Tender Mercies

Thomas was ready to leave the MTC on August 21st, his flight was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. After a rocky start at the airport  - well, the worst is that we missed the one phone call he was able to make until Christmas.  We didn't realize he was going to call, and both Tom and I were in business meetings.  After some miscommunication and frantic calling to an unattended pay phone, and after many, many tears and sadness - both from Thomas and from us, we realized we would not be able to talk to our missionary until Christmas.  And it's OK.  Well, now it is.  It has taken a few days to be OK with it.  Until Thursday, when I woke up to a Facebook message from an old friend.  

Katie Sommer, who grew up in our ward as a Beckstrand and babysat Thomas as a baby, messaged me to tell me she saw our missionary!!!!!!!  It was such a surprise!  When she learned he would be serving his mission in Idaho, she told us she would look out for him.  We never, in a thousand years, thought it would be on his first day in the mission field!!!  He was at Walmart with his companion and another pair of missionaries shopping for essentials.  She saw him, treated the Elders to lunch and took their photo.  She was such an angel.  I believe this was a tender mercy from God, and I will be forever grateful that she was in the right place at the right time.  It was a balm that was soothing to our hearts and sustaining until the next letter, until Christmas.

We also look forward to the day when another one of our friends, Collin Singleton, visits Thomas in Rexburg on September 9th!  Collin served his mission in our area, and we loved having him in our home.  We are grateful he is looking out for our missionary, along with the wonderful White family! 

Elder Fischetti with his companion, Elder Aiono and other Elders