The first spring Hamburg sunlight streamed through the windows of the Altona church building on Sunday morning, bathing our small chapel in warmth and light. I folded my arms, let my eyes linger on the look on Farshid's face as Hadi and Bishop placed their hands on his head. I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and listened to Farshid receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Persian. My mind went through everything that had happened in the past 48 hours and my heart was filled with
simultaneous gratitude and heaviness.
I thought about the phone call that I had received the previous morning at 7:19am from President Fingerle. "Sister Hendricks," he said, "I have three changes for you." Well shoot, I thought. "I am
sending you to Hannover to open a new missionary program. I am going to ask you to train again. And I would like to ask you to once again serve as a Sister Training Leader. It is going to be a big task. Do you accept the assignments?" "Well, Präsident. Alles vermag ich durch ihn der mir Kraft gibt." The German version of Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "I thought you would say that," he chuckled.
I thought of Farshid dressed all in white the day before as he finally "had his dream come true" and entered the waters of baptism in our tiny Altona baptismal font. I thought of the efforts of the ward to make his special day perfect and to welcome him. I thought of his sister's voice over our crappy brick of a cell phone echoing through the halls of the church building - her voice bursting with excitement for her brother.
And then, I stopped feeling sad about leaving this beautiful home of Hamburg and basked in the spirit, love, and beauty of the moment. That moment, as Farshid received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, was what these whole 18 months have been about. In that moment I felt a perfect, indescribable peace: one of those personal, sacred "Peace, be still" moments.
simultaneous gratitude and heaviness.
I thought about the phone call that I had received the previous morning at 7:19am from President Fingerle. "Sister Hendricks," he said, "I have three changes for you." Well shoot, I thought. "I am
sending you to Hannover to open a new missionary program. I am going to ask you to train again. And I would like to ask you to once again serve as a Sister Training Leader. It is going to be a big task. Do you accept the assignments?" "Well, Präsident. Alles vermag ich durch ihn der mir Kraft gibt." The German version of Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "I thought you would say that," he chuckled.
I thought of Farshid dressed all in white the day before as he finally "had his dream come true" and entered the waters of baptism in our tiny Altona baptismal font. I thought of the efforts of the ward to make his special day perfect and to welcome him. I thought of his sister's voice over our crappy brick of a cell phone echoing through the halls of the church building - her voice bursting with excitement for her brother.
And then, I stopped feeling sad about leaving this beautiful home of Hamburg and basked in the spirit, love, and beauty of the moment. That moment, as Farshid received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, was what these whole 18 months have been about. In that moment I felt a perfect, indescribable peace: one of those personal, sacred "Peace, be still" moments.
So in my heart, I am still. I am okay with the changes that the next few days will bring. The "come what may and love it" attitude makes it a lot easier to savor the sweetness of experiences past and to look forward to the next adventure with courage, humility, and confidence in the Lord's ability to qualify me for whatever He asks.
Goodbye for now, Hamburg. Hello Hannover.
Love,
Sister Grace Hendricks
Goodbye for now, Hamburg. Hello Hannover.
Love,
Sister Grace Hendricks
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