Not a Coincidence.

At the beginning of Semptember we recieved a call from Grandpa and Grandma Villarreal. They were calling to share some very exciting news with us. They would be leaving by November 1st for Bogota Columbia to serve in the Temple for the next 3 years. Of course our first reaction was of shock, then of sadness and then of incredible joy for the blessings of this calling that was being extended to them. Grandma is from Peru, Grandpa served a mission in Peru, then they had the opportunity to live in Venezuela for a couple of years and then they served as Mission Presidents for 3 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina and now they were getting ready to leave for Columbia. How exciting that once again they would have an opportunity to be able to travel and live in another country serving the Lord and his people.

Already in my life, I have seen this be a blessing to someone else...how?

I was recently subbing at a High School and as always I write my name on the board, Mrs. Villarreal or Ms. V. I often get those students who ask me if I speak spanish, they usually ask, where are you from? They can't quite place me into a group or a stereotype so sometimes they will want to ask more questions. Well, on this particular day I noticed a hispanic boy in the back corner, eyeing up my name and then just before the end of class he came walking up and I kind of chuckled to myself thinking, "here it comes, Do you speak spanish? where are you from?" So he does, just this...asks the questions and then I lead into, " No I do not, but my husband was born and raised in Washington State, his mom is from Peru, they lived in Venezuela for a couple of years and then Argentina and actually, his parents are getting ready to move to Botota Columbia for the next 3 years." He tells me that he is from Hondorus and that he has only been here for a year. His english was really good, so I was a little confussed too. Then he asks me, "Is this for work? What do they do that they get to travel so much?" and then I think to myself, "uh oh." I haven't had that question before.... how do I answer this without crossing the lines of church and state? Yikes...so I say, "Well no, it's not for work, they are going on a mission." Then very boldly he asks, "What church?' Double yikes.... no one in 5 years has ever asked this.... is it okay for me to answer this? So just then the bell rings and I thought he would leave and move on...without me having to struggle with, am I crossing the line here? But, no...he was persistent and asked again, "So I, admit, I hesitantly say, "The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." of course I have a lurch in my stomach, thinking, oh man, maybe I shouldn't have said that...but thinking...he asked? Isn't there something, like if they ask, I am okay? I don't know? Then he gets very excited and says, "That is my church, I knew it. I knew it when you said that they had gone to all those places and that now it was for a mission."
He then explains to me that he has been trying to get a hold of someone from our church so that he could attend early morning seminary. He attends a Spanish Ward, downtown, but for traveling purposes, he wanted to attend seminary up here. I just about fell over, so I happened to be using one of Benjy's cards as a book mark that day, which again, wasn't usual, so I hand it to him and say, call him, he will get you to the right place. So that night Benjy's phone rings and his mother is on the other end asking for specifics. Benjy just happened to be teaching that class the next week. Which happens, once every couple of months.
Oh, the tender mercies and not so coincidental things that happen in our lives. Subbing at a High School with a couple thousand students in it, this boy just happened to be in the class I was subbing, he was the only student that asked questions that day, he is one of two students in the whole school that are members, my husband just happened to be subbing in that Seminary class that next week?
The thought that still crosses my mind is, "I am a very bold person, too bold, sometimes, but in this situation I was very timid about answering any questions about my religion in that setting and for good reason...." I taught full-time for 5 years, and in my own classroom, it never came out that I was a Mormon and I am guessing that it might not come out ever again, but on this day, I have a feeling that the Lord had a purpose.