Friday President Layton asked James to pick up Reed Markham from the airport about noon. He is the father of Elder Markham, one of our missionaries. Elder John Markham is from Florida and has been out on his mission about fourteen months. A week ago Saturday he had a bad mental breakdown and was hospitalized. His mother came to be with him right away, but later in the week she had a breakdown. So the dad came to fly home with them. By the time James got Reed to the hotel to see his wife she was really in bad shape, and they had to call the ambulance. Luckily, some of her sisters (she is from a family of 9 girls and 3 boys) from Los Angeles were there with her. She was admitted to the hospital. James and Reed went to the hospital where John was and had a conference with the doctors before he was released. They said he is probably bi-polar and something triggered this first incident. They came to pick me up and we went to eat dinner at In-N-Out, which was John's request. They didn't want John to know that his mother was in the hospital because they thought it might upset him. Well, Elder Markham was released from his mission on Saturday, the mom was released from the hospital today, and tomorrow they are flying home. This whole experience has been a real trial for the family. Hopefully, everyone will be able to get better.
We should all be grateful for the gospel and the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, which make it possible to have an eternal perspective and manage these kind of unexpected situations that come up in everyone's lives.
I saw President Layton in the office Friday afternoon and he told me how much he loved and appreciated Elder Porras especially today to help out with this situation. Elder Porras loves helping people and solving problems, so this was right down his alley and he loved being able to serve. James told me that several times during the day he prayed for help that he would know what to do and the Lord helped him every step of the way! (President Layton often greets James by calling him "my friend".)
Saturday we attended two baptisms; one at 1:00 and the other at 2:30. We have attended a lot of baptisms since we have been here. They all follow the same basic program and perform the same ordinances, but each baptism is unique. The 1:00 baptism was for Cody Jans, a twenty year old single mother of a little boy about 1 1/2 or 2 years old. Her nonmember father and sister were there supporting her. She is dating a guy in a wheelchair and it was his family who had her in their home for the missionaries to teach her. His brother gave the talk on baptism and his dad baptized her and gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. He told a personal experience that happened about six years ago. His sons said they were going to go to the beach. He had a feeling they shouldn't go and told them, but he figured they were adults and he couldn't do much about it. He didn't give details about what happened, but something terrible did happen that put the one son in a wheelchair. For a long time he felt like it was his fault that he didn't stop them. However, he said the Holy Ghost has been there to comfort him.
The 2:00 baptism was for Christina Torrez, another single twenty year old mother of two children. Christina is living with another single mother who was just baptized about a year ago. That woman and her daughter gave the talks. They read their talks, but the spirit was strong. The daughter gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and wrote it in the form of a letter which she gave to Christina at the end. That was really nice and a good idea. She said a few months ago she was really depressed, having problems, and feeling like there was no reason to live. She felt the Holy Ghost giving her comfort and that saved her.
This weekend was our stake conference. Elder Ruben Acosta, an area seventy, and his wife were here. He came from Mexico when he was twelve and joined the church when he was eighteen. That was about thirty years ago. He had a real down to earth way of talking and teaching. He talked a lot about the "rising generation" in Mosiah 26:1-4 and what went wrong and the "rising generation" of our day. He says we must teach our children early about faith and repentance and make sure they know we have a testimony of Christ.
Our Bakersfield grandchildren, Jayline and Grace, played their violin and cello for the prelude and then they played "How Great Thou Art" for a special musical number along with our bishop's daughter who played the piano and the girls' teacher who also played her cello. It was just beautiful and amazing!
We shook Elder Acosta's hand after the meeting and got to visit with him and introduce Jayline and Grace to him and his wife.
Sunday morning at 8:30 there was a special meeting for the Latinos with Elder Acosta. It was held in the Relief Society room. Elder Acosta talked to them about basic things and really emphasized the importance of sending their children on missions and to college. James was asked to say the closing prayer in that meeting. Then we sat on the front row for the regular stake conference meeting at l0:00. The ushers had saved the front middle section for the Latinos. Elder Acosta talked about President Monson and his lifetime of setting the example of "rescuing the one". He said we can be instruments in the hand of God through finding and serving. Elder Acosta encouraged us to spend our time serving and building the kingdom of God. He said by doing that we are building our mansion in heaven and our righteousness will bless our generations to follow. D&C 98:30
In downtown Bakersfield the distinctive Woolworth's signage still adorns this 1939 Art Moderne building. It is now an antique mall, but still has the Woolworth's luncheonette inside.
THE LORD LOVES YOU AND SO DO WE!
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