Things happen when we aren't looking. When our eyes close at night, the world of life, the work of growth, the works of God (and in fact, half or more of God's creatures) go on living. I recall some time ago seeing a planting guide for a "night garden" made up of plants that flowered at night, and thus were particularly prone to fragrances and other means to attract night-active insects or other means of pollenation in the dark. I didn't undertake the create such a garden, but one plant which might well fit is this succulent that is now quite prevalent here in Vietnam as it produces a marketable fruit. Hylocereus undatus has many common names in a host of languages, from skogskactus in Swedish to Thang Long in Vietnamese. It is thought to have originated in the Americas, and I don't think was widely cultivated in Vietnam before 1975, as I certainly didn't ever see any of it's fruits in the markets then, but it is now widely available in the markets, almost year round, and has even reached the point where it is a staple on the airline food offerings regionally.
The blossoms begin with yellow streamers that open at night into a white petaled flower that then produces the pear-shaped fruit with a watermelon like texture and myriad small black seeds scattered throughout the fruit. The flesh is usually white, but recently a crimson-fleshed cultivar has appeared which is slightly sweeter and hence commands a higher price. But the most notable feature, and the reason that one would have noticed and remembered them from 1975, is that when ripe the fruits are a hot-pink color that stands out strikingly for the fruit-seller. Cannot be ignored or missed! The efforts of the local growers in Vietnam would lead me to believe that they are seeking access to the US markets, so this odd-looking fruit may find a place among other other imports like mangos and papaya. Then what began with flies and other night insects on a white flower will be evident to all.
In getting to and from Asia, there is often some night travel involved. Or at least it seems, given the lengths of time involved, that a night should have been in there somewhere! Even within Asia, overnight travel is often preferred due to the lower fares. Our group of 40+ who recently attended the Manila temple mostly took the overnight option, and Elder D, pictured below, bid his doting and supportive, though sorrowful parents, good bye near midnight, on his way to the Manila mission training center. So we go too sleep with our mind and body in one country, and wake up in a totally different environment. Perhaps that is the miracle we will experience with death one day.
The miracle of conversion also seems to happen when we are not looking at times. We do not "cause" it in any sense, we only marvel when peace is spoken in the quiet moments of reflection, sometimes between wakefulness and drowsiness. Then like Oliver Cowdery, we are bid to cast our mind upon that night when we must answer "yes" to the query "Did not I speak peace to thy heart?" The transition from one resistant to the entreaties to believe, obey or follow is often a "miracle of the night" when we are not looking.
At times, we stumble upon those whom the weathering and softening of age and experience are preparing for the truths that will change the course of their eternities. Sometimes these are the days and nights spend soldiering, serving on a battle's front that is anything but figurative. And sometimes the scars left in the ground are minimal in comparison to the scars left upon the souls of those who fought, or just witnessed. They stand in silence aside, sometimes without hope of repair, ever. But the Master is so often silently working when we are not looking, when we are sleeping. With time, with gentle tugs upon the heart strings that seemingly were knotted beyond hope of unraveling, he gradually pulls a bit here, snips another bit there, and hearts are softened, the seeds planted, and the soul once tattered and gnarled is made new again. In a country that has known so much of war for so many centuries, it is endlessly comforting to know of a Savior whose balm heals endlessly and without adverse side-effect. To receive beauty for ashes, as Isaiah said, is the promise of His plan, and it is working in the lives of many souls here, so often, when we are not looking.
But when we find them, where the miracle is ready to happen, where the seed of the Word is ready to spring forth, we know true joy.
Other comparisons could also be made. Physical growth primarily occurs at night. We put to bed a toddler, and they wake up an adolescent. A sapling retires for the night and they awaken a full grown tree, a teen turned into a young man or a young woman, exceeding so often their parent's in height, and to some points of view (often their own) in knowledge and wisdom. Some of the latter no doubt stems from the love of learning (or the external pressure for learning at times) that keeps their eyes glued to the page (or the screen) longer than older eyes can endure. Knowledge too then, is also captured so often in the late night and wee morning hours, while others slumber.
So it has been for us. We turned our hearts to the work here long ago, but so much happened when we were not looking, when as it were, we stood at the gate whilst inside the garden the agony of so much work was being done in the night, the times of trial, of suffering, of deprivation. Our efforts then were weak to do much, and perhaps now are not much more. But yet, working with priesthood keys, we do see the miracles coming, as the dawn of light and truth spreads over Southeast Asia. It is such a different place than it was 40 or 50 years ago, or even 20 years ago when the gospel was still just getting a foothold in Thailand, and barely starting to be preached in Cambodia. But much has been happening here while we were sleeping. The work of the Master has not slackened at all, but has been silently going forward in every preparatory phase, in the softening of the ground, the placement of the arbors, the supports that will sustain growth and hold up the fruits as they, now long since pollenated in that night before, mature and are laid up in store for a bounteous future.
This fellow has likewise come into our lives while we were aslumber, another miraculous blessing that is poured out to bless our lives and others, while we were not looking. His days are the obverse of ours, half a world away, so when we awake, we will rejoice again to know that the Master never slumbers nor sleeps in his efforts to pour out blessings upon his children on earth.
