Back in Oklahoma in the mid-1960s, two enthusiastic young missionaries ventured out in what we here in Oklahoma call the Bible Belt. They knocked on our door, and, months later while I was in my early teens, baptized me. My mother preceded me in baptism along with my brother and, eventually, years later, my dad was baptized. So, I guess you could say, we were early Mormon pioneers here.
I had always wanted to thank Elder Louis Stock Pond for baptizing me 40-some years ago. I tried to locate him on several occasions but to no avail. You see, Elder Pond started something very beautiful in our family long ago. My son just returned from his mission to Hong Kong. I expect others in my family to serve missions in years to come.
Last month, August 2006, I traveled to Provo, Utah, to take my son to BYU. While sitting in the Wilkinson Center, I saw three missionaries walk through and wondered why missionaries were sent to BYU. Later, near the library, there sat those three missionaries. My son asked the first two where they were from, and as they were telling us, I happened to look to my right to the third missionary. His name tag said "Elder Pond." I asked, "Do you know a Louis Stock Pond?"
He replied, "That's my dad."
With tears flowing from all five of us, I thanked him for his dad and showed him the fruits of his dad's labor — my son, the returned missionary. We exchanged phone numbers and addresses.
What a miracle. What a blessing. Heavenly Father does know the desires of one's heart and does answer prayers in His own way and in His own time. It was a blessing that I will never forget for the rest of my life.
I would like to thank Elder Pond for planting those seeds some 40 years ago and tell him how his diligence and love for the Lord has harvested another generation of young and enthusiastic missionaries as himself and for many generations to come. — Rhonda Smith Bates, New Haven Ward, Tulsa Oklahoma Stake