Expect the Unexpected

One thing we’ve learned on our mission is to expect the unexpected. Hardly any day goes quite as we imagine when we wake up—and this week was a perfect example!

On Monday, one of our missionaries had to come in from the countryside after experiencing severe chest pains. After a full round of tests—truly every test imaginable—no clear cause could be found. The decision was made for him to return to the States, where he could receive a higher level of medical care.

That process filled nearly the entire week, and we found ourselves involved at nearly every step. From sending test results and images to the Area Medical Advisor in Tokyo, to J.D. serving as his companion while he stayed in the dorms in our building, and finally J.D. escorting him to Tokyo to meet up with the medical advisor who was taking him the remainder of the way home—it was an unexpected turn of events!



Although we were sad to see him return home, we were grateful to help make the process smoother. We continue to pray that he’ll find medical answers quickly and be able to return to Mongolia soon.  This process was a gentle reminder of the sacrifice these young people make to serve the Lord and the faith they have that they will be watched over and protected.

A few weeks ago our mission president encouraged the senior missionary couples to make time for a weekly date night—so we did just that! We discovered a new Indian restaurant that quickly became a favorite. The service and atmosphere were enchanting, and the food… oh my! The Naan, Gosht Jahangiri, Paneer Pakora, and Pineapple and Mango Lassi were absolutely delicious.




Another highlight of the week was a group video call with my parents and siblings. It was such a joy to see everyone’s faces and catch up on life back home. We all wondered, why didn’t we do this sooner? We’ll definitely be making it a regular thing from now on!

Even in the unexpected moments, we’re reminded that the Lord is in the details—guiding, comforting, and blessing us in ways we never could have planned.

Comments

  1. Bill and Shauna CookeOctober 12, 2025 at 11:11 PM

    That was some kind of great but medical testing week. We know about medical emergencies and flights to America from another country. And we can message with our youngest Liesel in Mesa. Closer than you are to the US but still see and talk with family live is great. We sure hope that missionary's medical issues turns out OK. And oh date night is so very good. Keep that up for sure.

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