Look After My Loved Ones

While stationed in Texas, I was a member of the high council, and lived 175 miles away from the stake center. Because of the travel involved, stake meetings took up the entire day a couple of times each month.

One Sunday morning, hours before daylight, I was preparing to leave for a long day of travel and meetings. My wife and year-old son were sleeping, but neither one was well. They were suffering from a virus, and had slept fitfully, indicating that the illness had not yet run its course. As I dressed, I debated with myself. “Should I leave these dear ones, and spend twelve hours on the road and in meetings? Or should I stay and care for them in the manner I expect when I am sick? Who will miss me more, the stake president or my family?”

Finally, through a determined sense of duty, I tiptoed to the living room, prayed, and drove off to pick up the other high councilor from my branch.

Brother Larsen’s family had not been well, either. He was dressed when I arrived, but had also debated whether or not to go. We decided to seek a blessing from the Lord that we might leave our families in His care. Real intent rang in our voices and words.

After our prayer, we felt comforted for our families’ sakes, and set out with lighter hearts. As we drove, we talked about the first missionaries of this dispensation who went to England. They had left under similar—albeit much more severe—circumstances.

That day we enjoyed a rich outpouring of the Spirit and returned home to find our families rested and on the mend.