Small Swarms, Big Lessons
Lessons Learned





When a mother is expecting her baby, the anticipation grows with each passing day.
For our daughter Megan, now overdue with her first child, the wait may feel endless.
Much like pregnancy, life itself is full of waiting periods that test our faith and refine our patience – a hot topic in our recent conversations!
Yet this period of waiting and preparing mirrors a gospel principle we are all called to live by: faith in the Lord’s timing.
Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn that God’s blessings come according to His divine timetable, not ours.
In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust.
The scriptures teach us: “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:36)
Pregnancy, like life itself, reminds us that much of our joy comes from learning to trust that the Lord knows when blessings should arrive.
Just as Megan has prepared her home, her heart, and her body for this new baby, we, too, are asked to prepare spiritually while waiting for answers, blessings, and miracles.
In our home, we have a beautiful painting depicting the Saviour’s parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
Five were wise and made the most of their waiting time, ensuring they had enough oil for their lamps.
Similarly, waiting for a baby – just like waiting for any of God’s blessings – is a time to spiritually “gather oil.”
For Megan, the waiting has certainly allowed her to grow in patience and hope, enduring her final quiet and sometimes uncomfortable moments, before life changes forever.
For us in life, it’s about staying spiritually ready, trusting that the Lord’s promises will be fulfilled in His way and time.
The baby’s arrival—whether today, tomorrow, or in a few days—will happen at the exact moment God has lovingly planned.
The scriptures teach that God’s timing is always perfect: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Just as birth happens on God’s timeline, not ours, so do the blessings we seek in life.
And when they finally come, the waiting and preparing make the joy that much sweeter.
In this life, we are all “waiting” for the ultimate promise: to return to our Heavenly Father and be reunited with our eternal family.
When Megan holds the baby in her arms for the first time, I’m sure the waiting will be but a memory, a beautiful reminder of the blessing of trusting in the Lord’s perfect plan.
What blessings have you discovered during your own seasons of waiting?
Missionary Zone Conferences arrived again this week, in Antwerp and Utrecht.
The first hour of our morning is a familiar one…
Group photo, welcome, hymn, prayer, motto, standards etc.
Then, it’s time for the most anticipated moment of every conference…
The surprise “toespraak” or talk/address, in Dutch.
The theme for their 5-minute talk, shared a few days earlier was 2 Nephi 31:20 – “How can I be steadfast in sharing the Gospel?”
The assignment, simply come prepared to speak!
Many choose to follow a well-known verse “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30)
Others are prone to take a few unnecessary risks!
No-one is safe.
I sat looking at all the young missionaries.
Some make eye contact with me, and I give them a little wink.
Others keep their heads bowed and are anxious not to make eye contact, just in case!
There is a real sense of uneasiness and tension in the air, mixed with a little excitement too.
With a sense of foreboding everyone awaits!
Then, we invite at least 2 missionaries, to give their surprise toespraak.
Their faces are always a picture to behold.
Apprehension fills their entire being as they rise to the podium to speak.
Taking a deep breath, they compose themselves and launch into their talks.
For those who remain seated, nervous anxiety is instantly replaced with a sense of relief, so much so for many, that it swiftly fills the entire room.
In Antwerp, we heard from Averi Hanny and Luk Vanderlinden
In Utrecht, we had more time and heard from Alyssa Walker, Ian Schwab, Jelle van Vriesland and Emily Hodder.
All did really well.
Experience has taught me that the best preparation for tomorrow, is by doing your best today.
Later in the day, 1 or 2 departing missionaries, mentioned that they’d “escaped” their entire mission, and despite their regular periods of anxiety, were noticeably sad that they’d never had the opportunity to speak!
“Sorry you missed out” I said. “But I hope you kept all of those prepared talks up your sleeve, so that you can give a talk at a second’s notice.” “Oh yes” they replied, “I’d never thought about that!”
How has being prepared helped you succeed?