Going to the Ohio

"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou art not called to go into the eastern countries, but thou art called to go to the Ohio. And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves at the Ohio, I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known among the children of men, and it shall be poured forth upon their heads. And from thence men shall go forth into all nations."

Revelation given at Fayette, New York, January 5, 1831. D&C 39  



The Cables



After a long day of intermittent rain showers and construction delays, we crossed the Ohio River into my former mission field. Neglecting to mark another dateline shift, we arrived very late at the home of Gene and Dee Cable. They were one of the families I taught in my first mission area. Newark is a thickly wooded village in the hills east of Columbus at the southern tip of Amish country. The mission president left me among these great members for seven months. The sisters taught me to make rhubarb pie and country noodles. One member delivered fresh milk to our doorstep many mornings. Elder Wilcox and I taught many of the "new" flipchart missionary discussions in this area.

  

Over the years I lost contact with the Cables and have not returned to the Midwest any further than Chicago. So after receiving our call to Long Island I conducted an on-line search of the Church in the Newark area. I learned that the Newark building has grown into a phase 3 structure housing two wards. The Bishop of the Newark Ward had not heard of any Cable family in the area. It took a while to contact the bishop of the second ward, who, after a brief pause said the he knew the cables well as they were regular members of his ward. He promised to have them call me. It was touching to hear from them and to share our family and religious activities covering the last forty years. I have wondered about them often over that time, drawing upon the deep tenderness that a missionary feels for those he serves, and the humbling portion of Divine love that is shared within the penumbra of his efforts.  

We spent a couple of days with the Cable family. I especially enjoyed attending church services in the building where I matured as a young missionary. Time compressed. I am thankful for the patience and faith of those pioneering members in the Newark area. I marveled at the strength of their fellowship and their commitment to the Gospel.

Stefanie saw her first firefly. I have sometimes told her of the mystical impression that they held for me, but my verbal effort fell far short. She and the Cable's granddaughter chased the small creatures across the forested hillside behind their property. I could hear childlike barks of delight well into the dusk of evening.