The Hand of the Lord in Protecting Us on our Missions

These comments may seem peculiar at first, but hopefully you will be able to catch the impact as the facts are related.

On the many Humanitarian and Member Welfare Trips we have taken we always know that there is a chance for harm or injury or disease.  Before we depart and while we are on these trips, we pray that we will be protected from accident and sickness.  We petition the Lord that we will not be hindered in our work because of health issues or external causes of harm.  As all of our family know, one of the miracles of our two years in Myanmar and our over eight and a half years on this current international assignment is that we have had virtually no illness and little harm come to us.  For this we are most grateful and give full credit to the hand of the Lord.  Keep in mind that all of the service that we are referring to in this document has come since we were 69 years old through the age of 80 – a time in life when illness and injury normally increase dramatically.

For the two years we were in Myanmar Mom had almost literally no problems with health.  With the exception of minor stomach upsets that never prevented us from any service, neither of us had any disease or illness.  Dad had a kidney stone which he passed.  On one occasion he had persistent chest pains and when he was checked at a private hospital in Yangon, they became frightened because of an irregular heart beat (which he has had all of his life).   We flew to Bangkok and had an angiogram.  The Doctor said, “you will die someday, but not from a weak heart.”  The days after the test the pain subsided and has never come back.  Again, except for the two days we were in Bangkok, we never missed any assignments – and none because of illness.  How could we deny the hand of the Lord in giving us such good health while in that very remote and backward country?  We know of no other couple who has served there that has not had illness which kept them from their mission assignment – sometimes for extended periods.

For the last eight and one-half years we have served in thirty countries. Most of these thirty are “third world” countries.   On visits we have been where riots were taking place.  We have been where the water was so bad we were told to be sure to close our mouth when taking a shower.  We have been in situations where under normal circumstances; we would have had fear for personal safety. We have been to several locations where we could not leave where we were staying.  We have been places where we could not walk in public even in the day without others (locals) being with us. We have been on extremely rough roadways  and forded rivers in vehicles when we wondered if we would be able to go another ten feet.  We have been on paths which were so rutted and undefined that people of any age would have trouble traversing them.  While we always try to be circumspect about what we eat, we are still in positions where the options for what we can eat are slim to none.  Oh, we have had some times when we took some Pepto Bismol  or some anti-diarrhea medicine – but the condition was never serious enough that we missed meetings or did not fulfill the assignment for the day.  When you consider the deplorable conditions, mentioned above, in which we have found ourselves as we travel from location to location within a country, you have to know that the hand of the Lord is protecting us.

Once in Argentina, Mom missed a day of meetings.  She had some strange malady which caused her to be dizzy, but that too passed, and the next day she was right in the middle of the activities.  Perhaps the most serious thing that has happened to Mom is that she was bitten by a mosquito in Sierra Leone and contracted malaria.  She withstood the discomfort for as long as she could and finally succumbed to the bed for about three days, but even then she got up each day and performed some work.  The additional miracle attached to this malady is that she has had no reoccurrence of the malaria since the first episode – this in and of itself is a true miracle.  When you think of it, what is the chance that a person of any age would only have four days of noticable sickness in a period of over 3,000 days?

Dad has had similar blessings.  In this 3,000 + day period he had one day of altitude sickness in La Paz, Bolivia which literally laid him out.  However, that was on a Sunday when we had no assignments and by the next day he was able to fulfill all of the tasks which we had outlined for the day.  There have been times of colds and discomfort, but nothing that would hinder our assigned calling.

So sickness has taken virtually no toll on our calling – and we know that this is because we have been given a special dispensation of health by our Father In Heaven.  We acknowledge his hand in our lives and we witness that we have been granted this special blessing.  It is a gift, and is not a result of anything we have done ourselves.   

Lack of injury is another blessing for which we implore the Lord.  As mentioned, some of the places we visit are accessible only by walking.  Sometimes down steep ravines and often on hills and somewhat challenging paths.  We have photos of Mom crossing streams on bamboo poles and walking through some interesting and unfamiliar terrain.  So the chance for injury is pretty much with us on every trip we make.

Once about five years ago we were visiting a project in Monte Bonito which is in the mountains of the Dominican Republic in a very rural and rugged setting.  The women in the group decided to remain in the village where we had been holding planning meetings.  The men – four of us – drove up on dirt roads and then on sort of horse trails to overlook the project in which the Church had participated with an agricultural development organization.   We walked the last mile or so to reach the highest point in the area so that we could observe what had been accomplish.  On the way back to the vehicle we were on a very narrow foot path that was on the brink of the hill.  Somehow Dad’s foot tripped and his leg slipped over the ledge.  Fortunately he caught himself and did not tumble over the ledge.  One of the other men came and gave him a hand up.  He was in pretty heavy duty pain.  Leaning on the others he hobbled back to the SUV.  The women were picked up and we drove back to Santo Domingo to our hotel.  The leg was painful but not excruciating.  The next morning we saw the “Area Doctor” who was one of the senior missionaries.  He said that he felt the leg was not broken, but even if it was, he would not have it worked on in the Dominican Republic.  We had two days more work to finish, so we stayed, completed the assignment, and then returned to Salt Lake City.  It was a blessing that we were able to stay and finish what we had gone to do.  The thing that made it apparent that there could be a problem was that hobbling through the Atlanta Airport was a real ordeal.

The morning after we returned to Salt Lake City we went to an emergency room.  Sure enough the leg was broken.  However, the swelling was so great that they had to wait ten days to set the leg. From the time we returned from the Dominican Republic untill we had our next trip was eight weeks – a fortunate time frame.  However, by the time the leg was put in a cast we only had six weeks remaining and the next trip was to Bolivia where all walking on hills.  We were blessed once again.  The leg healed well, and in spite of the doctor’s warnings and even threats we were in Bolivia on schedule – with Dad on crutches.  Again we were able to fulfill our assignment and by the time we left Bolivia Dad was not using the crutches.  The fact that we could continue on in the Dominican Republic and that we could fulfill the assignment in Bolivia were direct blessings from Heavenly Father – there can be no other answer.  Pain was lessened, and healing was accelerated. Once again we felt the hand of the Lord.

In retrospect, the lack of injury from falls has been the most poignant indication of divine intervention in our service.  Minor trips and bumps are to be expected and happen occasionally.  It is the more dramatic type of falls that cause our gratitude.  Once, about two years ago in Albania, we were crossing a very wide and very busy city street.  Suddenly there was a siren blaring and an emergency vehicle very close.  We all picked up our pace – about six of us.  Mom was walking next to Dad and suddenly, right in the middle of the street she fell.  By fall we mean full spread eagle fall hitting clear up to her head.  Her glass flew off and she was lying in the middle of the street.  It happened so fast that Dad did not even realize she had fallen.  A man standing on the side of the street ran out and picked up Mom’s glasses.  By then we realized what had happened and helped her up.  She was, obviously a little shaken, but no cuts or major bumps.  She retrieved her glasses and we walked the additional four or five blocks to our meeting as if nothing had happened.  The fall was a bad one, yet there were no broken bones, or cuts or serious bruises.  And Mom was able to immediately recover and proceed with our work.  The only answer is that the Lord protected her and made it possible for her not to have to suffer.

Just this past week, again in Albania, dad had a similar experience.  Our hotel room was on the second floor, so we had the habit of using the stairs for exercise.  The stairs – including the landings were all made of a light colored marble – all blending together.  One morning Mom decided not to eat breakfast, so Dad went down by himself – taking the stairs as usual.  Suddenly when he came to the first landing he found himself flying through the air.  Apparently his foot hit the bottom stair and his ankle twisted.  In the process – all of which lasted just a split second – his body turned completely around and he landed with his back hitting the landing at the same time that his head hit the wall near the corner.  The force was so great that his head literally hit the wall and bounced hitting the adjacent wall of the corner.  Thus there was blunt force on both sides of his head.  So spinning as he went down he landed on his back with his head hitting the wall all on marble.

It happened so fast he did not realized what had taken place.  The greatest memory was his head hitting the wall and bouncing to the other wall.  He was not even really stunned, although he had a sizable goose egg on each side of his head.  He immediately got up and sat on the top step of the next set of stairs and took inventory for a minute.  Realizing that nothing but his head hurt he got up and went to breakfast – meeting the couple that we were training.  Think about it – that was a long way to fall all on hard surface with a lot of force.  A couple of goose eggs and a slight headache were the total damage.  The ankle hurt a little for a day then that pain was gone.  No broken bones, no cuts and no other bruises.  What is the chance?  The only explanation is that the Lord was protecting Dad in this instance, just as in so many other smaller incidents that have happened.  Again, the hand of the Lord was evident.

We certainly try to be careful and to be watchful.  We do not want to tempt fate and try the Lord.  But the circumstances in which we find ourselves are such that we must rely on Heavenly Father’s guidance and care.

It is our testimony that we now feel and have felt the hand of the Lord in our Mission assignments.  We are humbled by the fact that he knows of us and is watching over us.  We bear testimony of His goodness, His watchful eye, and His care.

Mom and Dad

September 1, 2015

Youth

The quote below appeared in the Church News Viewpoint as part of an article entitled “A state

of mind” on July 18, 2015.  We found this most interesting, and pertinent.  We can bear

testimony of the truthfulness of the concepts presented by this man who was born almost 100

years before we were and who lived to be 84 – we suspect that he died young even at that age.

The depth of understanding and the perspective given by the  Gospel provide an even greater

basis for us all to maintain our “Youth” until we pass to the other side.

That each of you may catch the vision of this opportunity and have this blessing in your life, is

our prayer.

Gummy and Gumpy

  “Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind: it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red

lips, and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of

the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.

  “Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity of the appetite,

for adventure over the love of ease.  This often exists in a man of sixty more than a boy

of twenty.  Nobody grows old merely by a number of years.  We grow old by deserting

our ideals.

  “Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.  Worry, fear,

self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

  “Whether sixty or sixteen, there is in every human being’s heart the lure of wonder, the

unfailing child-like appetite of what’s next, and the joy of the game of living.  In the

center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station; so long as it receives

messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from the infinite,

so long are you young.

  “When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the

ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at twenty, but as long as your aerials

are up, to catch the waves of optimism, there is hope you may die young at eighty.”

Samuel Ullman (1840 – 1924)

Inspiration

Perhaps I should begin this dissertation by saying that all of my life I have felt that I could have been more spiritual – that I should have done more to justify the promptings of the Holy Ghost – that I should have lived a more worthy life.  I confess that I am weak and that some of the things which I will speak of in this document were a gift to me, an unworthy servant.

Yet I have strived to live a good life and to serve the Lord.  In certain callings in the Church I was entitled to heavenly guidance, and, in spite of my weaknesses, the Lord chose to provide direction.  I have to admit that at times I did not realize I was being inspired until I looked back and realized that what had transpired was the Lord directing the actions which were taken.  I have felt that this fact, alone (that I did not realize it was inspiration at the time) indicates my lack of being in tune with the spirit as I should have been.

Perhaps another factor should be mentioned in the beginning of this document:  My father, who, in my opinion, was one of the great servants in the Kingdom of God, was a very practical man.  While I am not sure I heard it from him – although I think I did, it was from him that I learned the concept that inspiration is 99% perspiration.  In other words, Heavenly Father gave us an intellect and understanding and experience that should provide the base for us to make good and wise decisions – even those affecting others and our callings in the Church.

I distinctly remember my father saying (not the exact words, but close), “while it is good to counsel together, too often we spend too much time talking and not enough time doing.  While others are holding meetings, I can be out getting the job accomplished.”

So I grew up with a certain “self-confidence” that the Lord expected us to get things accomplished and that he would be there to help.  I suppose this is a form of faith which was inbred into my soul from the time I was very young.  It was, so to speak, the way of life in our home.

As I grew older – even after Kay and I moved, with our family to Utah, I noticed in many others, who are good solid members of the Church that they often relied on the counsel of the leaders of the Church to know what direction they should take in their lives.  While there is no question we should listen to our leaders and follow their counsel, it is my opinion that we, as parents, are entitled to inspiration for the direction of our own family.  As a matter of fact I feel that some members use this dependence on leaders and others for inspiration as a crutch rather than seeking guidance/inspiration directly from the Lord for their lives.  We should not have to be “commanded” or “counseled in all things.  I am convinced that it is not appropriate for us to “lean” on the direction of our leaders at the expense of being spiritually lazy.  If, as parents, we are prayerful and earnest in our desire to know what is best for our family, the Lord will guide us.  This same principle applies to our Church callings – we are entitled to inspiration for that calling and should seek and follow that inspiration when it is received.  As long as the promptings we have are consistent with the Gospel Plan and with the teachings of the Church, we can move forward with confidence, knowing that we are entitled to this direction from the Spirit.  We should not be spiritual cripples expecting to have others do our seeking and receiving our inspiration for us.

Perhaps I have shared some of these experiences before, but a couple are very current – so please indulge me.

Let me start with experiences of a recent vintage:

As is known to our family, one of the countries to which we are assigned as Humanitarian Missionaries is Haiti.  It is not a secret that, while we love the people there, and feel blessed to be able to be of service, Haiti is not a pleasant place to go.  As a matter of fact in a recent visit there Kay said, I believe this is my third least favorite place in the entire world to be.  On occasions she has even moved Haiti to number two.  In August of 2014, we had just completed a rather rigorous visit to Haiti and had told everyone we did not feel we would return until late spring of 2015.  However, we (maybe, really “I”) started getting some strong feelings that we needed to go back soon to do some planning for 2015 and to give some guidance to the two men with whom we work in that country.  In addition I felt we should evaluate how part of the Family Food Production Program was being administered (in particular the Training for the families that were participating in the member welfare projects).  It was just a “feeling” at first.  Knowing it was not a favorite thing for Kay (and even me) to do, I pushed the “feelings” aside.  The “feelings” became “nudgings” and the “nudgings” eventually became strong “impressions” to the point that it became clear the Spirit was giving us direction and could not be denied.  With Kay’s blessing we requested that we go back to Haiti to conduct a education and planning session with the two men we work with there, and to sit in on a Training being conducted in one of the Wards with Participating Families in a Chicken Project.  Permission was granted and we were back in Haiti within two months.

To indicate my weakness: I had some fear and trepidation about going back. I was not sure how the two men would accept the training (which was also going to be a planning session for 2015 for Haiti), and we only had suspicions that there were problems with the Training of the Participating Families.  Lack of faith?  Maybe.  But it motivated us to be very well prepared.

Just a word of explanation:  We have learned that the leaders around the world have little trouble finding “experts” to train people on how to raise chickens or other small animals.  What we have discovered is that knowing how to market the chickens or animals after they are raised is harder to teach, and that there are not as many “experts” available.  Things like budgeting, personal finance, and pricing as well as marketing become as big a challenge as raising the animals. 

We have some very successful projects in Haiti.  There have been problems, to be sure, but the successes are much greater than anticipated.  Much of the success is due to the fact that the local leaders are in charge and accept their stewardship earnestly.  In the approval process for each project, we require that the local leaders submit a resume of the person who they have selected to teach the various elements of the program including who is going to teach the “finance and marketing” course.  So we have done all we could to cover this matter, but it was about this type of training that we received the hardest “nudges” by the spirit.

On our visit to Haiti we allocated a full day to audit the Marketing and Finance Training for the Croix Des Bouquet 2^nd Ward.  As you can imagine this is a course that could and should take about four hours and maybe that many hours in a couple of sessions.

I will not go into all of the gory details, but when we arrived at the building where Training was going to be held, all of the Participating Families were there, but the Trainer was not.  He arrived over an hour late.  As it turned out the trainer was not the person whose resume we had been given and approved. He was, however, the man of the household of one of Participating Families in another Ward.  Well, the training lasted for about an hour and was a disaster!  The brother was not prepared, did not stick to the subject and presented some incorrect information.  He gave no guidance on the important points that were intended.

Bingo!  Now we knew why we had received the inspiration (nudgings, impressions, etc.) to come to Haiti.  We dealt with the problem of that course, and with the translation help of one of the men we work with (a member of a Stake Presidency) we continued teaching  the class.  Obviously it was awkward because the brother who had come to train was in the room.  But we were able to make him feel good and finish as best we could.

Here is the rest of this story:  Because of this experience, the eyes of the local men we work with were opened (not sure why they did not understand the problem before our “nudgings” since at least one of them had sat in on Trainings before).  We were able to discuss the problem and possible solutions.  There were two obvious solutions:  First, if there was going to be a change in the Trainer, the new Trainer would have to be credentialed and approved.  Second, it would be necessary to have a course outline to provide to the trainers so that the salient points would be covered and could later be referred to by the Participating Families.  In addition some tools needed to be provided to the Trainers.

So that night Kay and I went back to the hotel, and I began to type a course outline. This was a key example of inspiration flowing.  I had prayerfully asked for help – and it came in torrents.  I began to type and the outline and the thoughts poured into my mind.  Within about three hours the Couse outline was completed and ready for review.  As we met with our associates the next day we scrutinized the outline and made a few corrections and adjustments, but the Curriculum for course that was prepared in one brief sitting was now ready for any instructor to use.  Later a couple of tools were added, but the basic outline remains intact.  There was no way that I could have written that Course Program by myself.  True, we had learned a lot over the years and we knew what many of the problems were, but organizing the thoughts and ideas for presentation would have taken days – even weeks to accomplish.

This was real testimony of how the Lord guides us.  In this instance as in most others, the Lord expected me to be prepared.  Over the past four or five years we have gained experience and have learned through our mistakes and successes.  We have come to be able to pinpoint areas of weakness and concern, and we have tuned our minds to spot problems.  So we have been prepared.  The Lord chose to use the promptings (which are a form of inspiration) to get us back to Haiti to address the problems and then the Lord opened my mind when the time came to produce the Training Document – which was direct inspiration.  Kay sat there as the document was being produced and had the same witness that I did – the hand of the Lord was directing the action that was taking place.

Now, you say, this is certainly an insignificant matter.  This is true.  This is also a testimony of the fact that regardless of what our calling might be, if we are serving the Lord and our fellow man, it is important to the Lord, and we can expect his direction if we seek it and if we are prepared.

When we receive spiritual promptings, if we do not act upon them, I am convinced that we will be held accountable for our inaction.  It is important to live so we can be guided by the Holy Ghost, and it is important to act upon the direction we are given by the Holy Ghost.

I am sure that all of you have had similar experiences.  I know that at times, when I have been working on a talk it seems that I have a mental barrier.  Then as I am contemplating and pondering and praying, thoughts come to my mind and I write on the paper almost as fast as my hands can go.  I remember the talk I gave on Gratitude so many years ago was written in a most unlikely place.  I knew that we had a “Night With The Stake Presidency” coming up, and I could not figure out what to talk about. This was a special event and required a message that would bless the lives of the members of the Willow Creek Stake.

I was on a business trip in a Motel in Kansas City – I can remember the experience like it was yesterday, and it was 30 years ago or more.  A thought came to my mind – pretty much out of nowhere, and I began to write the talk.  Inspiration?  It could not have been anything else.  The thoughts were certainly not in my mind just a minute before.  And that talk has been used for these thirty years or more on several occasions.  It sort of became a hallmark of my tenure in the Stake Presidency.  It was not of my doing – it was the Lord guiding me and using me to provide a message that he wanted delivered.

I remember when I was called as Bishop the first time.  We had a small group – with very few priesthood holders. And some of the priesthood holders we had were less than active and most were new in the Church.   I knew immediately who my first counselor should be – it was an obvious and clear decision.  However, I struggled and struggled with the second counselor.  After about a week, the time for the meeting where we would be sustained was drawing close, and I still did not have an answer.  I had visited several families on trumped up reasons to get better acquainted and had done all I knew to do to receive guidance – including fasting.  As I knelt by my bed petitioning the Lord a couple of nights prior to the meeting, all of a sudden a name came to me.  It was literally like a neon light with the name of the person who I should call. The name was not one that I had even considered.  As I finished my prayer, I had total assurance that my petition had been answered, and I knew who to call.  It turned out to be the right decision – because it came from the Lord.  That was about as dramatic a revelation as I have ever had.

There are a score or more experiences I have had where inspiration led and guided me.  I will not enumerate any more specific experiences here. 

There is one other area of inspiration which has impacted the life of our family which should be mentioned.  That is the inspiration we have received as we have made decisions where to live as a family.  Just a few comments about this:

The first instance which I would like to mention is the inspiration that James and Grace Cullimore, my parents, had to remain in Oklahoma City.  The same could be said for Morris and Juanita Haness, Kay’s parents.  Because of these two couples making the determination to live where they lived, Kelvyn and Kay met and became a family.  The story of Grace and Jim staying on Oklahoma City is legend – but there were circumstances regarding the move of Morris and Juanita that are also interesting.

I am personally convinced that our move as a family to Miami, Oklahoma (of all places) was inspired.  I think it had very little to do with the business reasons which motivated us to make the move - I am now convinced that the Lord needed some strength for the Church in this area and we were chosen.  There are many evidences of the hand of the Lord in the move – both for our own family and the many other individuals who were impacted. There is no way we could have known what was needed in Miami and also in the Oklahoma Mission where I served for two years.

The same could be said for our move to Branson, Missouri.  Just as in Miami, the business factors did not turn out as we had planned, but the impact on the Church in the area was significant.  Not that we were so great, but we became instruments in the hand of the Lord in teaching, training, and serving.  We were given inspiration and direction that made a difference.  The only credit we can take is that we listened to the Lord and tried to do His bidding.

If there is one thing that Kay and I have tried to incorporate into our lives it is, “I will go where you want me to go dear Lord, and I will do (at least try) what you want me to do.”

We feel it is inspiration that has lead us to “paths that we may not know.”  As mentioned above, these paths began when both James and Grace Cullimore and Morris and Juanita Haness were led to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  Then the paths took Kelvyn and Kay Cullimore first to Miami, Oklahoma then to Salt Lake City then to Branson, Missouri.  But that was just the beginning.  We could have never imagined that the Lord would ask us to go to Myanmar and then to 30 other countries in the world in His service.   

Just one thought about the inspiration of the Lord in directing our lives:  How could we deny inspiration in our move to Salt Lake City.  We had prayed fervently about where to move when it became clear that Miami, Oklahoma could not be our long-term location.  When we determined to move to Salt Lake City, we were confronted with a major determination as to where we should purchase or build a home.  We were seriously considering the Farmington area, but were having difficulty in making a decision. 

My father had just been filled a conference assignment to the Willow Creek Stake in the Sandy area of Salt Lake City.  He suggested we look there.  The timing of his visit, his impression with the area, and the subsequent events that led to our building a home in Willow Creek have all proven to be far more than a coincidence.  I am convinced it what the inspiration of our Father in Heaven that directed us to make our home in Willow Creek.  The future spouses of Kelvyn, Kirk and Kathi all lived in the same ward that we moved into in Willow Creek.  Kim was introduced to Mitch by a member of the ward we lived in.  How could we possibly deny the power of inspiration and the direction of the Lord in our lives? The destiny of our family was determined by that move!  We thank the Lord for His guidance and inspiration.

The stories are too numerous to iterate in this document, but I can bear record that the Lord has guided our lives through inspiration – mine individually and our family, each and every one.

I am grateful for the Lord’s direction in my life.  I know that God lives and I have a personal witness that He cares for us and will direct us if we allow him to do so.

The Holy Ghost is real and has been a power in my life.  I acknowledge that I have been blessed far beyond my worthiness.  For this I am most grateful.

Kelvyn H. Cullimore

February 2015

Aunt Wanda

Here is a photo which we took with aunt Wanda yesterday.  Wanda is 97 years old making her the oldest living relative on the Gardner or Cullimore Side.  Wanda is the youngest child of Albert and Luella Cullimore and the youngest sister of Grandpa Jim.

Wanda is weak physically but very sharp mentally.  She has the Cullimore sense of humor.  She is a fountain of knowledge about the Cullimore Family.

It was good to spend an hour with her.