Heroes!

Jacob de Jager

This is a picture of my companion, Sister Clark, Jacob de Jager, and me, when I was serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Texas many years ago. (Sorry, its out of focus.)

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As a missionary I would meet with many other missionaries often, these meetings were called Zone Conferences. We would gather to be taught and spiritually fed by wonderful leaders. One of the leaders I adored was Jacob de Jager. He was born in the Netherlands. He had a great accent, and a gift in expressing himself.

What a wonderful man. He was a spiritual giant. When he spoke I would be writing notes, and taking it all in as well as possible, hoping to be able to read what I wrote, and think about what he said again, and again.

On one occasion, a few of us missionaries were in one of the rooms of the church making copies and getting ready for the meeting that was about to start. Elder de Jager came in the room. We all stopped what we were doing to see him. He tip toed through the middle of the other missionaries, with his index finger up to his lips to say “Shhh.” When he got to me, he hugged me. He passed all of the other missionaries to give me a hug. Let me just say, these men usually don’t hug everyone.

He must have known I needed it.

Another neat thing that happened was when we were trying to get pictures with our Zone and it was confusing for a minute and then I kinda took charge and started organizing people and saying things like, “You stand here.” And “you two move closer together.” I’m organizing and bossing people around while my mission president and Jacob de Jager watch. It was funny, because a few minutes after, they both looked at each other and said I was going to be a good Mama and leader in my life. I loved that!

When he was around I always felt very special and important. One time he offered to do the ceremony, later, when I got married. I tried to call him to ask if he was available about a year or so later when I did get married, but he was out of the country. It’s ok, I knew he loved me. He loved everyone. He was an example of a true disciple of Christ. What a blessing to have these wonderful memories. I am so thankful I met, and got to know my hero Jacob de Jager.

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