By Virginia Handley

This is the Handley Mission Blog, so I thought I’d give a shot at an entry. Bear with me, for my writing experience does not come close to Michael’s thought-provoking words. I have had the wonderful opportunity to have miracles come to me since we started this journey into mission life. In sharing some of these experiences, I hope to inspire others to seek out personal wonders in their own lives.

No one has a perfect life. Challenges, trials, wonder, sadness, joy and a myriad of events and adventures shape who we are. Mine has been riddled with events that have not always produced the happy-go-lucky results one would wish. I have faced abuse, family members fighting addictions, abandonment, and pain. I have experienced the joy of bringing children into this world and raising them in an environment of love. I have taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in Mexico and learned about His Atonement for me and for them. I have traveled all over the world, met thousands of people from many different walks of life. I have swum in the Caribbean Seas, walked the Great Wall of China, and strolled the beaches of the Pacific Islands. Many of these experiences have brought peace to my soul. My journey has been wrought with strife and exhilarating delight. Talking to a young man from Siberia about the struggles of his mother’s life as a single parent or listening to a young girl in Uruguay share her love of her family, have all shaped who I am today. One thing always seemed to be lacking. Who I was.

If you know Michael and I well, you know we are about to embark on a service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are thrilled with this crossroad of life. Going from raising six children and a lifetime of working for BYU, we both find ourselves at liberty to go and serve those in need of our help. It’s a grand responsibility and we look forward to the connection we will make in the coming two years. I know I am a daughter of God. I know I have abilities and talents that are unique to me, and still I wondered how I came to be in this place.

Several weeks ago, while visiting the AncestryDNA site, I felt the need to know the people with which I share DNA. Mind you, I know who my parents are, that isn’t the issue. Having my parents’ divorce when I was young, and being separated from my father’s family, that is the issue. I didn’t know my first cousins. How crazy is that?! I had a strong desire to know that side of me, the Miller side. This all happened, because my cousin, Laura, asked me if I was the granddaughter of her uncle. Low and behold, I’m his daughter, not his granddaughter. I asked if we could meet, because I had never met a cousin from my father’s side. What a wonderful reunion. I call it a reunion because we felt we had known each other before. Not in this life, but certainly somewhere in time. Meeting her, led me to reach out to a first cousin, whose only reference I had was “S.M.” I hadn’t known more than that, until Laura gave me the name of Scott. Again, in contacting him, I now have a sense of belonging that I have never experienced before. I have gained strength from their testimonies and their love, even after only short visits. It’s amazing how the Lord works through others to touch lives for good. 

From meeting these wonderful people, my ancestors have become more real to me. My desire to teach my children through my actions have increased. I have had my heart touched by what is known as “The Spirit of Elijah,” to know those who have gone before me. The reference is in the Old Testament, in Malachi 4:5-6. The prophet Elijah is sent to prepare the world for the “Second Coming of the Lord,” by turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. My “fathers” hard work and examples create a determination to leave a stronger mark on this world. I have been blessed with the strength of pioneers. My grandfather came from the old country, worked hard, joined the Church, and raised a large family through trying times. My grandmother is of Mormon Pioneer descent. Those before her walked across the plains of this country to find peace and hope in worshipping the Lord. I want to learn more about them as my heart is turned in that direction. As a missionary, I will be in contact with people from all walks of life, nationalities, and religions. My hope is to use my knowledge and testimony to help them realize who they are. We are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. We came to this earth to help one another return to Him someday. Our ancestors had the same charge as we do today. They have paved a way for us to accomplish marvelous works, but mostly have demonstrated that hard work, determination, and faith can bring wondrous results in connecting us to one another. 

I am grateful for the gift of service. I know the next two years will be filled with happiness, challenges, and fulfillment. I will take my experiences, good and bad, with me to the mission. I will bring the love of my new-found family, my children, grandchildren, and others, in my heart. With help and direction from the Spirit, I can make a difference in people’s lives. What a fantastic gift. I shall not take one day for granted, for I know that when I am, “in the service of (my) fellow beings, (I am) only in the service of (my) God.” (Mosiah 2:17)