This is a draft of a little article the mission is sending to be published in the Liahona and possibly the Ensign.
Fulfilling the Words of a Prophet
(Wed.,
12 July 2012)
President Mikele
Padovich had labored for weeks over the new transfers. Finally everything felt right and elders and sisters
were on their way to their new areas in southeastern Africa. Five elders had caught the bus from Zambia to
Malawi at 5 am with papers in order for the border crossing.
At 5 pm
President Padovich got a call; it was Elder Stewart, one of the five. President looked at the clock, figuring they
should be in Lilongwe, Malawi after 12 hours of travel. He said “What’s up, Elder?” Elder Stewart said “We have a problem here.
“ President Padovich had the sinking
feeling one gets when a missionary far away calls with a problem. Elder Stewart continued, “We can’t cross the
border; they will not allow Elder Katomb from the D.R. Congo to cross with the visa
he has.” President Padovich needed a
moment to think and pray. He told the Elders
to get off the bus and stay together; then he said he would call back. They had about 15 minutes before the bus
would go on.
President
thought of some options. One was to send another elder instead of Elder
Katomb to Malawi. He prayed and felt OK
about the option but looked at the missionary transfer board and wasn’t so
sure. The board had a way of “speaking”
to him and it never lied. He tried to
make arrangements with a hotel for the elders to stay but couldn’t reach the
desk, and neither could the reservations operator in Johannesburg. He tried to get the missionary couple in
Lilongwe to meet them at the hotel just across the border but their new car was
not registered for crossing the border yet.
Things were not working out and time was passing.
Finally, Elder
Mantchichi called and said, “President, there is a man here who would like to
speak to you.” The caller had an unforgettable, resonant voice. He
said, “President, I am a friend. I will
get your missionary his visa, and they will be able to go.” He said he would call back and hung up.
After a
short time, Elder Stewart called and said, “Here is the man to speak to you
again.” The man said. “Do not worry; your Elder has his visa and he
can cross the border now.” President
Padovich, noting the time, asked, “But, hasn’t the bus left already?” The kind stranger replied “No, I’ve held the
bus; the missionaries will be able to travel on.” President Padovich said “That’s
wonderful! May the Lord bless you!” The stranger answered confidently, “He does.”
Later the
missionaries called the President again to let him know that they were on the
bus and should be to their destination by 8 pm.
President Padovich asked them who the man was who had helped them. They didn’t know. He asked, “Where did he go?” They said, “He just walked away.”
Malawi was
dedicated to the preaching of the Gospel in October, 2011. In his dedicatory prayer, Elder Nelson said
that conditions would get better for Malawians and that the Church and members
would begin to progress significantly from that time forward. That has started to come to pass.
When President
Padovich prepared that transfer, he had felt strongly about sending these
particular young elders to Lilongwe where many members speak little English. One was a native Chichewa speaker and he had
taught the language to his companion Elder Katomb from the D.R. Congo. The work was opening up there and they needed
more elders who could speak Chichewa. Later that night, the senior missionary in
Lilongwe called to say that the missionaries had arrived. Elder Prete said, “These young men have had a
life-changing experience today.” And so had others, because they were on the
Lord’s errand, fulfilling the words of a prophet.
written by Elder Bruce and Sister Vonda Louthan
 |
| Elder Katomb, Elder Tsunda, Elder Mantchichi and Elder Stewart |
 |
| And here are all five of them |
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