"Thank the families.."

My Mom was in church this Sunday and emailed the following:

"..we had an exceptional speaker on Sunday; former military, interrogator in the 1st Gulf war, spent an unaccompanied tour in Korea.  While in Korea, he was called to be a branch president, very small branch, but with lots of problems.  While trying to tackle all he had to do, he was asked to go to a prayer breakfast, with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (an leader for our Church) attending.  He wasn't going to go, because of his workload and he felt Elder Holland wouldn't understand his problems, and he could accomplish more staying put.  In the end, he decided to go, piled his car with as many saints as it would hold.  Sis Holland spoke first, then Elder Holland got up, he stood there for a few moments, trying to control his emotions, and then began to speak.  Paraphrased:  I do know of the great struggles you have.  I know of the sacrifices you and your loved ones have made for our liberty and freedoms.  More importantly, the Savior knows of your many sacrifices, and if He were ever to be indebted to anyone, it would be all of you who give so much in the cause of country, family, freedom and a land to where we can worship as we please.  So on His behalf I say thank-you, for all that you do". Wow!

"He also told of an event in the 1st Gulf war as an interrogator.  The military had trained him in Russian. Now in the war, expected to get information from prisoners, who did not speak English or Russian.  So he was given 2 interpreters who had been in America, ready to go to school, and when Kuwait was invaded, signed up to help their country by helping the Americans; which they did for many months, until the conflict was mostly over.  The 2  asked if they could go into Kuwait City to find their families and make sure everything was okay with them. This brother had to get special permission to go into the city.  He said it was so hard to take them in and to see the pain in their faces upon seeing the devastation.  They came to one of the houses completely devastated, upon running in an uncle from nearby, told him that the family had gotten out before the bombing and everyone was okay.  The 2nd individual found his house in the same condition, but no one was around.  The streets were empty and silent.  He stood there for a long time, then the chieftain came out and told him that his parents were able to leave to Saudi Arabia for safety .  He asked the Americans to please come for tea.  During the next hour or so, he told of the horrors of the Iraqis.  This brother was hearing first hand what they had been doing to the men, women and children of Kuwait.  He asked this brother to do him a favor.  Anything, if I possibly can.  "Please tell everyone you meet, how grateful we are for your help, tell their families how grateful we are for their loved ones freeing us from this evil.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the church service that morning.  He is out of the service now, flies helicopters for hospitals."