A Senior Mission

President Smith is the second counselor in the temple presidency.  He was sent by the church many years ago to go to Russia and see if he could find a way to open the country for the church to begin missionary work.  It took several years, but he did get the government to give permission and he became the first mission president over the former USSR. 

A fairly wealthy couple retired from their employment and their stake president called them in and said that he felt impressed that they should serve a senior mission.  They were surprised, but went home and considered the matter.  They turned in their mission papers and the church called them to Russia.  Neither of them spoke Russian and knew how cold it is in Russia and turned down the call.  They did not want to go to Russia.  A year later, their stake president called them in again and expressed his feeling that they should serve a mission.  Would they please submit mission papers.  They did and they were called to Russia.  For those of you who are not members of the church, the chances of the brethren making assignments. to have all of this information available during their assignments, are  impossible.  That’s why we know The Lord is in charge of calls. 

This time, the couple packed their bags and went to Moscow where President Smith (not knowing any of the history) asked them to take an interpreter and travel through Siberia, stopping at prison camps and preaching the gospel as they went.  It was very cold, but they began their assignment.  After visiting five camps over a period of 4 months, the wife became very impatient with having to go through an interpreter.  They arrived at the sixth camp and before anyone could say anything, she said, “Does anyone here speak English?”  A voice from the back of the room said, “I do.”  He came forward.  He was dirty, disheveled, unshaven and was their own son who had been estranged from his parents for several years.  He had traveled to Russia and because of his inadequate ability to communicate in Russian and his inexperience with Russian laws, had gotten himself arrested and sent to Siberia.  He had been there for a year and a half.  President Smith was able to resolve the legal difficulties for their son so that he could return to the United States.  The missionary couple finished their mission grateful to have their son restored to them and wishing they had not waited a year to serve.