Recently, I made a new acquaintance at an “empty-nesters” social in my ward. We had both served missions when we were young, and as old returned missionaries are wont to do, we reminisced about our mission experiences. He had served in Chile, spending almost all his time teaching and baptizing; I had served in Canada, spending almost all my time tracting and trying to keep warm.
A Desire to be Baptized Seems Out of Reach
In the severe Alberta winter of 1961, I was the leader of the West Edmonton missionary district of the Western Canadian Mission. The sub-zero temperatures proved that there is some truth to our unofficial mission motto: “Many are cold, but few are frozen.” During that time, I received a report from the missionaries serving in Hinton, a town about two hundred miles west of Edmonton. The report had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that a young married woman, Laura Redfield (name has been changed for anonymity), wanted to be baptized by her husband, Dan. The Redfields (not their real names) worked on a ranch, taking care of prized cattle for a man who had gone south for the winter. In those days, all district baptisms took place at the Whyte Avenue chapel in Edmonton. The bad news was that the Redfields could not leave the cattle and come to Edmonton because of the extremely cold weather. It appeared that Laura would have to wait until spring to get her wish.
Over the next few weeks, I turned my attention to affairs in the city, but the unresolved situation in the hinterland of the district preyed on my mind. In the parable of the “lost sheep,” the shepherd left the “ninety and nine” and went after the “one.” (Luke 15:4-7). I pondered, “Would it be possible for my companion and I to go to Hinton and conduct the baptism?” But where? In the early days of the Church, there were numerous accounts of members breaking the ice on streams and lakes for baptisms, but in our sub-zero weather, that was not an option.
An Unlikely Solution to a Perplexing Problem
I studied the map of the mission district, and some small print caught my eye: Miette Hot Springs! It appeared to be only about thirty miles from Hinton in Jasper National Park. I found a listing in the phone book, but it noted that it was closed for the winter. Nevertheless, I phoned the number and was pleasantly surprised to have it answered by a caretaker, who miraculously agreed to my strange request. The missionaries and the Redfields happily agreed to this venue.
On a bitterly cold day, my companion and I set out for Hinton. Because of the icy roads, it took longer than we anticipated. It was dark by the time we rendezvoused with the missionaries, the Redfields and a few local members of the Church. After a brief meeting with the Redfields, we all headed for the hot springs. Leaving the Yellowhead Highway at the Pocahontas turn-off, the three-car convoy snaked its way up the seasonal Miette Mountain Road. A snow shower impeded our progress, and it was quite late when we reached our destination. The caretaker was happy to greet us. He had set up a locker room for the baptismal service.
A Righteous Desire Becomes a Reality
The baptism was surreal. The pool was outdoors, and the falling snow, mixed with the rising steam, produced an ethereal mistiness. Laura and Dan, dressed in white, almost disappeared as they went down the steps into the warm water. The Hinton elders strained to witness the ordinance. Pure joy radiated from the faces of the young couple as they climbed back up the steps and appeared through the mist. We confirmed Laura a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. At the conclusion, the Spirit was so strong that the shabby locker room seemed a holy place.
Going down the mountain was even harder than going up, but our convoy made it without incident. It was very late by the time the baptismal party congregated at the ranch and sat down to a pre-planned meal. My companion and I stayed at the ranch that night, as it was well after midnight. The next day, my companion and I gratefully returned to Edmonton.
The Gathering of Israel Moves Forward
In my missionary papers, I have a letter from Sister Redfield dated December 11, 1961, thanking my companion and me for arranging her baptism and wishing us a Merry Christmas. The paper is now yellow with age, but the spiritual experience on that cold winter night is still bright in my memory. Although I had not taught or baptized Laura, the joy I felt at her entry into the Kingdom of God is one of the highlights of my mission.
President Russell M. Nelson said, “The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.” (“Hope of Israel,” Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 3, 2018). The gathering has been going on for almost 200 years. Some missionaries, like my new acquaintance, were called to serve in areas where the harvest of souls was abundant. Some, like me, were called to areas where it was “one of a city, and two of a family.” (Jeremiah 3:14). The latter can take comfort, however, in the Savior’s words, “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:15)