by Coleen O. Simmons
In 1998, my husband and I received a mission call to Nairobi Kenya. We really had uncertain thoughts about going to a third-world country. Especially when my daughter told us about the headhunters that were there. We put that aside and thought of Nephi 3:7, "I will go and do the things which the LORD hath commanded."We proceeded to get prepared to go with a few reservations. There were so many things that needed taken care of before we left--the taxes, our utilities, family matters, our home and many other things.
One day when I was talking to a friend she told me to be sure that when I was set apart to be sure that they told me that I would return. So when we were called to go see the presidency, they did set us apart and they gave us beautiful blessings, but they did not tell me that I would return.
The Friday before we were to leave, the terrorists bombed the American Embassy in Nairobi. Of course, this really upset us. We were not sure that we wanted to go. On Sunday, I asked LeGrande to give me a blessing and tell me that I would return. He gave me a beautiful blessing, but he did not tell me that I would return.
I thought things over and decided that I would pray to Heavenly Father. I told him that I was going to do his work and that it was up to him to wach over us, and we would do our very best to be good missionaries. If He thought I should come home or stay it was okay with me. The next morning I woke up with the warmest feeling, and I knew it was okay to go.
We had a wonderful mission. It was a humanitarian mission, and I loved every day that we were there. We helped many African people with schools, water, clinics, books, etc. The warm feeling never left me no matter where we went or how dangerous it was. I hated to come home because I knew that feeling would leave me.
This experience surely made my testimony stronger, and I have felt closer to my Heavenly Father ever since.
