How powerful are these words as Saturday morning we got word that there had been an 8.8 earthquake in Chile. By the time I turned on the TV the earthquake had happened but they were worried of tsunami's. Knowing that Jordan and his companion live on a pennisula my heart sank. Please Heavenly Father let him be on high ground. As I watched CNN they showed the massive destruction in Concepcion...200 miles from where Jordan is...but then they interviewed people staying in Vina del Mar which is Jordan's mission and how these people had to run out of buildings and the destruction around them. Oh how my heart sank. I cried and trembled as I feared for Jordan and his companion. Larry was at work and I called him to let him know...and then my phone rang and rang and rang. My cell phone had text messages after text messages. I was being carried by the love and concern of many around us.
I had to go to work that morning and I feared to leave home. I wanted to know what was going on but I had an obligation to fulfill. I panicked at work and they were so kind to allow me to have my phone on me at all times and to check the internet for emails from the mission president, Jordan, the church or whoever. Larry was able to come home a short time later and keep me updated on nothing....no emails, no word, no anything. Around 1:00 I got a text saying that KSL had reported that all missionaries had been accounted for.
You would think that that would give you relief to hear that he was accounted for but it doesn't. I appreciated the fact and knowing that he had been accounted for...but was he without a home, water, food, clothes...how was my son living? But yet through the tears and fears I felt peace in a weird sort of way.
I had a couple missionary mom's email me Sunday and tell me they had just gotten a call from their son's and I should expect one soon...as the mission president asked each missionary to call home. Well, FINALLY Sunday night we got a call that said, "I am alive and ok. I love you guys. I felt the quake...is Johnie ok (his friend is in Santiago)...We have no water and the electricity just barely came on...I have to go...I will try and call tomorrow." Oh the flood of relief to hear his voice and know that he was ok.
On Monday we got an email which we didn't expect. He said, "I tell you...I have had more crazy stuff happen in one month then in my whole 19 years of life". He also said that there wasn't as much damage where he was at. He said that the members were all really worried about him and his companion and invited them to their homes and fought over who got to feed them. He said, "I don't get why cause I am pretty sure we were a lot better off then them but it was really cool of them". Oh how I love the people of Chile who care for my son!!
After this I didn't expect any more but Monday night we got a 5 minute phone call from him. He said that his companion was waking him up and he could feel the shaking but he wasn't quite awake. At first he thought someone was breaking in to their place. He said that his bed was in the middle of the room and that their tables had slid across the room. Some stuff had fallen off the walls but other than that not much damage to their pension. (This is what they call a home). After the quake they went back to bed and slept through most of the aftershocks. It wasn't until the next morning that they found out how bad it was. There were some buildings down in there area but not as bad as in Vina del Mar. (They went to the mission home on monday).
I have thought a lot about it since the quake and now know that Heavenly Father was holding us and protecting over Jordan. He gave me peace (even through my tears) and he gave Jordan peace to sleep through the aftershocks. He is always there for the peace in this trembling world...we just need to look and listen and feel that peace and comfort. I know that he protected over my son that day as he did all the other missionaries. He gave me peace in knowing that the Chileans love Jordan as much as his mother does in making sure he was ok...physically and spiritually. I know Heavenly Father probably feels the same as he waits and watches us...waiting to hear that we have made righteous choices. That we have chosen to follow him and gain that peace.
Fear not I am with thee...oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God....and I will give you peace.
Thank you Heavenly Father for watching over my boy!!
