Geddes Mission: Sowing and Harvesting

Sixteen years ago, while on his mission in the France, Marseilles mission, our son-in-law, Nate, served for some time on Corsica. His mission president gave him a particular assignment to look for a certain member who had fallen out of activity and moved to Ajaccio on the island of Corsica. Nate and his companion finally located the brother who was not at all interested. Throughout his time on Corsica, Nate and his companion continued making attempts to bring this brother back but with no success. He was sorry to have to report back to his mission president that they were totally unsuccessful.

Fast forward sixteen years. Our daughter Elisa and her husband Nate came for a visit. We took them into the office to introduce them to the office missionaries. All the departing missionaries in the last rotation had just left for home except for Elder Battazzato who was in the office waiting for his later flight home to Sicily. When Nate learned that Elder Battazzato had just finished his mission on Corsica, he was excited to talk with him. In the course of their conversation, Nate asked specifically about this brother whom he had labored to reactivate without success. Elder Battazzato's face lit up as he told Nate that this man was a stalwart member of the branch and is currently serving in the branch presidency.

There are so many times that missionaries feel like their efforts have had little or no success. We just have to remember we are often harvesting crops that were planted by others and won't get to see the fruits of many of the seeds we are now sowing.