Wink from Heaven: Companions

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Companions

When Dallan and I were dating, I was also thinking about whether or not I should serve a mission. Any of you who know Dallan will understand why it didn't take long for me to decide marry him! I love my mission as a wife and a mother! Sometimes I feel like a special part of my mission is to be a companion with Caleb. We are great missionary companions for each other! We pray together, read together, and bear our testimonies together. We are usually side by side and don't feel quite right whenever we're apart. It is one of the joys of my life to help others feel his great spirit. He is a remarkable teacher, and he doesn't even need to use words. He is my senior companion, but he never makes me feel inferior. He is so gentle with me, even though I have so much to learn. He always reminds me about the things that are most important. He inspires me to be better, and he brings me closer to the Savior. I love him! Luckily, I know he'll never get transferred. He is my sweet missionary companion forever!

4 comments:

Janene Baadsgaard said...: What a beautiful insight. You really are missionary companions and the hearts you are touching will never be the same. I love you both with all my heart and soul. - MOM and Grandma Baadsgaard; December 31, 2008 at 7:36 AM
Becky said...: I LOVE this analogy and I love YOU my dear friend. I too have felt all the things that you just so eloquently put down in words. Still praying....; December 31, 2008 at 8:28 AM
Amber said...: Oh your so lovely. He is a lucky man..xx; December 31, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Tanya said...: And what a powerful companionship you are! Courageous little Caleb and your family are in our prayers...; January 1, 2009 at 7:45 PM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.