Wed 3/12/08 9:02 AM

Dear Family,
You will find attached a document regarding our experience of evacuation of missionaries. This is not a complete list by any means. But is does let you see the Hand of the Lord in His work. What a blessing your prayers were also. We love and appreciate all of you.
Love Dad (Doug)


HAND OF THE LORD IN SERBIA



Recently all missionaries were evacuated from Serbia because of the unrest and violence in the country. This violence and unrest escalated with Kosovo’s announcement of Independence on Sunday 17 February 2008. We have experienced many acts of verbal and physical abuse towards missionaries during the years of 2006 and 2007 before this announcement was given. But it took a real turn for the worse after the announcement. This document is an attempt to document the Hand of the Lord in Serbia during these troubled times. His influence was experience over and over again.

Elder Erich Kopischke of the First Quorum of Seventy and a member of the Central Europe Area Presidency did a mission tour from 4 September 2007 to 9 September 2007. During this tour the inspiration came to change the District President of Serbia during the District Conference to be held 27 and 28 October 2007. It was discussed and approval was given to not only make Sladjan Mihajlovic the new District President, but he was also approved to be the Second Counselor in the Slovenia Croatia Mission Presidency. This became very important in February 2008 after the missionaries were evacuated. Because he is a second counselor in the mission presidency, he has keys to do interviews for the Melchizedek Priesthood and for Temple Recommends. The Lord knew what was coming and put in place a solution six months ahead of the problem.

The Serbian Book of Mormon was originally scheduled to be completed and in our hands at the Mission Office in December 2007. That was also the original time frame of when Kosovo leaders wanted to announce their independence. The Book of Mormon was delayed and arrived at the Mission Office on the morning of the 19 February 2008. This was just over 24 hours after Kosovo made their announcement on the evening of 17 February 2008. It is not coincidence that the Book of Mormon came at the time of the announcement and unrest that resulted. The Adversary has done all he can to keep the Book of Mormon out of Serbia. But the Hand of the Lord was witnessed again in this and many copies have been taken into Serbia. 30 copies went with the Serbian Members that were in the Frankfurt Temple the week of 19-23 February. This is the same week of the unrest. Also copies were sent with Simon Stevanovic from Celje on the 25 February as he went to Serbia to see his grandparents. Later 30 copies were sent in with Stejpan from Novi Sad as he brought out the personal belongings of Elder and Sister Howlett. And again 30 copies were sent with him as he brought out the personal belongings of Elder and Sister Morton. Then Nikola Kovic took 30 more copies into Serbia as he returned from bringing out the last three Elders. More copies will be sent in within three weeks. We have more copies there than we would have been able to take across the boarder. So Satan tried to stop it, but with the Hand of the Lord many copies are there.

Normally Missions receive one Mission Tour per year by a member of the Area Presidency. Sister Weight and I had already had three of them when a call came from our Area President that he wanted to do a tour from 8 January to the 13 January 2008. This would be our fourth tour in only two and one half years. And the second tour in only four months. It turned out to be a real blessing. Elder Robert C. Oaks gained insight that was so helpful when the problems occurred. He called us every day that Sister Weight and I were in Serbia doing the District Conference 15-17 February 2008. Remember the 17 February 2008 was the day of the announcement. He was feeling the need to evacuate. Confirmation came during a phone call that he made to me on 20 February 2008. After some discussion there was a pause in the conversation. I knew that he was being inspired that we need to move them out. He then confirmed that. I told him I would call all of the missionaries the next morning and that we would evacuate on Friday the 22 February 2008.

All of the missionaries but three made it out on that day. Some more detail regarding this. I had two Elders from Serbia in Slovenia for Mission Council on the 20 February and they had traveled back to Zagreb, Croatia. I had the Assistance call them and tell them that they could not go back to Serbia. The Hand of the Lord was in this as well. Only one of those two Elders was a Zone Leader. His companion Elder Quinton is from Canada. He had to stay in Serbia because he had a man on the street grab and tear up his passport just a few days before Mission Council. So he could not come to Mission Council with his companion Elder Leavitt. The Canadian Embassy told him it would take two weeks to get a new replacement passport. Well I contacted legal in Germany and they got involved and found out that a man who could authorize a new passport was coming to Beograd from Romania and he made the arrangements. But all of this was also the Hand of the Lord. Elder Quinton could not attend Mission Council because of the torn passport, but he was the one that directed all of the missionaries in the evacuation. It was a real blessing that he was not at Mission Council in Slovenia. He was still in Serbia. He and his temporary companion Elder Carter were to be the last two out of the country. Well it did not work out that way.

An Elder Molina was denied departure at the boarder because he had applied for a new visa and it had not come through. So he was told to get off of the train at the boarder. Fortunately Elder Taylor jumped off with him. They were directed to go to Sremska Mitrovica which is close to the boarder by taxi. Arrangements were made by Elder Quinton with the land lady after talking to the former Elders of that apartment for her to meet them at the train station and take them to the apartment. Well I told him to have them call me to let me know that they were there and that they were safe. In the meantime Elder Carter was thrown off of the next train at the boarder for the same visa problems as Elder Molina. Only they had already stamped Elder Quintons passport and they would not let him stay in Serbia. He called me in a panic. I told him to just stay on the train and not talk to anyone and he would be met in Zagreb by other Elders. I then called the Elders in Sremska Mitrovica and told them to get another taxi and hurry back to the boarder to get Elder Carter. And I told them to call me when they found him. It worked out just fine and they took a bus back to Sremska Mitrovica. They were the only three people on the bus. They stayed there over the weekend until they could travel to Beograd and get the documents on Monday to leave.

Well they took a taxi on Monday to the church where they met Nikola Kovic the Branch President. He took them to the police and they said they had to come back the next day for the documents at 3pm. This worked out and we had them travel all night on a sleeper train in first class with the Branch President to Zagreb. I had them call me at the boarder and send me a text message when they crossed into Croatia.

All of the phone calls to coordinate this evacuation of missionaries from Serbia were made on cells phones. This was possible because at the Zone Conference 7-8 December 2007 I was prompted to buy cell phones. I remember standing in the Beograd Chapel when the prompting came. It was strong and clear. I immediately sent Elder Rubisch a Zone Leader and Elder Hensley, my office financial secretary out to do this. Cell phones were given to each set of missionaries. What a blessing this turned out to be in the evacuation. It was also a miracle that Elder Quintons phone kept its charge long enough to make all of the calls he had to make to coordinate everything during the evacuation.

It was a blessing that the members were in the temple praying for us during all of this. Also that Elder and Sister Howlett were given permission to go on this temple trip when others had been denied. Also that Elder and Sister Morton were in Slovenia having her tooth repaired so they were also out of the country and already evacuated. Sister Morton was to be in Slovenia one week earlier but her tooth had some pain and the Dentist changed her appointment. This is not a coincidence. It was a blessing that we had a mission car in Serbia and a member that could drive the Howletts and the Mortons belongings across the boarder. That member just happens to have Serbian and Croatian passports. This was a great blessing.

It was also a blessing to have the prompting to call Elder Rubisch from Serbia to be an Assistant to the Mission President. It brought him to Slovenia and he was able to speak with Stejpan and coordinate the removal of the Howletts and the Mortons belongings.

During the conference in Beograd Sister Weight gave a talk on Saturday Evening Adult Session. This was the 16 February 2008. She found herself saying to the members “What would you do if there were not any missionaries in Serbia?” This proved to be prophetic. It gave them something to think about as it became a reality with in one week. Also, I was prompted to teach President Mihajlovic how to do a Melchizedek Priesthood Interview. He did this. Then I taught him how to preside and conduct the ordination of the brother. It is good that he knows how now as I can not go back into Serbia until it is cleared with Salt Lake and the Area Presidency. But the work can go forward because he has the keys and knows how to do it from personal experience. The spirit knows what is needed. All we have to do is follow the promptings that come. As a side note both President Mihajlovic and President Kovic have been granted one year visas to leave Serbia and travel in Europe. This miracle helps them serve since we can not go there at the time. They can come here.

Elder and Sister Morton were able to complete all Humanitarian Project Summaries for 2000-2007 the week before the evacuation. Elder Morton was also prompted to backup the computer hard drive and hand that to Elder Carter the morning of the Mortons departure to Slovenia. This was given back to Elder Morton in Zagreb after the evacuation.

Elder and Sister Poulsen were evacuated by air as she was ill for a number of days. It cut their mission short a few months, but it was a blessing for them to be out and get the proper medical help. The Lord really looks after his servants.

There were thousands of members praying for the safety of these missionaries. These prayers were offered from around the world. The prayers of the righteous really do make a difference. How thankful we are for so many good saints and their prayers. The safety of the missionaries was our prime concern. It truly was a great witness to all of us of how the Hand of the Lord is in this work. He does love those that serve him. And he does look out for us. May we all be worthy of his love and eternal sacrifice. I know that he lives. I know that he is the son of God. This is his work. And the glory belongs to him whose we are. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen