Dear Elder and Sister Scott,
I trust that you have had a good week. If any of our missionaries have had a trying week (similar, I guess to the "bad hair day" for women), just think that Heavenly Father loves you enough to throw a few trials in your path. I recall the saying from Pres. N. Eldon Tanner that he learned more from the "brick bats" thrown at him than from the calm, peaceful days. When the trying season seems to linger longer than usual, pray for patience in endurance, yes, pray that you may see the intended lesson and profit from it.
The Father's Day season brought me a couple of books by members of the First Presidency. The first day I opened one and began to read, a thrilling, warm feeling enveloped me--much like reading special sections of the scriptures. I decided to share with you one incident that carries a walloping message from several angles.
This story involves a convert by the name of Stephen Borup. This young man was a deeply spiritual person right from the time of his baptism as a youth. He knew that in order to enjoy the promptings of the Spirit, he had to live worthy of that blessing each day of his life. And one day his dedication saved his life!
During the second world war Brother Borup was assigned as an engineer-gunner on a B-24 bomber in the South Pacific. One day his crew heard the announcement that the longest bombing flight ever made would attempt to wipe out an oil refinery. Brother Borup, then serving as president of an LDS group, received the prompting that he would be assigned to that mission, but he would return.
The mission over Borneo encountered fierce resistance. Their B-24 was hit by enemy fire, exploding into flames at once. Their crew was ordered to evacuate the plane. Brother Borup was last to leave their plane. Landing in a body of water, he had trouble inflating his life raft. In fact, he went unconscious, but revived enough to inflate his raft just enough so he could roll into it, a totally exhausted man (saved for a purpose).
For three days their crew floated about in their yellow rafts within enemy territory--ships and aircraft clearly visible (saved for a purpose).
Then a terrible storm raged for three days. Thirty-foot high waves tossed them about and almost tore their rafts apart. Still without food or water, the men's situation was serious. The other men asked Brother Borup if he prayed. He replied that he did pray, and they would be rescued. That evening they saw a submarine that had been sent to rescue them, but it did not see the men. The next morning the same thing happened. Brother Borup later related that they knew this would be the last time that the submarine would be in the area.
Then the promptings of the Holy Ghost gave Brother Borup a distinct prompting: "Command the sub to pick you up."
Silently he prayed, "In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the priesthood, turn about and pick us up." That simple.
In a few minutes the sub was alongside the men and brought them aboard. The captain said some words like "I don't know how we ever found you, because we were not even looking for you. Brother Borup knew why and how it had happened.
Now I am going to ask you to re-read this story and mentally or on paper list the ideas that have special significance for us all. Think of the promises that have been made to you personally, and ask, "Am I prepared?" May the Lord help us to realize that we don't have to be in foreign waters to face life-threatening experiences. However, if we are prepared as was Bro. Borup, we need not fear--any time, anywhere.
God bless you, "Grandpa" Taylor
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