Ray's Mission I

Calm Discussion

As the time of Jay’s and my mission calls and/or Vietnam service approached, I had an experience with my father one Saturday that I deem significant and telling. My father and I spent an entire Saturday arguing over whether or not I would serve a mission. My father sat next to the fireplace throughout our lengthy exchange. I was across the living room opposite him. I don’t remember how the discussion began. I only remember that we were discussing the possibility of whether or not I would serve a mission. Prior to that time, I had not necessarily determined that I would serve a mission. Rather, I believed that I would continue my education toward a PhD. I considered education to be a serious matter; and thought a missionary experience might only be an option. Conversely my father calmly advocated that I serve a mission. What is of particular note to me is that he remained rather calm and displayed a very controlled demeanor. I had been more familiar with a demanding, parental personality. Such a poised countenance seemed out of character to me - even as our exchange progressed. We discussed our opposing viewpoints for the entire day as he repeatedly, calmly declared that I would serve a mission. I was somewhat contrary to this declaration and stubbornly stated that an education was not necessarily a poor choice and more to my liking! Later I would learn of the foundation to his calm demeanor. 

English Airfield Experience 

Dad once told me of an event that took place as he was flying to and from France and England during his time as a pilot in World War II. He was participating in the flight in question as the copilot of a C-47 transport plane. At that time, it was not uncommon for there to be a blackout of lights; and the local countryside of England would be entirely ‘blackened’ because enemy planes might bomb lighted areas. As my young father was returning from France, he was approaching an airfield in the South of England. It became apparent that they would not be able to waste fuel by ‘going around’ should they not be able to land on their first attempt. They were too low on fuel! They'd been flying a significant number of hours that day and we're approaching the English airfield in the early evening hours, having been somewhat wearied by their previous flights of the day. As a pilot, one might know, it was (and is) common (and vital) for aircraft to enter an airport’s landing pattern in order to set up properly for a final landing. Such landing patterns encompass an entry into the pattern, a downwind leg (paralleling the runway), a base leg (transitioning from the downwind leg to the final approach), and the final approach leg (leading to the landing on the runway). It is in this final leg that altitude is significantly reduced in order to arrive at the runway’s apron for a successful landing! It is also the most critical part of a landing maneuver, because contact with the ground is imminent! As Dad and his pilot were traversing the airfield’s pattern, all seemed to be going well as they entered the final leg prior to their ‘touchdown’ on the runway. As they approached the runway, the landing lights of the field suddenly extinguished, placing the C-47 in a very tenuous position nearing the ground in total darkness. In the absence of landing lights, they’d not know where the runway was nor how close it was – rendering landing virtually impossible. The situation was amplified inasmuch as both pilot and co-pilot knew they did not have sufficient fuel to linger above the field in a ‘go around’ while awaiting landing lights. The unanticipated ‘black out’ had unknowingly plunged the approaching ‘finalized’ aircraft (along with its wounded soldiers) into a very serious circumstance requiring immediate remedy. In that moment (following the ‘black out’) my father shouted into the radio he was operating, “Turn those lights back on!” To his (and his pilot’s surprise), the landing lights came back on, and the aircraft finished its final feet to land safely. Once down, the landing lights were once again extinguished, and the airplane was then sufficiently close to the ground as to traverse the runway and arrive safely at its place of disembarkation. 

Upon examination, it turns out that the airport crew woman that maintained the airfield had decided to throw the switch that lit the runway.  Unaware of any incoming aircraft she invoked the required ‘black out’ as my father’s plane descended its critical, final leg. Having just thrown the switch, the airfield had been thrown into complete darkness according to the crewwoman’s plan. As she threw the switch (in a nearby hanger, invoking darkness for her also) she heard, “Turn those lights back on!” and  instinctively re-lit the runway in just enough time for my father’s plane to land safely. Realizing the aircraft was now on the runway, she’d once again threw the switch and dowsed the landing lights. Of particular note is that there was not a radio in the area where the light switch was; nor any amplification of Dad’s command. Thus, there was no way my father’s anxious directive could’ve reached her. Yet, it did!  

Several months into my mission, I learned that my father had entered into a personal covenant with God. Amidst the harrowing circumstance of the landing amidst a ‘black out’, my father (being a pilot) promised God that if He would help him through the event, he (my father) would make sure all of his sons would serve a mission! Remembering (as only he could) that promise (prior to my birth) helped keep my father calm throughout our long discussion - as he remembered his promise and God’s seeing him through the event! Thus, the miracle of my mission was unfolding during our discussion; but had begun with my father long before my birth! All of his sons would serve a full mission for the Lord! Several through the development of genuine miracles! 

A week or so later, as I was contemplating what I would do and unaware of Dad’s war time experience, I arrived at the conclusion that my father was smarter than I. Thus, I submitted my papers to serve a mission shortly thereafter. 

Spasms 

A couple of weeks prior to my scheduled departure I was purchasing a suit with my mother. At that time the salesman mentioned my curved spine because he was looking at how the suit fit. To both our surprise, my mother and I responded that neither of us knew that I had a curved spine. Nevertheless, we went ahead with the purchase of the suit and preparations for my mission. shortly thereafter amidst a doctor's visit I was informed that I had a 13 degree curvature of my spine due to scoliosis (scoliosis is a youthful curvature of the spine that in some cases can be debilitating). The doctor informed me that most if not all of the damage due to the scoliosis had been done by that time because I had pretty much finished my physical growth. For this reason neither I nor my parents worried too much about learning that I had a curved spine. Now however I was aware of how my back curved and that it had a distinct influence on how I stood erect. If one were to look at my back without my clothes they would see that my right back was bigger than my left and that I was tantamount to a hunchback. having recently come to know of my condition, I was particularly sensitive when my back began to hurt rather significantly approximately a week prior to my scheduled departure! Thinking that it was just a passing ache, I endured it for a day or two before I brought it to the attention of my mother. We both decided that I should attend a physician to ascertain any concerns. Upon my visit to a local physician, I was informed that I had developed ‘back spasms’ that were persistent and painful. I worried that I had developed some sort of physical malady that would prevent my serving a mission. Fortunately I was scheduled for a physical treatment that would hopefully relax my muscles and alleviate my pain. I was treated with electrical Stimulus that caused my back spasms to relax and I was no longer troubled before or since my mission. Counseling together, my mother and I decided that I was so anxious about the coming changes that I had incurred such muscle contractions. Thankfully the treatment worked rather well, and I left on time for my mission. 

Moon Landing

On July 20^th,1969 I spent the evening watching TV from our home in Lake Tapps. The entire family was gathered around the television, and we were watching as the moon landing progressed toward Neil Armstrong's setting foot on the lunar surface. It was mind bending to understand that not only was this occurring in our lifetimes; but it was also occurring so that we could see it on TV. After the Eagle lunar module landed (which was extremely dramatic in itself), we all stayed up late in order to observe the actual footsteps on the moon. We were all conversing with each other about the astonishing achievements that were unfolding before our eyes. As I watched Neil Armstrong come down the ladder and finally jump down onto the lunar surface karma the drama was very evident. At the time it seemed uncertain as to how the surface of the moon would react to Armstrong's weight. We stayed up most of the night in order to watch the astronauts cavorting on the lunar surface. It was a truly eventful evening and left our minds dumbfounded by the history of the moment.