By An Anonymous Serviceman

The following recent letter is reprinted with the permission of the soldier and his wife.

Dear Family and Friends,

I should be leaving for the Middle East sometime soon. It has been a difficult three months of training. Two of those months I have been away from my angel wife and sweet boy. It has been heart wrenching and now the really difficult part is about to begin. I’m intimidated and scared often, but [my wife] and I have been comforted and strengthened and I know that will continue. The majority of that strength is in direct answer to your prayers and ours.

The idea of ‘going to war’ is so daunting that it has sometimes gripped my heart and mind with almost overwhelming panic and despair. Before the Army activated me the longest [my wife] and I had been apart was about five days. We are so accustomed to being together that we both often feel wrong or ‘off’ due to missing our other half. I explain these things to give you an idea of what it has been like for us the past months and so that you can appreciate the peace that we have so perfectly and generously been provided.

I’ve secretly and deeply needed a reassurance that what I’m doing, at great sacrifice to my family, will make a difference. I sincerely want to help the poor war-torn people of [the Middle East.] I’ve recently had a number of conversations where I said to others something along the lines of “I expect us to make a noticeable contribution to resolving the problems in the areas where we work.”
I’ve said this mostly trying to reassure myself.

We’ve received a lot of briefings on the Middle East. Many of them have had a pessimistic slant. This attitude has started to creep into the conversations of our unit. It’s an attitude that ‘well, their country is so jacked up and has been for years, what we do will only be a drop in the bucket.’ I don’t want to believe that. I just can’t.

On conference weekend, Saturday, I sat with two other soldier friends on the gravel floor of a tent awaiting our turn to train. Because our group was large, we had a few hours before we would begin.
We were talking about the Middle East and the intimidating problems we would face in our mission there.

While we talked I repeated, “I have to hope that we make a difference with what we do there.” It hadn’t occurred to me to specifically pray for God to give me that assurance, but it had been a subconscious prayer of my heart for months. I had been praying for God to give [my wife] and me faith in His will for us and hope for this coming year.

We returned from training five minutes before priesthood session began. I went to the session having mostly forgotten the day’s conversations. When the newly-sustained prophet spoke, it was like he was speaking directly to me, answering our conversation of the day and comforting the unspoken prayers of my heart. He looked into our eyes, admonished us to be worthy, and said:
“As bearers of the priesthood, we have been placed on earth in troubled times. We live in a complex world with currents of conflict everywhere to be found. Political machinations ruin the stability of nations, despots grasp for power, and segments of society seem forever downtrodden, deprived of opportunity, and left with a feeling of failure.

“We who have been ordained to the priesthood of God can make a difference. When we qualify for the help of the Lord … Our opportunities are without limit.”

He later added, “No task looms too large; no responsibility weighs too heavily; no duty is a burden. All things become possible.” (President Monson, April 2008)

They were the words I needed to hear. I believe he is God’s prophet and he told me I could make a difference. I felt that yes, the world has enormous problems, but with God they can be dealt with – nothing is impossible. I also felt that even though it seemed unbearably difficult to part with my sweet wife and son and go to this intimidating new place, that ‘this thing [too would] become possible.’

I can’t tell you the hope it gave me to have God answer me so personally, plainly, and lovingly. I plan on making President Monson’s words my motto for this deployment and for my life.

I know there is murkiness in war, but I know that as my wife and I seek to follow the path of Jesus Christ this year that things will be made clear and my wife, son and I will be provided for. I know that there will be tough times this year, that I may temporarily forget these feelings of peace and confidence and be discouraged, but God will always be there in the background, opening doors and making things possible.

I love you all and thank you for your prayers and love. I feel the power of your prayers day by day. I know that God will take care of my little family while I’m away and much of that will come from you.

Thank you.