Report on a miracle of a missionary who died in his first week in the field

For those who joined in fasting for this tender cause, you might like to know that the body was returned home from South Africa in less than two weeks, much less than the 3-4 weeks that it usually takes. Elder Lamping’s funeral is this Friday. 

Thank you again for remembering this family in your fasting and prayers.

Pres Lewis

Dear fellow stake leaders…

Our stake was recently touched by a very sad incident, and yet witnessed a remarkable tender mercy, too. I thought you’d enjoy hearing about it.

All of you know Sister Beth Newell, our former Stake Relief Society president. She and her husband Matt’s oldest son, Carter, was set apart just last week (the Monday before Thanksgiving) to serve in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

Tragically, with less than a week in the Missionary Training Center in South Africa, Elder Newell’s companion, Elder Zane Lamping, suddenly and inexplicably died. https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2018-11-27/young-missionary-dies-after-collapsing-at-the-south-africa-missionary-training-center-48511

Because both elders had been in the MTC such a short time, the Lamping family had not even received an email from their son before he passed away. Needless to say, it left his grief-stricken mother grasping for any information about Elder Lamping’s experience in the MTC. 

With a heavy heart, Beth reached out to the Lamping family in southern Nevada and, in the phone conversation, recognized this grieving mother’s yearning for more information about her son’s week in the MTC. 

The tender mercy...

The Newell’s son Carter seldom took photos even when he had a camera on his phone at home. In hopes he would take at least a few photos on his mission, Matt and Beth sent Carter off with a small, inexpensive digital camera—with no expectation of receiving many photos from their son.

Surprisingly, Carter got the "photo bug” immediately upon his departure and during his trip to South Africa (he met up in the Atlanta airport with Elder Lamping and the 18 missionaries all going to South Africa) and during those first days at the MTC he took LOTS of photos showing he and his companion—where they ate, slept, studied and exercised. 

So when Beth discovered a grieving Sister Lamping desperate for any information about her son’s brief MTC experience, Carter’s many photos, which he had already sent home, provided the healing balm for the Lamping family…precisely at the right time!

The next miracle the Lampings need now is to have their son’s body returned quicker than usual. 

Normally, it takes 20-25 days to process such a shipment from overseas. The Newell family has invited all of us to fast this Sunday with them asking the Lord, if it’s His will, to expedite the process and bring closure and healing sooner to the Lamping family.

Thank you for remembering the Lamping and the Newell families in our prayers and fasting this Sunday.

President Lewis