Wikipedia defines Serendipity as "the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely.”  Whatever you call it, I see it as the hand of God showing itself in my life. Whenever they occur I am awed by the connectedness of all things and grateful for the knowledge that God loves me and cares enough to be involved in my life.  In their presence I get a sense of the miraculous nature of life.  I feel humbled and joy fills my heart.  I am convinced that life is full of miracles, if we would just open our hearts to receive them and our eyes to recognize them.  As we do so, we will notice that they occur more frequently.  They begin to enrich our experience of life so that we anticipate them and welcome them into our lives.

This event falls into the category of confessing the “hand of God” in all things.  I have changed the names of the individuals involved to protect their privacy. It happened several months after the San Pedro Ward moved into its current home in the Redland Oaks building in San Antonio, TX in 2003.  The building was built immediately across the street from a middle school and so the construction had drawn the curious stares of students, teachers and parents dropping off kids from the moment the brush was cleared to prepare the site.

Our bishop at the time was very missionary-minded.  He saw the new building and the curiosity surrounding it as an opportunity to create some good will and give out information about the church.  So, he set a date for an open house at the church a few months out and had thousands of invitations printed.

I was the ward Young Men’s President at the time.  We set aside 2 Mutual nights before the open house to take the kids around the surrounding neighborhoods putting invitations in people’s doors.  However, the bishop wasn’t satisfied with the impersonal delivery of invitations.  He wanted the priesthood to go out and make personal contact.  He planned an all-out blitz for the Saturday before the open house where the ward priesthood holders, in conjunction with the Mission Office elders, would meet at the chapel (at 8:30 am), pair up, knock on doors (starting at 9 am….Saturday morning) meet people and invite them to the open house.  Saying I wasn’t convinced that this was such a good idea is a huge understatement.   I knew I wouldn’t be that happy to entertain strangers at the door at 9am Saturday morning and I couldn’t imagine anyone else would either.  I really didn’t want to be that stranger at the door, but, wanting to be a good example to the young men and support the bishop, I committed to go.

As I woke up that Saturday morning, I really didn’t want to go.  It was raining, yes raining.  I was grumpy and totally did NOT want to go out knocking on doors.  I told myself there was no way I was going to go tromping around in the rain at 9 am on a Saturday, bothering people in their homes.  I reluctantly decided that I would get dressed in my suit and show up at the chapel, just to keep my commitment, but if it was still raining, I would make some excuse and go home.

When I got to the chapel there were no cars, so I thought maybe it had (thankfully) been called off due to rain.  However, within a few minutes other cars started to arrive, including a van full of office elders.  To make matters worse, as the elders arrived it stopped raining completely, the sun came out and it promised to be a beautiful morning.  One of the brothers had cut up a neighborhood map into assignment areas and was passing them out to the pairs of priesthood holders.  I waited until all the brethren were paired up and had their assignments.  At the last minute another pair of office elders came through the door into the foyer.  I pointed to one of them and said “OK, You’re with me”.  The brother with the maps held them out to me like a magician doing a card trick, saying “Pick one”.  So, I looked at the 5 or 6 maps that he was holding out and picked one.  “What’s your name?”, I asked the office elder.  “Elder Jensen” was the answer.  With that Elder Jensen and I got in my car and we drove to our assigned area. 

Our area assignment included a large cul-de-sac of about 12 homes, so I decided we would start there.  All of my worst fears about being rejected for knocking on people’s doors at 9 am on a Saturday were realized.  People came to the door in pajamas and said they weren’t interested.  Some slammed the door in our faces.  One ex-policeman questioned our motives saying he thought we might be terrorists and said he would be keeping his eye on us.  One by one we worked our way around the cul-de-sac, not having much success.

We were almost to the last house in the cul-de-sac and it was my door.  So I rang the bell and a pleasant woman answered the door.  I explained that we were from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and we wanted to invite her to an open house at our new chapel. 

She said, “Yes, I know.  I am a member of the ward.” 

Of course I was embarrassed because I had been in the ward for 14 years and hadn’t recognized her.  She said, “I am Sister Smith” as I introduced myself. 

She then said something that completely shocked both of us.  She looked over at Elder Jensen, pointed at him and said, “And, I am your aunt”. 

“What?” we both said in disbelief. 

It turns out that Sister Smith was indeed Elder Jensen’ aunt and that as a young child Elder Jensen had even come to the Smith home and played with her children until the Smiths moved away.  They hadn’t seen each other in many years.  

Elder Jensen then said, “I knew I had an aunt in San Antonio somewhere, but I haven’t had time since my transfer to the office to find you.”

She asked, “Can you come in for a few minutes?” 

We assured her (like only a pair of oft-rejected missionaries could) that we would be happy to come in for a few minutes.  Many extended family members were there who remembered Elder Jensen. Warm welcomes were exchanged and fond memories recalled.  But not all was well at the Smith home that day.  We saw that Brother Smith was lying in a hospital-style bed that had been brought out into the family room so he could be with the rest of the family during his final days.  He was dying of cancer and had left the hospital to spend his last days at home. 

Sister Smith then said, “My husband is dying of cancer.  All my sons who live in the area are on their way here right now to give their father a final priesthood blessing.  They will be here within 15 minutes.  It would mean a lot to Brother Smith and myself if you, Elder Jensen, could join them in giving him his final blessing.” 

“Of course we’ll stay”, I said, stunned.  We both sat down on the couch.

As I contemplated the sequence of events that had to occur to get Elder Jensen to this house, on this day, at this time in order to participate in this final priesthood ordinance for Brother Smith, I was awestruck and tears began to roll down my cheeks.  In a moment I understood the great miracle that was happening.

I held out my hand to Sister Smith and said, “I want you to know that the Lord truly loves you.  He knows what you are going through and has revealed that by bringing Elder Jensen to your door today.”

With tears in her eyes, she simply replied, “I know.”

As the Smith brothers arrived they greeted Elder Jensen with surprise and delight.  As the oldest son stood and placed his hands on his dying father’s head, Brother Smith, unable to speak, reached up and patted his son’s hand, letting him know that he was aware of his boys’ presence and communicating his love and gratitude.  These men, Elder Jensen included, laid their hands on their dying father and uncle and gave him a final priesthood blessing. 

I sat and observed, my eyes full of grateful tears for being able to be a part of this wonderful event in the lives of this family, more certain than ever of the watchful care of a loving Heavenly Father.  Certain that “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt 10:29)  Certain that He knows of our pain.  Certain that He cares about family ties, both on earth and in eternity.  Certain that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring unspeakable joy into the heart of a father, even on his deathbed, as his righteous sons exercise their priesthood “after the order of the Son of God” on his behalf one last time.

Brother Smith died five days later.  The Lord had placed Elder Jensen in the right city, in the right house, on the right day, within 15 minutes of the right time to participate in this sacred family ordinance.  So, you see, if the bishop hadn’t planned this last outreach, if I had succumbed to my laziness or fear and stayed at home in bed, if Elder Jensen hadn’t walked into the foyer late like he did instead of with the other office elders, if I hadn’t picked the right map from the brother’s hands, if we hadn’t decided to start with the cul-de-sac….so many ifs…this great demonstration of God’s love might not have happened.

How long ago did God know Elder Jensen would be needed at that house in San Antonio on that Saturday at 10 am?  Was his Mission President inspired to transfer him from the field to the Mission Office when he did?  How did the bishop pick this date for the open house?  Was it a coincidence that the bishop’s parents were working in the Mission Office as a missionary couple and volunteered the office elders’ to help with their bishop son’s open house project?  Was I everlastingly glad that I decided to “do my duty” even though I didn’t feel like it at the time?

God lives and is involved with the lives of His children.  God loves us and often blesses us with “His tender mercies” in unimaginable ways.  God knows the end from the beginning.  We can trust that He will bless us as we try to live according to His great plan of happiness.

If anyone reading this has a similar story to share with the world, email it to me at bbaillio@gmail.com. I am trying to compile stories of how God blesses regular people in the course of their daily lives.  Thanks.

Tags: Miracles Faith Love God Happiness

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