Dear Friends
and Neighbors:
Everybody and every body gets tested one way or another in this life.
It’s part and parcel of the program, procedure and practice of coming to
earth! I’m having a test right now—it’s chocolate! I have a
craving—I think an addiction. And I’m loosing! No, I’m gaining
(weight that is!). I trimmed down a while back doing real “good” running,
doing many push-ups, and playing basketball with some of the
missionaries. But, now I’m fearing, faltering, and fattening! I’d
better get back to life’s treadmill! We are so grateful for life!.
Please see Sister Taylor’s message attached.
Love,
George
& Debbie
The Test
of Abraham
A few days ago we called our son
David in Washington D.C. to have our weekly Skype visit. We asked how he was doing and expected his usual
cheery “fine” reply! But this time his
response was very different. He told us
frankly that he had a very bad day; he was informed by his superior officer that
he was going to be deployed to the Middle East in August. This was a “Bomb
Shell” to him and his wife, Manya!
They
have five children, under eight years of age, and are expecting their sixth
child on December 1—their fifth son. David’s response to his boss was that as a
U.S. Air Force Officer, he would go anywhere he was required to go. But, he suggested or requested that he be
deferred at least until January, after his new baby son was born.
As
a family, we began praying and hoping that there might be some intervention to
delay or postpone his assignment for a time.
With this, we could at least be of some help to his young family after
our January 15th release from our mission in the Philippines.
My
usual response to hard events is to go into “crisis management mode” in order to
develop options:
First,
I would leave our mission early in December and be available to stay in
Washington with Manya until January when George would join me. Then, we would stay with her and the kids
until David’s return.
Second, if a
deferment or postponement could be made until January, George and I could fly
to DC after our mission and stay there until David returned.
Third,
we would move everyone to Utah to live with us until after the deployment.
Our
first solution for us was to pray! George offered a beautiful prayer of
comfort, courage, and faith for all of us, especially for Manya; and then
simply asked the Lord to CANCEL
THE ASSIGNMENT! My silent reaction to this bold prayer
was amazement and a bit of shock. He
didn’t even suggest to the Lord that David’s assignment be deferred to January--he
just asked for it to be cancelled! After
the prayer, we thought, “This is a “Test of Abraham;” a test for David, a test especially
for Manya being left alone, a test for their unborn son, for their other
children and for us. Our continued prayer was, “Thy will be done.”
The
night after the news, I tried to call David but could not reach him. The next morning
I called again, but received no answer. I was getting stressed! An hour later I called again! He answered. His voice was very animated when he
said, “We are great!” I thought, “How can you be great?” You’ve just been
ordered to the Middle East and to leave your family! He then replied, “Today we received the most
wonderful news! My assignment was canceled!”
How
can our words express our feelings of relief, joy and gratitude? Cancellation
of an assignment rarely occurs. This
blessing was a direct answer to prayer. I
have not had such a swift and immediate answer to a prayer like this before. Maybe the Lord wanted us all to know that our small
sacrifices have been accepted of Him.
I
do know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves and cares for all his
children, that He does answer our prayers, that He offered and sent His Beloved
Son as a Sacrifice for us, that He did not cancel His Son’s assignment, and
that if we are willing, through Him, we can return back to His presence with
our families.
May
the Lord bless you in all your family trials and Abrahamic tests, whatever they
may be. (D&C 132).
--Debra Sue Taylor, July 14, 2012
Photo
source: wikipedia
