When Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was ministering in Peru and Ecuador in August, he met with small groups of youth, young adults and married couples to ask questions and learn from them any questions or concerns that he could address during the larger devotionals to come.
During one of these small meetings in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Elder Bednar asked three young adults what questions they had for him.
Kevin Muguerza from the Urbanor Ward was quiet for a moment then asked, “Why here, why now?”
The answer was that his stake leaders were prompted to suggest his name as someone for the focus group. The Lord was aware of him and knew his concerns and his desires.
I asked Muguerza afterward more about the experience.
He responded, “Heavenly Father does things in an extraordinary way, because three days ago, I had asked Him something, and tonight I was answered in a very direct way.”
In another small focus group with three married couples in Huancayo, Peru, two parents were trying to calm their baby’s crying. Elder Bednar asked them not to worry about it or feel awkward, telling them, “This is the most beautiful sound there is.”
After their discussion, Elder Bednar leaned forward with a smile and some words just for the baby — who responded with a huge smile in return.
This little family had been ministered to in a unique and personal way. They were known, appreciated, loved and needed in the Church.
While I was there to document Elder Bednar’s ministry, I also had my own tender moment of feeling Heavenly Father’s love for me.
It came during a combined missionary meeting in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
For context, my son is serving as a full-time missionary in Bolivia. He had been on my mind during my whole assignment in South America as I was so close to his country. I also felt like I was experiencing similar challenges that he had when he arrived — homesickness and adjusting to the altitude, food and language, for example.
Being with hundreds of missionaries in meetings in Peru and Ecuador touched my mom heart. I wanted to tell all of the missionaries that they were known and loved and the subject of many prayers.
The largest such gathering was when around 700 missionaries from the Ecuador Guayaquil East, West, North and South missions were all in the same spot.
Their voices singing “Called To Serve” thrilled my soul. They were attentive during Elder Bednar’s training and quick to raise their hands when he asked them to share their thoughts or ask questions.
Afterward, I wanted to talk to a few of them for my article. I had begun that morning with a prayer to Heavenly Father that I would be blessed that day in my efforts and led to whom He would have me meet.
As I walked down a row, a sister missionary in a pink dress looked up and smiled at me. So I stopped and asked her if I could talk to her for the Church News about what she learned during the meeting and what she felt.
Her name is Sister Danna Barbeito, and she gave me a fabulous answer. Then I asked her where she is from. When she said Bolivia, I got excited. “Oh,” I said, “My son is serving a mission there.”
As we talked further, we found out he is serving in her home stake. Then she pulled up a picture of him on her phone.
“This Elder Richards?” she said.
I started to cry as I responded, “Yes, that is him, that is my son.”
We laughed and smiled and took a picture together, exclaiming over the odds that out of all the missionaries, I would be drawn to her and find this connection.
But even as I had that thought, I felt the answer: This was no coincidence, chance or even luck. This was a miracle. I knew at that moment that the Lord was aware of me.
In Mormon 9:15, Moroni said that “God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.” President Russell M. Nelson invited all to “seek and expect miracles” in his April 2022 general conference talk “The Power of Spiritual Momentum.”
“Jesus is the Christ. He lives,” President Nelson testified in that talk. “He loves us and will help us.”
One by one, God helped me, two young parents and a young adult all feel seen and loved.
— Mary Richards is a reporter for the Church News. She traveled on assignment to Peru and Ecuador from Aug. 22 to Sept. 2.
