Doing the Lord's Errand in Sierra Leone

We received our missionary call to Sierra Leone Freetown on one condition: that Eldon pass a stress test five months after his stent operation last November.

We were nervous.

What if all that Eldon could do--eat right and exercise so he could sustain a raised heartbeat for some minutes--wasn't enough and it turned out that he still couldn't pass the stress test. Perhaps the stress test would reveal more artery damage.  How would we face our friends, family, and ward with failure?

On April 20th, with prayers and trepidation we showed up at the Central Utah Clinic. It had been
five months from the stent operation in November.  We figured if  E didn't pass this time then we'd have a few weeks longer for second chances.

Eldon got electronically hooked up as if he were a condemned man ready to get zapped in the electric chair.  He started walking on the treadmill with the doctor continually checking the readout.  After about every four minutes the treadmill increased in speed and incline.  His target heartrate was 132.  After about 15 minutes --hallelujah -- he reached the coveted 132 and even sailed past it.

The doctor and I couldn't find any abnormalities (I was looking at the readout too) and he said Eldon did very well.  We passed!!  Hallelujah, we are going to Sierra Leone --unless, of course, sometime before May 24th  we're attacked by terrorists or swept away by a flooding Utah Lake or buried by that earthquake which isn't just an 'if" but a 'when.'