Description

I Am Dry

The Lord loves and is aware of the missionaries who have been called to preach His gospel. He has promised “…I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

In the Central States Mission, in 1926, Elder John Johansen and his missionary companion, Elder Alma Redding, saw the hand of the Lord protect them. In the late afternoon as they were tracting in rural Isanti County, Minnesota, a thunderstorm threatened the area.

The elders went to the first house, where a man refused to listen to them or allow them any shelter from the storm. At a second house, the owners were busily rushing through their chores and sharply answered the elders, refusing them any shelter from the storm. Continuing the long walk through the field to the third home, the elders received the same rejection.

As the wind blew and the rain came down in torrents, their pathway down the road was lit by bolts of lightning. They shouldered their bags and continued down the road, unprepared and unprotected. Seemingly abandoned and alone, the elders knelt on the side of the road and petitioned the Lord for help.

Elder Redding later wrote of this night in a letter to John. He said,

“Is there a God? Yes. Does He hear and answer prayers? Yes. Will He watch and protect His servants while they are proclaiming His gospel message to the inhabitants of the earth? Yes. Were we unprotected that night? NO! It was a most remarkable experience as we arose, took our country bags, and walked down the road in the midst of the storm, with water dripping from our cases and falling on all sides of us. You uttered, ‘Elder Redding, I’m dry.’ Then upon looking myself over, I exclaimed, ‘So am I.’ I was in tears as I uttered those words. No greater happiness can come to a man than to reach up in the heavens and have God grasp his hand and witness to him that his mission is accepted.”

Story written by Jean Tonioli