Familiar Melody

A few weeks ago, Monic and I enjoyed a wonderful evening of music and dance with BYU Living Legends in Brussels.
Living Legends presents a vibrant spectacle of energy, music, costume, and dance that celebrates the cultural heritage of North and South America and the South Pacific.
As I was listening to the music that evening, there was one song that had a very familiar haunting melody.

The Words…

I listened intently to the peaceful, uplifting music and words…
“Go, my son, go and climb the ladder.
Go, my son, go and earn your feather.
Go, my son, make your people proud of you.
Work, my son, get an education.
Climb, my son. Go and take a lofty view.
From on the ladder of an education,
You can see to help your Indian Nation,
And reach, my son. Lift your people up with you.”
It had a calming, soothing influence on all of us gathered in the auditorium.
The words flowed with a warm feeling and enlightened my mind, as I considered all of our missionary sons and daughters who had gone, climbed and lifted so many others.
Yet, there was more.
From somewhere long ago, I had experienced this feeling of musical joy before.
I recalled the song from a touring BYU group entitled “Ancient America Speaks”.

Back Home…

Now back home, and tidying out my office this week, lo and behold, what did I discover in a box of paperwork, but the original flyer for the production of the show in January 1976!
I recall many members of our local congregation sang in the supporting choir.
A moment of pure serendipity for sure.
Similarly, my experience these last few years has helped me understand that when missionaries teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to someone who is sincere in their desire to learn more about Him, its as if a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 begins to ring in their ears.
These moments of whispered inspiration are as if you are learning familiar things.
I know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ echoes a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 to all those who will take time to stop and listen.
How does the gospel feel like a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 for you?

Return to Edinburgh

The phrase “a return to Edinburgh please” is one I have used all my life.
I noticed a few changes at the train station, Dunfermline Town, was now Dunfermline City.
The fare was surprisingly cheap, £8.20!
It seems the government subsidises travel until September. Every day is a “cheap day return.”

The Royal Mile

Arriving in Edinburgh yesterday, it was very busy, especially on the Royal Mile.
I learned that King Charles and Queen Camilla were at St. Giles Cathedral for the Order of the Thistle Service.
I headed down to the BBC Studios for a Radio interview.
On returning home, I was asked to represent the church at a discussion series for BBC Radio 4, Beyond Belief, to discuss the place and nature of faith in today’s world.

Evangelism

The question to be explored in the programme was about evangelism today.
𝑬𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒎 – “the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.”
What does it mean to different people/ traditions/ groups of people of faith?
What is the task for those still committed to spreading the good news face to face, or how has the task changed?
Is it a religious obligation?
What are the techniques favoured in 2024, do they work and what are the practical, moral and spiritual issues they raise?
After presiding over the Belgium Netherlands Mission with Monic for the last 3 years, I’m certainly familiar with “evangelism” or in more familiar lingo, missionary work and preaching the gospel.
Other panel guests located in different UK studios, included a Church of England (Anglican) Minister, a lecturer in Islamic studies and chaired by a journalist/broadcaster who was also an Anglican Vicar.
It was a fascinating discussion.
I very much enjoyed it.
Although, I think I was a little rusty and out of practice and I may have dropped a clanger or two!
To hear more, you’ll have to tune into next week’s “Beyond Belief” episode!
Afterwards, I headed back up the Royal Mile to meet with my good Belgian buddy, David Geens.
We’d worked side by side in Public Affairs/Communications in Europe for many years.
Although we’d met a few times over the last three years whilst in Belgium and the Netherlands, the demands of mission life were such, that we’d never been able to really catch up.
Slowing down to have lunch together, was a real joy.
Another joyful reunion and a wonderful return to Edinburgh!

Fleeting Visit

Yesterday, I had the briefest of opportunities to meet up with one of our returned missionaries Libby Wilcox, whilst she was visiting in Scotland for a couple of days with her mum and sisters.
It was the first of what I’m sure will be many visits from our missionaries who we served with in Belgium and the Netherlands.
We kept our visit simple. We only had 2 hours!
It was great fun to reminisce.
Visiting the Wallace Monument in Stirling and chatting over lunch, was special.

Life

We shared a few life updates.
Sharing feelings about our stories together was memorable.
But just being able to be close and hold tightly to those who matter most, was best of all.
Life is one of those precious fleeting gifts, and everything can change in a heartbeat.
It really helps to slow things down.
Simplify things.
Enjoy the moment.
Take one step, one piece, one chunk, one bite at a time.
And remember, loving one another is so supremely important.
“𝑭𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈” – something that happens really fast, or something that doesn’t last as long as you’d like.
Hans Christian Andersen, a great story writer, said this: “Time is so fleeting that if we do not remember God in our youth, age may find us incapable of thinking of him.”
And in the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Alma said: “… learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. ” Alma: 37:35.
Working with 300+ youthful (18 – 26 year old) missionaries has taught me that we have to be present and always enjoy the moments we have together, as life is fleeting.
In hindsight, I can so relate to Jacob 7:26 “…the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream…”
Jacob describes the fleeting moments and hours of our life so well.
Moments simply blend into hours, hours into days, days into years, years into decades.
Being with Libby yesterday, was real, I know it wasn’t a dream.
How can you slow down those fleeting moments today?

Joyful Reunions

Time insisted that we finally move on.
Arriving home on Friday, we laughed, hugged and shared one or two tears at Edinburgh airport with our children.
Cherished moments never to be forgotten.
Life has taught us that you can’t hug family and friends over the internet.
Heading to the car park, we bumped into the outgoing mission leaders in the Scotland/Ireland Mission, James and Andrea McCrudden, who commenced their service at the same time as us in June of 2021.
Then another fortunate coincidence, as a dear consulting friend, just back from an assignment in India, walked up to me… “Daryl! – that can’t be three years!”, “Gordon! – it certainly was!” I replied.

Heavenly

All of these special moments were heavenly.
It was a day of celebration of shared experiences and the rekindling of our family bond and connection.
And no reunion is complete without a hearty spread of food (haggis nacho’s) and the resonance of genuine laughter together.
Heavenly reunions are filled with love and deep appreciation for family and friends.
Catching up with mum was fun!
The key ingredient of happiness is family.

Reunions

After so many tearful farewells over the last three years, I long for many more of these happy reunions in the years ahead.
Our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy.
Coming to understand our Heavenly Father’s “great plan of happiness” – Alma 42:8, you will find many of life’s questions are answered in the gospel of Christ.
The Apostle John said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” – John 3:17.
Life is a journey woven with threads of connections, some fleeting and others enduring.
I am thrilled that over these last three years we have woven many remarkable connections that will endure forever, weaving our past, present, and future into a tapestry of lasting happiness.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.”
I know that as we seek to be happy in life, we should remember that the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday Mornings…

Tuesday mornings aren’t going to be quite the same anymore!
For the last 3 years, Jurgen, Chris and I would spend an hour online together as a Mission Presidency, counselling about all of the important matters of running the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Counsellors

Whilst the missionaries were starting their Preparation Day (P-Day) we’d be counselling together to address the salient challenges of the week.
And there was always lots to talk about.
Although we met weekly, I think hardly one day has passed by that I haven’t spoken with either Jurgen or Chris.
The wise writer of Proverbs tells us that “in … counsellors there is safety.” (Prov. 11:14.)
Counselling together with one another was a constant.
We’d counsel together in order to reach a united conclusion, to help us know the direction we intended to pursue was in harmony with the Lord’s will.

Volunteers

The three of us never sought out these assignments, we were simply asked by a church leader to serve, giving many hours voluntarily every week.
It’s been a labour of love for all of us.
Over the last 3 years we have developed a strong bond of friendship too.
On Sunday evening, I took a trip up to Zwolle, with the Assistants, to spend some final moments with Jurgen, Analía, and Christel.
I took some time to release Jurgen from his responsibilities in the Mission Presidency and we enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce for a while too.
One of our sweetest memories was when we set up an experimental “Social Media District” for a few months. Lots of lessons were learned together as Jurgen, Analia and Christel spent many long hours working with many missionaries in the office together in Gouda.
For several months, Christel was travelling almost daily between Zwolle and Gouda, as we built some momentum in our social media efforts.
Days never to be forgotten, for sure!
Helen Keller said “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.”
As I recall the sweet memories made with my dear friends, I know that it is all about what we have all felt in our hearts together.
Thank you for all the memories.
Until we meet again dear friends.

It’s in their hands…

Over the last three years, I have penned many Sunday morning thoughts, sharing everyday parallels to gospel truths.
This will be my last in the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
It has been a labour of love and joy.
Each weekend, as I consider the days gone by, some insight or reflective thought always comes.

New Leaders

Our new friends, Marius Natanya Von Mollendorff, will arrive on Wednesday.
By Friday, they’ll be leading the mission, and we will be on a plane back home to Scotland.
Thinking about the future of the Belgium Netherlands Mission, I couldn’t get the phrase “𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔” from my mind, as Monic and I depart the scene.

Safe Hands

Indeed, the mission is in a very safe pair of many hands, all trustworthy and reliable.
It reminded me of a quote from President Thomas S. Monson who said “We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”
When I think of our missionaries, I often think of them stretching out their hands to lift, comfort, bless, love, serve, and minister to the one, by offering hope and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Daily they try to emulate the great example of Jesus Christ.
They are called by a Prophet of God, to represent Him and to serve.
To serve, just as Jesus Christ served.
As a result of the Saviour stretching out His hands to touch others, they became stronger and better.
Similarly, “…as we emulate His perfect example our hands can become His hands” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

It has been my experience these last 3 years, that as we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful always happens.

Whilst on the Lord’s errand, I am a witness to the fact, that as missionaries combine their efforts with others, oftentimes impossible tasks are accomplished in miraculous ways.
The result – over and over again, many people become much stronger and happier as the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes into their lives.
I hope and pray that our hearts and hands just like the missionaries, can be stretched out in love and compassion towards many others.
Like the missionaries you too can become His hands.
For the moment, He asks us to be His hands, by “doing good” – Acts 10:38
What good can you do today?

Goodbyes aren’t easy…

As the curtain comes down on our time here in Belgium and the Netherlands, we have become accustomed to departing meetings and fond farewells.
These last few weeks we have shared many tender-hearted goodbye moments.
One of the sweetest was saying farewell to Chris Kleijweg and releasing him too, from his responsibility in the Mission Presidency, whilst in Gouda on Monday.
We have been acquainted with one another for nearly 20 years through various church responsibilities and assignments in Europe together.
Over these last three years working alongside one another so closely and counselling with each another on many occasions, teaching, travelling and meeting together has been a real joy.
Chris’s knowledge of everything in the Netherlands along with his persistence, wisdom and love have been boundless in the hastening pursuit of the work of salvation and exaltation.
Our friendship will last long after these moments of service together, so says Richard Bach; “A farewell is necessary before we can meet again, and meeting again, after moments or a lifetime, is certain for those who are friends.”
I will miss our frequent and regular associations together.
“The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again” – says Charles Dickens.
Until me meet again dear friend.

Surprise!

Monic and I visited church in Almere yesterday for Father’s Day.
We enjoyed our visit and had a chance to share some thoughts about our dads too.
We also had two really nice surprises.
Firstly, Elders Fisher and Kogan presented us with a picture of Jesus Christ that was signed by all of the missionaries.
Secondly, we were reunited with Steve, the Dutch bagpiper (Kiltshop) who played at our wedding in Harmelen on July 11th, 1994!
What a joy it was to catch up and to be treated to some special musical numbers including “Flower of Scotland”, “Highland Cathedral” and many more.
It was quite the spectacle for everyone as they departed church and for the neighbours too!
Thank you everyone for organising such a special surprise… 😊

Mission Dad

Today, throughout much of the world, its 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲.
Serving as a Mission Leader is a very special privilege.
Not only do I get to be a father to our own three children – who are simply the best! But I also get to be 𝐝𝐚𝐝#𝟐 to 100’s of missionaries from throughout the world, when they’re called to serve and assigned to the Belgium Netherlands Mission.
It has been an absolute honour to listen to, counsel with, pray with, laugh with, cry with, teach with and watch in wonder as each of them grows closer to their Heavenly Father and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
There have been many pressures and frustrations along the way too, for sure.
But I am a witness to seeing all of them change, for good.
Father’s Day is when we honour, celebrate and appreciate our dads for their good deeds and support in our lives.
I am very grateful for the righteous example of my father.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, stated, “As a Church, we believe in fathers. We believe in the ideal of the man who puts his family first. … We believe that far from being superfluous, fathers are unique and irreplaceable”
Father’s Day is an opportunity to let the men in our lives know how much they mean to us and how important their role is.
Regarding fathers, Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “You see, we’re all on a journey. Dads are a little further down the road, but none of us has yet arrived at our final destination. We are all in the process of becoming who we will one day be.”
This Father’s Day, as you honour your earthly father, don’t forget your Heavenly Father.
I invite you to talk with Him in prayer and start to make that a regular part of your life.
To all you Fathers at home, watching your sons and daughters from afar, may the blessings of heaven be poured out upon each of you on this special day as you continue to exercise your faith and hope in their success, here in Belgium and the Netherlands.
They are all well! We watch over them carefully, with lots of love and personal attention.
The photos are a selection from our final mission conference where they each received a special tartan gift!
As you think about your own father today, can I invite you to complete the following sentence…
“I love my dad because……..”

Assembled Ones

After our final mission conference on Friday, Monic and I excused ourselves for a short time, whilst everyone gathered outside for our last photographs together.
Minutes later, we emerged from the chapel, dressed in our national costumes, catching everyone by surprise!

Gathering

We were greeted with smiles, laughter, whistles and a huge round of applause.
It was a very special moment.

Gathered around us were 138 of our dearest friends.

Individuals we love immensely.

Assembled Ones

The group comprised of one hundred and thirty-eight, unique, individual, 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔.
After the initial gathering (see pictures below), a line was formed and individual pictures were taken 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞, with Monic and I.
It took 75 minutes to capture individual photographs together.
Earlier in the day, I’d shared the principle of 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, as taught by Jesus Christ in 3 Nephi 11-28, in The Book of Mormon.
In chapter 11, our resurrected Saviour visits 2,500 assembled ones, gathered at the temple.

One by One

Verse 15 reads: “….the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 until they had all gone forth….”
Just 30 emotionally charged seconds, with 138 of our dearest friends had taken us around 75 minutes to meet with each of them individually, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆.
Can you imagine if you had been one of those 2,500, “until they had all gone forth” seeing with your eyes, feeling with your hands and knowing of a surety, bearing record, “…that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.” (verse 15)
At 30 seconds each, without any breaks, that equates to around 21 hours to complete the process.
And yet He spent every precious second with His dearest friends.
Would 30 seconds be enough?
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.
It contains a powerful witness of His 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 personal ministry.
Over the last three years, our ministry has been focused upon and directed to ones.
Every one of our missionaries, minister, individually, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞, to help others find the peace and joy that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring them.
Hundreds of thousands of ones, find Him every year, and you can be 𝐨𝐧𝐞 too.
Speak with a missionary today…
© Copyright 2024 Daryl Watson. All Rights Reserved. Registered in Scotland, Company Number SC473068