Treasured Experience #2

Sister R


One of the missions I am responsible for is the England Mission Training Center in Preston, England.  I received a call from the mission president there one afternoon who was very worried about a new sister missionary who had arrived the day before and was in a full emotional melt-down.

He asked if I could meet with her that day, so an appointment was made.  As I started my preparation for the session by reviewing her mission application, I noticed right off that she was not only from England but was from a ward I had served in when I was a missionary in England 46 years ago.  I had performed my first mission baptism in her chapel and spent a lot of time there.  I also noticed she was quite accomplished at the playing the piano.

When we met that evening by phone she was sobbing and incoherent.  As I introduced myself and told her of my connection to her home town, she immediately calmed down and stopped crying.  She talked so fast in her County Durham accent that I hadn’t heard in a so long that it took me a few minutes to get used to it and understand what she was saying. 

I was able to teach her some relaxation techniques and help her understand that everyone who starts their mission is anxious and a little afraid.  She was called to serve in Greece, scared of learning the language and being away from home.

I asked her how playing the piano made her feel and she said quite quickly that it made her feel calm and at peace.  I then gave her homework of making time each day to just sit down at a piano and play whatever song she wanted.  She was kind of shocked and asked, “You can arrange that?”  I reassured her that her mission president would do anything to help her feel safe and calm and that there were plenty of pianos at the MTC for her to choose from.  She agreed and we ended our conversation.

A few days later the mission president said, “Be prepared to talk to a whole new missionary” as I scheduled another meeting with her.  I wasn’t quite sure what he meant.  When this missionary got on the phone to talk with me she was poised and positive.  She talked on and on about how great it was to play the piano and how she loved her companion that was also going to Greece.  The mission president had called her to be music coordinator as the MTC and she was feeling good.  She thanked me for all I had done to help her and we were done.

As I reflect on this experience, I wonder how long ago God had put into place the intersection of this missionary’s mission and mine.  My connection to her home ward had calmed her down long enough to listen and learn a few relaxation tools and the Spirit had guided me to her piano playing experience and the suggestion that she play often.  All I really did was to be there, follow the Spirit and say what I was inspired to say.  Even so, this is another instance of many where I have the privilege to know that my serving here in Europe is not a coincidence.