An Amazing series of events

This is to me an amazing story and one that shows how the Lord works miracles, and utilizes us as instruments in seeing these Miracles take place.

This Saturday just gone, I had the privilege of baptizing a young boy aged 10 named Nikora. This in itself was a wonderful experience and so too were the events leading up to it and the events after it.

To understand the story we have to go back to earlier in the year around April 2012. I had attended the Saturday evening Priesthood session of conference. Most of it I spent listening in the mothers room while resting as I had a couple of aches and pains in my troublesome shoulder. Well after the session I came home to my family and then we went over to Uncle Adam's house for Dinner with their families. After a good meal we went outside for a shoot around and we began a little shootout game, which included Adam, Kellie Austin and Graham Jetta. I had a hot hand that night and was on fire easily taking out every shoot out. The game was modified to a 3-point contest and I went first dropping 29 of 30 shots. I then ran upstairs and inside to get a drink and use the toilet, while the others continued shooting. As I did we heard noises that sounded like fireworks but saw nothing in the sky. I was fairly confident my mark would be hard to beat, but was very surprised when my brother ran inside exclaiming what I thought to be Graham or Kellie was on fire. My first thought was that they had bettered my shooting percentage. My question of disbelief was answered with what I thought to be "no there is a fight". My mind began running scenarios, between Adam and Graham or Kellie - very unlikely, or maybe some people down the road. Adam then made it very clear that there was a house on fire - a real fire, a burning fire. He frantically began looking for his phone to call emergency services, while I ran outside and to my horror and disbelief I saw a house on the street below us ablaze. We ran down the alley toward the burning house at great speed as Mesha called out to be careful. This would have looked scary with the flames roaring so high and her husband and friends ran toward the inferno.

Arriving at the scene the dangers became immediate, not only were the flames out of control but live powerlines were on the ground zapping away. Neighbours on either side alerted to the danger began trying to extinguish the flames but the size and power of them were too strong for their efforts, not only that the water from these hoses was coming extremely close to the out of control powerlines on the ground. Our fears for those in the home became priority, but it was realized that there was no way anybody could enter into the blazing home let alone survive if they were in there. Our immediate concerns then shifted to the neighbours try to extinguish the blaze with the other hazards proving the real danger. My reaction was to get the neighbours to flee as soon as they could and leave the danger scene. One of these was rather stubborn and seemed more concerned with his car, house and dogs, while his young daughter screamed frightfully. With some assistance we were able to move him along but with great resistance. The first authorities on the scene were two local police who were in the area looking for some house burglars, but the sight of the blaze had them attend promptly. Both officers came running into the danger zone with intentions to clear the area but were unaware of the live powerlines lying on the ground. One of the officers was about to step on this wire and my heart felt pain and distress as he moved closer. In a desperate attempt I ran toward him yelling and pleading for him to stop. To my greatest relief he halted at my instruction and realized the tragic hazard that lay before him. I remember vividly the look in his eye as he acknowledged me for what I had done. He barely said anything obviously in a state of shock, however his eyes and his countenance said it all, and later in the night after the blaze had come under control he personally thanked me. I also remember feeling as he quickly approached the hazard a sense of sickness and distress that he was about to be fried and this despite my efforts. Luckily this was not the case.

In the moments later we discovered a man who had fallen to the ground with exhaustion and skin burns to his legs and arms to be an occupant of the house. We assisted him while questioning him about the other people in the home. He was in great pain and distress, and the other man running in circles around him and talking in distressing rants and raves came to our attention as another occupant of the burnt down home. His erratic behaviour and obvious distress led us to believe that others were in the home and so we began questioning him about this. He answered that there was his partner and kids in the home but that they had gone. His answers were unconvincing and unclear and he continued to run toward the house as if he wanted to go back in but the flames were too great. The man on the floor burnt was in a great deal of pain and discomfort and we were able to carry him further away from the smoke and fire. By this time the fire brigade began to arrive and shortly after the ambulance, police and news crew turned up. This was a sort of relief as we were powerless against the rage of this disaster. Ambulance officers began assisting the burnt man and we got some clearer indication that the other people in the house has escaped unharmed.

This man was Maori and his name was Leighton. I began speaking with him to comfort him from his pain, but also to find out for sure if the other people in the home - his family were ok. It turned out he was visiting his sister at the home and that she had escaped with the other people totally unhurt. The fact that all the residents of the home had been saved truly was a miracle.

Well this is where the story and the events become quite interesting. The next day was Sunday and I was quite tired and hoarse in the throat from the smoke and fumes. We spoke to our friends and family about the experience and spoke with relief of how people had survived. The next day my Bishop Saxon called me about a few errands he wanted me to chase up amongst my Elders Quorum. As phone conversation was coming to an end, he mentioned to me a phone call he had received from some concerned families in New Zealand about relatives of theirs in our ward boundaries who had their house burnt down. I straightaway clicked that this was probably the same people from the other night. I began to tell Bishop that I could go around to see them as I was there during the ordeal, he at first didn't click with what I was saying and so I persisted in telling him of my involvement several times until finally he clicked that I was actually there and had met some of these people. He gave me the address of where these people were now staying and I stopped right away for a visit. As I was met at the door a car pulled up with our relief society presidency Honor Morris and Silvia Kosovich who had come with meals for the family. It’s amazing how quickly the church members respond to the needs of others in a Christlike way and I was touched to see the relief society in action so fast. The lady at the door after greeting us explained that she was the mother of some of the people in the fire and invited us in. We began talking about the experience and about the family connection and it turns out she is from the same region as Mesha's family and happens to also be a less active member of the church. In the home we met with one of the women who was in the fire she was obviously still overwhelmed by the whole experience but was touched by our visit. With tears in her eyes she hugged me and thanked me personally for helping the other night and for following up with a kind visit. Maybe she and her mother weren't ready to come back to church from these experience but they had received a witness of love and faith that would stay with them forever. They were happy to see us and invited us to visit again. We also discovered in this visit a young lady Kieran who told us she had recently been baptized back in New Zealand and had been looking for a ward to attend since moving here 2 months earlier. When we gave her the details she committed to meeting with us soon. The first piece of the puzzle had begun to be put together, and I was happy to report this back to Bishop. Within the 48 hours from the fire this family had received visits from 5 or more members from our ward and also the missionaries.

Well Kieran began coming to church and has started bringing her mother Angie and baby sister along to. Although only a member for several months Kieran is so strong and committed to the gospel, her spirit is so strong and she desires for her family to also feel what she is feeling and leads them by example. And this is where things start to come together. Kieran attended a cottage meeting that Dad and the missionaries put on at the chapel one night. Our family also attended and we spoke on the importance of temples and families being untied for eternity. As we shared refreshments after the spiritual side of the evening, I ventured out to the car park probably chasing after baby or Kembry and I found sitting in the car a lady and a young child. I introduced myself to her and she told me she was Kieran’s Grandmother and was her ride home from the cottage evening. I invited her in for refreshments but she declined. I took the opportunity to meet the young kid in the back and this happened to be my first introduction to Nikora. I spoke to Dorothy about the events of a few months ago and as we spoke of the miraculous event where her family had been spared from the fire, and she told me the man that we had assisted that night Leighton, was Nikora's Dad. What a connection it was and I felt touched that this had been discovered. I brought some cake outside to Nikora and introduced him to my son Cumoram. This hopefully has become the start of good friendship but at the time it was merely just an introduction and a way of making them feel comfortable around us members. She went on to tell me that she is also a member and has friends in the church including the Hamilton family.

As the months progressed we began seeing Nikora in the street as he lives only minutes from our home. He has become very friendly and speaks to us, as friends he has know for years. He is a nice kid and he makes us feel good. It was only a matter of time before we began seeing him attend church with Kieran and her Mum, and one day as we arrived in the church car park Nikora came directly up to me asking if I was going to baptize him. After discussions with the sister missionaries who were teaching him, some social activities and attending a lesson with Nikora we prepared for his baptism.

As I said before the baptism was amazing, we did wait a little for family members to show up so we could begin the service and it was a beautiful intimate and spiritual meeting. Kieran was one of the speakers and spoke about baptism and the gift of the holy ghost, as she did tears filled her eyes as the spirit came over her, it was beautiful. As Nikora and I entered the bathroom to enter the font, he asked me why Kieran was crying. I asked him how he felt and he said he wanted to cry too. I asked him what he felt and he said sorrow but I was able to identify with him that it was actually joy and peace and the Holy Spirit testifying to him the truthfulness of what he was doing. This feeling of the spirit was one that allowed us to feel tears of joy, warmth and comfort during trials and peace and happiness. He is quite an in tune young man. The water was cold by now but there we were warm and filled with joy. After Nikora was baptized and while still in the font, I turned him to face his family and friends in the viewing area and we could see the joy and peace they could feel as the spirit testified to them also. They all smiled and the love our Heavenly father was there. It was as what I would imagine at the Saviours baptism where the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost were all there.

After his baptism Nikora was invited to share his testimony to the gathering, but had become shy and had asked me to do it instead. I got up with him and Bore my testimony and witnessed to the family and friends what was being felt. It was a wonderful service and Sione and Bishop Armitage later shared some encouraging and bold words. We later joined together for some refreshments and socializing. It was discovered that many of Nikora’s family is from the same region as Mesha's family and one of the In-law’s in fact went to school with Mesha and her brother.

The experiences of this family led us to discuss what we could do as a ward in our council meeting and many people were keen to help this family progress. I visited Dorothy after Church and my meetings on the day that I also confirmed Nikora, and spoke to her about her desires to come back into the fold. She spoke of a desire to and of her feelings for her family and their commitment to their Father in Heaven. I enjoyed my meeting with her and look forward to her and her families’ growth in the gospel. I guess the chapter ends here but there are many more to come and I look forward to seeing these unfold. I am amazed at the mysterious ways of the Lord and how his work and his glory shall come to pass.