“By Divine Design”
“Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives.” (Elder Rasband, October 2017)
The Lord's hand has been so evident in our mission in Barcelona. I want to share one story of connection with the Peroni family. It began before we even left Carlsbad. A friend of Dave's, Evan Gustafson, mentioned a beloved family he'd taught in Peru who now lived in "Barcelona." He shared their contact information. Upon our arrival, we found a note with Marcela’s address taped to the board, ready for us to follow up.
Just a couple of weeks into our time here, while buying shampoo at a store called Druni, we were checked out by a cashier who wasn't usually at that register. Noticing our name tags, she quietly whispered, "I'm a member too." We were thrilled! Her name was Mylin. Later, at a young adult meeting, we mentioned meeting Mylin at Druni. The immediate response: "Mylin Peroni? Yes, we know her!" Peroni, we wondered, could it be the same family? When we mentioned her parents, Marcela and Omar, the connection was confirmed. Unbelievably, despite living 35 minutes outside Barcelona, the Lord had placed us in the same ward and neighborhood as their daughter – exactly where we were assigned. The tender mercies continued.
We then called Marcela with the number Evan had given us, sharing the incredible coincidence of meeting Mylin. She was overjoyed, especially when we discovered she lived just a quick 20-minute walk from our new apartment. When we met, Marcela shared her conversion story: encountering missionaries at her bakery in Argentina, her baptism alongside some of her children, and their move to Spain for a better life. One of those initial missionaries had an inactive mother in Barcelona and asked the Peronis to check on her. You guessed it – they too now lived close by and in the same ward. At the time, Omar wasn't yet a member but was the first to arrive in Spain and met this missionary's mother. He kept his promise to look after her and helped her return to church. She became active, and soon after, Omar was baptized. The rest of the family followed, and eventually all eight children and Marcela and Omar were sealed in the temple many years ago.
We even met Omar at church in our ward before realizing who he was. He invited us for dinner, and as the evening unfolded, more of their miraculous story came to light. It was undeniable – the Lord had orchestrated our meeting. We felt and said to Marcela that the Lord had brought us together and we asked Marcela how we could help, her simple yet profound response was, "I'll pray about it and find out." We're building a friendship, and with another year here, we're eager to see how this beautiful story continues to unfold.
Yes, I believe. The Lord is so involved in our lives, showering us with countless tender mercies that often unfold without our even realizing. I give thanks for the many times we are given the opportunity to witness the Lord’s hand in His work.
“The Lord’s hand is guiding you. By “divine design,” He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones. As it says in Proverbs, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; … and he shall direct thy paths.”” (Elder Rasband) and (Elder Neal E. Maxwell, Brim with Joy)
