Other Sheep!

February 3, 2013

We send our love and expressions of gratitude for your thoughtfulness in our behalf.  We love hearing about the busy lives of our children, grandchildren, and friends.  Yes, we miss being there for so many of the special events that are part of your busy schedules, but we feel your love and support for what we are doing too.

Monday evening, we had family home evening with the other temple and office missionaries.  The purpose of the evening was to let us watch the rest of the videos documenting the commencement and growth of the church in Africa.  This time, we were shown the segments detailing the start of the church in Nigeria and Sierra Leone.  Elder and Sister Knutson gave each us a DVD with the video for each of the four countries.  They said that there was an obligation that went with the DVD.  That obligation is to share it.  We are excited to have the ability share what was presented in our two family home evenings.

I should let Laraine tell these stories because she does better than I, but they are very similar to those of Ghana and Liberia, but in Nigeria and Sierra Leone wars and civil unrest seemed to have a greater impact on the lives of those who were committed to bring the true church to their communities.  The common thread in each of these countries is that there were people in different cities unknown to each other who recognized that certain truths taught by the Savior were not necessarily part of the church they were part of.  They came in contact with the Book of Mormon and knew it was true without knowing the source of the book.  After learning that it came from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and not knowing that others were doing the same, they wrote letters to Salt Lake City asking for missionaries and more information concerning the doctrine and teachings of the church. They were told to be patient and wait for the Lord’s timing.  They had to endure many trials and difficulties before missionaries arrived.

Our personal experiences here in Africa have changed forever our lives and the way we regard the people here.  For me personally they have broadened the way I feel as I read the scriptures.  This last week, I was reading and pondering 3 Nephi.

In John 10:16, the Savior tells us “…other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:  them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”  Therefore, we know Jesus had other sheep besides the people in Jerusalem and that these “other sheep” would hear the Saviors voice.  In 3 Nephi 15:21-22, the Savior tells us that Lehi and his descendants are these “other sheep” of whom He spoke.  He said, “And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.  And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles…”

Again for me personally, our experiences in Africa have broadened the way I feel as I continue reading in chapter 16.

In verses 1-3, it says, “And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about wither I have been to minister.

“For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them.

“But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.”

I can’t help but hope and feel that these “other sheep” of chapter 16 included those on this continent.

As I read how He ministered to and showed his love for His other sheep in the New World, I can only believe that He loved His other sheep of chapter 16 in the same manner. 

He let them feel the prints of the nails in his hands and feet that they too know he was slain for the sins of the world.

He healed their sick.

He prayed for them.  He taught things that couldn’t be written.  The people wept.

He wept.  He blessed their children and wept again.

It reminds me of Elder Holland’s visit to Africa.  He went to Bangui to dedicate the land of Central African Republic.  He spoke of the Bangui Branch President, a lawyer who trained in France, practiced in the United States and then returned to Central African Republic.  Elder Holland said, “He kept saying, with tears in his eyes, that he couldn’t quite fathom that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve had come all that way and sought them out in their interior African world, in the jungle, in the isolated communities that they are.  He couldn’t get over the fact that we would come and find them, that their little handful of members mattered.  That was touching to me.  I said, ‘Of course you matter.  Of course we will find you.’  It was a great day.” 

I can’t help but feel that maybe Christ visited his other sheep in Africa.  I can’t help but feel that His sheep hear the voice of the savior as they hear His chosen leaders, the prophets.  And I can’t help but feel that they hear His voice as they come to the temple.  What a great opportunity and responsibility we have to perform these ordinances as He would.  This is our hope and prayer that we can help those who come to the Johannesburg temple.

We again had four couples from DR Congo come to the temple this week.  I watch these couples as they receive the ordinances of the temple in their own language and am grateful that I can be part of that.  I am only aware of Brother Bonet who can perform sealings in French so most of those who come to be sealed in the temple don’t hear this ordinance in their own language.  I am thankfull for the opportunities that I have to translate for the sealers.  It is only what the sealer says before and after the actual ordinance that I translate because I am not a sealer and cannot pronounce the ordinance itself, but it has created a bonding with these couple that I will always cherish.

We love hearing how well our grandchildren are doing.  We are proud of each of them.

We hope all is going well for each of you.  We send our love.