A Joyous Reunion

Last night, and today, Bob and I attended the conference of a stake that our son Joseph served in when he was on his mission to Brazil 10 years ago. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was visiting the conference. It was wonderful to hear him and his wife speak. But the joy came from being with our friends.

Bob and I went to the conference to be with some of the people Joseph had taught the gospel to, and baptized into the church. The Church has, what? 330 missions in the world? Yes, Bob speaks Portuguese, and it was a fair probability that we might be sent to Brazil, but there are more than 30 missions in Brazil. We are very grateful to have the privilege of serving where Joseph served, and knowing and loving the same people he knew and loved.

Last night and today we sat next to Paulo and Mariangela. She told me from her memory on what page in the Portuguese hymnal all the songs were to be found. Then I could read along as the choir sang a song I knew the tune of, but I needed the help of seeing the words to understand what they were singing.

Each time we meet with Paulo and Mariangela, we feel such love and gratitude for their goodness to Joseph, and to us. At the conference, it was good to see how loved they are by everyone there at church. Mariangela kept introducing us as the parents of the missionary who baptised them. We felt honored and loved by all their friends.

Singing in the choir was a small slip of a young woman, Glaucia, who Joseph baptized 10 years ago when she was 14. She has been the only member of the church in her family. She recently returned from serving an 18 month mission for The Church in Santa Maria, Brazil. One month ago, her mother died suddenly. When we met last night, we hugged and cried. She hugged me, and Bob, too, as if we were family, as indeed we are.

I sure wouldn't mind going on another mission and going to New York City, where Michael served. That would be fun! But I think I'll just have to travel as a tourist, with Benj and Janelle as guides and translators on a visit to Japan. I am having enough trouble with Portuguese--how they learned Japanese is a miracle to me--and I know a little about how hard they worked to learn it.

The scriptures say that if you should labor all your days and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with them in the kingdom of our Father. I know I tasted a little of that joy yesterday and today. How grateful I am for all of our family's missionary labor.