I know I have been called of God...
This past week we had Zone Conference where we receive special training from our leaders and listen to President and Sister Belliston. It was amazing!! During Zone Conference President Belliston told us the story of how he received his mission call to serve last February in 2009. He said he received his call and later had an interview with President Uchtdorf (an apostle of the Lord). He said as his wife and he sat there President Uchtdorf told them that they would be called to an English speaking mission and they would know where in 2 weeks or so. President Uchtdorf then got quiet looked at President Belliston in the eyes, looked down at his paper and back at President Belliston and said "You have been assigned to the Maryland Baltimore Mission." Confused President just looked at him because he had just said they would let them know in two weeks. Nevertheless, President and Sister Belliston accepted their call to serve. Before entering the MTC in the latter part of June President and Sister Belliston did what every couple/person does when they are called to serve a mission. They began to put their ducks in a row. President said he went in to FINALLY get a surgery that doctors had told him he needed a couple of years prior. He said when he went in for a check up he found the situation was worse than he thought... He found out he had Cancer. President made a few phone calls and continued to prepare for his mission. OK now let me pause for anyone who doesn't know President. He is probably the healthiest 63 yr old I have ever met in my life. On P-days when he plays sports with the elders and they are breathing hard and in need of a water break President is just staring at them asking why they need water and then will say something along the lines of "Boy I tell ya they don't make young men like they use to." He has the energy of a two year old. He is, in the words of my mother "as healthy as an ox." But anyway, not to take away from the story. This news shocked President seeing as how he had been healthy his entire life. "I've never been sick a day in my life," President told us. After the shocking news he went to visit some people and all went well. He then came to Maryland on his mission which made it possible for him to get surgery from the best doctor in the states at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He underwent 38 days of radiation treatments every morning last year around this time and didn't tell anyone. He said last week "I didn't tell you all because I didn't want you all thinking I was going to die and get trunky on me." That is my Mission President! As he told these stories I recalled the times in December of last year when he was late to certain appointments or conferences and never thought anything of it because he was a busy man and was always on the go. But we found out last week what the reason was. He was undergoing radiation treatments. He has been cancer free for a year now. I love my mission President. Last February, President Belliston didn't know that he would be diagnosed with Cancer. Nor did he know why he was immediately called to serve in the Maryland Baltimore Mission just seconds after being told that it would take two weeks. But I do know that now he knows the reason for being called here. It was not only to touch the lives of those around him but to undergo a stressful procedure by the best doctor in the US. I testify to you that President Uchtdorf is an apostle of Jesus Christ our Savior. I testify that they receive revelation for us and are literal mouthpieces for our Heavenly Father. I also testify that at times they say things we may not understand but we are to be obedient and at some time in the future when the Lord sees fit He will show us the reason behind it. I know that I too, (just as President Belliston) have been called of God to come to Maryland Baltimore Mission. To touch the lives of others and to have experiences to impact my life just as drastically and vitally. I know this work is of God. There is no other work that has the ability to change hearts and lives the way I have seen it. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored and that just as the church in ancient times we have living prophets and apostles on the earth today. That as we listen to them we will gain a greater peace and happiness in our lives. And this I do testify of in the name of our Beloved Savior Jess Christ. Amen