"...that they may be as one..."

As I sat on the stand, I leaned over to the councilor and whispered “who is that woman who has just come into the chapel with those 4 girls?” He looked and whispered “Sister Elizabeth Sika”. “Where is her husband” I asked. “He is a member but doesn’t come” was his reply. I pondered those too common but sad words, “he is a member yet doesn’t come”, as I listened to the testimony of a faithful pioneer shared with love. Why would a husband who must dearly love and cherish his wife and family not come to church with them each Sunday? At one time he had a flame of the Spirit that burned within his breast for the love of his Savior. He must have wanted to be united with his wife in her love of the gospel because he searched his soul for the truth and found the comforting gentle whispering of the Holy Ghost say, “you are home” during his baptism. And his little girls, they longed to walk with daddy to Sunday School. How could this be, I thought as I bowed my head and offered a silent prayer. It was then my understanding was opened and I beheld a man kneeling at an altar with his wife and 4 little girls, dressed in white, all holding hands. It was but a glimpse of those things to come. Just as calm and softly as the scene had come to my mind’s eye, I was taught what I must do. I leaned over to the councilor and whispered, “Do you know where they live”? “Yes”, he said. “Then we will take Sister Sika and visit their home right after this meeting is concluded” I whispered.

The drive was brief yet a fair distance to walk each Sunday morning to be on time. Sister Sika was quiet and I’m sure a bit confused as to why we needed to see her husband right then. Almost embarrassed she seemed, but was obedient to my request. John Awudi was even more surprised as he saw me coming down the trail to their home. I prayed fervently that Father would guide me in our conversation and that I was His to handle through the Spirit. I stepped forward and extended my hand in fellowship and John took me by the hand and welcomed me to their humble home. The councilor retrieved an old wooden bench and placed it under a shade tree. Sister Sika gently placed her wrap on the bench for us to set on. John brought a very short stool, normally used for the making of Fufu, and placed it alongside the bench and sat down. I motioned to he and his wife to set on the perfectly prepared bench, side by side, and I then took the small stool and placed it in front of them and sat down. Through the councilors Twi, I asked of his farm and of their reason for making Nkurakan their home. I was searching for the Spirit to guide me in my sayings and then the most beautiful feeling came to 4 people setting under a shade tree on a Sunday morning. I shared with Brother Awudi that the Lord had great design on his future in His church and the blessings of his family depended upon his faithfulness. I looked directly at Sister Sika and asked if John was a good honest man, and she knew how much he loved her? She whispered, “Yes” and offered this insight, “I love him and so do our girls with all of our hearts”. Turning to John, in the spirit of love and brotherhood, I spoke in Twi a few words of Heavenly Fathers love for him and his family. I challenged John to prepare for God’s entire temple blessing afforded to all worthy saints in His church. I expressed the privilege it would be for Sister Dalton and me to teach them the Temple lessons over the next several weeks.

I have witnessed the spirit in meetings, in the tender moments before a child slips back to Heavenly Fathers arms, and have felt the healing wash to a repentant soul; but today we all felt and witnessed the uniting love Father in Heaven has offered all of his sons and daughters. Tears streamed down our faces, father, mother, councilor and me, we nodded a sincere commitment to prepare for eternal blessings. We stood and embraced as if we had loved and known each other before; four souls as one, in fellowship and in vision. As we parted and John escorted us back down the trail, I turned and shook his hand again and asked if he had a white shirt and tie for next Sunday, “shirt yes, tie no”. I took my tie off and handed it to him and said, “I will be to your home on Saturday afternoon to teach you how to tie the necktie”. As I drove back to the chapel, Sister Sika sobbed softly and said “Meda ase p, Meda ase p.” And in broken English, “God bless you, Elder Dalton”. Oh, how I have echoed those very words to my Father in Heaven, “Thank you, thank you, Father, for the blessing I received this day.”