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A Special Temple Visit

 

This week we visited the Provo temple in the morning before school started for Camille. She and Scott did baptisms while I did initiatories. When I walked into the temple, the woman at the desk had a nametag that said "Helen Hull." I suddenly remembered that I had a seminary teacher with that last name back when I was in 10th grade. I had a thought to ask her if her husband taught seminary and she said, Yes! I told her that he was my seminary teacher about 40 years ago! (I guess that makes me pretty old!) I asked her if he was still alive--because when he was my teacher he seemed kind of old but that's how it is when you're 15--everyone seems old. She said he was working in the temple that morning! She asked my name and I told her to tell him hello. That was a fun way to start my visit. But it got even better!

After I was done, I met Camille out in the waiting room where Scott had left her when they finished nd he went to work. She told me that after they did baptisms, they went into the confirmation room and saw Dr. Stoddard! Dr. Stoddard was one of Camille's doctors when she was in the Utah Valley NICU for so many months. He retired from working at the NICU about 9 years ago. Scott and I have seen him several times at the Provo temple because he works as a sealer there. He is one of the nicest men in the world and always greets us very warmly like he's so happy to see us. But he hasn't seen Camille since she was very small.

Here is a picture of him with his wife when he was called to be a mission president to Germany in 2014:

So Scott introduced Dr. Stoddard to Camille and told her how Dr. Stoddard gave her a blessing when she was a very tiny baby, critically ill and close to dying. She was 11 days old and her bowel had perforated and her whole body was going toxic--one of the nurses later told me she didn't expect Camille to survive. They had to send her to Primary's to get the surgery she needed and Dr. Stoddard gave her a blessing to survive the transport and get the care she needed. I'm sure he gave many blessings to babies in the NICU.

So back to the present time, Scott told Dr. Stoddard he could do the confirming for Camille instead of Scott so he did. Scott asked him if he often worked in the baptistry and Dr. Stoddard said, no, he rarely worked there. He also said, there are no coincidences, just tender mercies. It was a special moment for Camille to be there with Dr. Stoddard in the temple and to feel a little bit of God's love for her.

I wish I could have gotten a picture of Camille with Dr. Stoddard but you'll just have to imagine it.

Camille then:

Camille now:



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