Then, in a miraculous way, we were assigned a Haitian-Creole elder to arrive in September, the very month our self-taught senior Haitian speaker is to head home. That initial assignment was followed by two elders who are due to arrive in August. This is an answer to prayer that provides us with the continued ability to teach our Haitian-Creole friends. When we arrived to the mission there were missionaries teaching in seven languages, with our Haitian Creole missionaries we now have eight languages. Our English and Spanish programs have many missionaries but all of the other programs are considered, small language programs with about 6 or fewer missionaries assigned to each language. These missionaries are here to teach the large immigrant and/or student populations about Christ and his gospel in their respective language

We are preparing to reinvigorate a ninth language. Prior to covid the California San Diego Mission had Swahili speaking missionaries who taught refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the pandemic, when churches throughout the world began meeting online, these refugees were largely without means to tune into church and many of our Swahili group moved away. Now, on the other side of the pandemic, we have found members and friends who are once again desirous to come to church and learn. So, similar to Haitian Creole, President has asked missionaries to learn the language on their own and we are forming a group that will be supported by an English-speaking congregation. Please pray that our missionaries can learn the language with speed and that we can also be assigned Swahili speaking missionaries.

We have been fortunate since our last entry to connect with some family. In April, while in Washington State for the North America West seminar with other mission leaders we were able to see our nephew Tyler and his partner Alex. It was so good to have a moment to share with them. Later, in May, we attended a Padres v. Red Sox game with President's sister, Sue and hubby Brian, their son Kyle and his wife Michelle. In addition to the game, we finally played pickle-ball under the tutelage of Kyle and Michelle. President has a new passion! Our visit to the Mormon Battalion Historical Site led to the discovery that Norm and Sue have a distant relative who was in the Battalion. What an unexpected but fun connection.

We close with a final recent miracle from one of the CSDM companionships. About 5 months ago, two elders spoke with a man who expressed interest in learning more and meeting with missionaries. Somehow his address was misplaced but they just found it again and visited his house. When they knocked on his door, he invited them in. Through tears he shared that the prior day, while on his phone, he read something that let him know God would send two servants to his door the next day. When they knocked on his door-he knew the Lord was aware of Him. We see wonderful miracles here each and every day.

Remember - the Lord is aware of each one of us, me and you. He loves all of US! His power can heal us, if we will but reach out our hand in faith and touch his hem.