Merry Christmas! - Week 16

Like I have said before, one of the ways we celebrate holidays in the military is more exercise, so I participated in another 5k called “The Jingle Jog” on Christmas Eve (just picture a drill sergeant yelling, MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOW RUN 3.2 MILES!). 

I enjoyed running alongside people dressed as Santa, reindeer, the Grinch, and just ugly Christmas sweaters in general. Ironically, even though I am not much of a fan of running, the shared experience does help me feel connected to those around me.

I am so grateful for my beloved wife who worked so hard this Christmas season to make it special for our children by doing all the shopping, activity planning, organizing, and execution of our holiday traditions. She even sent me a Christmas package with decorations to keep my office a little more festive, and some presents for me to open on Christmas Day. I am amazed at how much she loves people through her service and time.

Fortunately, I was able to video chat with her and the children during their Christmas Eve festivities and for Christmas morning to see the excitement in the kids’ faces as they opened their presents. I definitely loved seeing my daughters dressed in the Middle Eastern gifts I sent them, and my son’s excitement of his new Nintendo Switch I finally caved in to buy for him this year. I am so grateful that I was still able to feel connected with them during this time even though I am halfway around the world.

I’m not sure exactly when it happened but at some point, during my maturity to adulthood, I went from looking forward to Christmas for the gifts I anticipated receiving to the gifts I anticipated giving. I think it may have been during my missionary service in Brazil, which was a time of major growth for me. I no longer focused on receiving but giving. I remember giving the only thing I had to my family that year, my testimony of Christ who I was representing at that time. 

After marrying and having children, I enjoyed giving to others even more. I’ve come to find out that “gifts” is the lowest of my Love Languages anyway, so I don’t really need anything for Christmas. I am content to only give and focus on the gifts I have already received from my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ.

I was able to give my time by serving the big holiday meal on Christmas Day. I got to be the one serving the most traditional part of the meal: turkey and ham!

I loved wishing people a Merry Christmas as they came through the line and then handing out dozens of handwritten Christmas Cards sent by volunteers back home in the states and some of them from our church in Salt Lake.

I think I love giving so much more now because it feels like I am better connecting with the spirit of Christmas, which is really the Spirit of Christ. Christ and our Heavenly Father love giving us gifts as well, and the most sacred and important gifts we will ever receive come from Them, so is it any wonder that we feel like giving as well when we feel Their presence through The Spirit?

Merry Christmas to all of you and I hope you feel the true Spirit of Christmas!

In His Service,

Chaplain John Critchfield

Military Christmas Fireside - Week 15

This week I have been traveling again. We got stuck for an extra two days in one of our layover locations because the military travel COVID test policy was updated when we were in mid-flight… But instead of getting upset, I reminded myself that there are no coincidences and took advantage of the situation. 

We had a local Chaplain and his assistant come pick us up and we got a tour of a local town and got to eat at an amazing Middle Eastern Restaurant. 

I love going new places and experiencing things like this, so it was a great way to spend a layover. I also had a chance to catch up with an old roommate from my training location back in the U.S. before we deployed together. I’m sure that is one of the reasons I was delayed here.

Also, because of these circumstances I was up in the middle of the night when the live stream event of “Christmas With The Chosen” first aired on YouTube, so I watched it live. I’m sure it was a sight to see a grown Soldier in uniform trying to hide the fact that he was crying in a military airport while looking at his phone at 4 a.m.! But it was beautiful, and I hope you all get to see it: "Christmas With The Chosen: The Messengers" - YouTube

Today we had a fireside with the local Stake Presidency on Zoom. We have been working together to connect with all the local Service Member Groups of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in three different countries. We had a few Service Members pre-record Christmas Hymns, and I gave a message that I’ve been preparing for the last couple of weeks. I definitely felt divinely inspired to write and give this message. It is included below if you are interested in reading it.

The counselor of the Stake Presidency in charge of military relations also gave a beautiful message that was devoted to thanking Service Members for our sacrifices and standing for good and for Christ in the midst of these types of circumstances. I’m so grateful we were able to have this event, and it will be remembered as one of the highlights of this deployment.

I also took advantage of the Bob Hope reading program at the USO again here this week and recorded myself reading to my family “The Night Before Christmas.” So I say to all of you as well: “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

In His Service,

Chaplain John Critchfield

Christmas Sermon 2021

I am grateful to President Willden who recommended this fireside and helped coordinate this so that we can connect together as we are far away from home. I hope we can get a sense of how many of us are united together in this deployed environment as we connect our Groups of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints here in this format. I am grateful for the technology that makes this possible.

Several of us had the opportunity last week to attend a Christmas Party in the local Ward and it felt great to celebrate this Season with other families. I think that feeling of connection is very important for all of us right now, which is one of the reasons why we are doing this today. 

I don’t know about all of you, but this is my first deployment. I have spoken with many of you who are in their first deployment as well, and some of you have been through several. Besides my two years as a missionary in Brazil, this is my first time away from my family for the holidays. Although those two Christmases in Brazil were some of my most memorable, this feels different. I now have a beloved wife and four children at home who are going through all the holiday traditions without me. 

I sometimes catch myself wishing I could be there with them during this time, making gingerbread houses, singing Christmas Carols, doing acts of service, watching Christmas movies, going to play in the snow, reading the story of the Nativity from the Scriptures on Christmas Eve while we all act it out, opening presents on Christmas morning and seeing the excitement on their faces, playing with them and the new toys they received throughout the following days, playing games together as a family etc. I feel a longing for family connection during this time, and yes, it feels like I am sacrificing my time with them to be here. 

I have been reflecting on this word often lately: “Sacrifice.” Joseph Smith was often quoted to say, “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”  The Lord said, “Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice.”  The word sacrifice comes from the Latin words sacer, which means “sacred,” and facere, which means “to make” – in other words, to make things sacred, to bring honor to them.  This suggests that that which we sacrifice for becomes sacred to us.

We must remember that sacrifice is much more meaningful when we remember what we are giving to the Lord, instead of reflecting on what we are giving up.  I believe we are all making sacrifices to the Lord to serve our Country, to protect the cause of freedom, and the principles we hold dear that were ordained by God. 

When I reflect on the meaning of Christmas and the Nativity, I think of all those who sacrificed much for that wonderous event that changed the course of human history; in an austere place that we are all now much closer to than most of us will ever be during our entire lives.

I think of the young teenage virgin Mary who, having become pregnant before she was legally married to her betrothed Joseph, sacrificed her reputation of virtue in her community and among her family so that she could be “The handmaid of The Lord” and be subject to His will.  She sacrificed time from her family and community to be with her cousin Elizabeth through much of her pregnancy. I remember how uncomfortable my wife sounded on the 45-minute car ride to the hospital in the middle of the night as her contractions started in preparation for the birth of our first child. I can only imagine the sacrifices Mary made to ride for days on a donkey to give birth in a dirty stable with no hospital, no physician, no midwife, no family other than the comfort of her husband, Joseph, and a promise from The Lord through the Angel Gabriel.

I think of the sacrifices of Joseph, who trusted in the promise of the Angel and took Mary to wife despite knowing she was pregnant before they were married. They must have had a secret wedding so as not to call attention to the matter. He sacrificed to bring his beloved Mary on a five-day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, no doubt worried about her condition, frustrated about the lack of room in the inn, and trying to do his best to care for his wife in her moment of labor and pain. As a carpenter, I doubt he had much training in delivering a child, yet he sacrificed for his wife and for that Child to be brought into the world. I can empathize with Joseph’s sacrifices a little more now knowing what it feels like to try and care for my family, despite feeling completely helpless or powerless to do so and simply trusting in the Lord to help me fulfill that divine responsibility.

I think of the Shepherds who sacrificed time with their flock to “go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And… came with haste… [and then] they made it known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”  If you know anything about ancient shepherds in this area of the world at that time, leaving their flock was indeed a great sacrifice for they loved their sheep and cared for them, often at the risk of their own lives. 

I think of the Wise Men from the east who somehow were familiar with the prophecies of the King of the Jews who was to be born and that a new star would appear at his birth.  They sacrificed to make what appears to be a two-year journey to seek this Child. They sacrificed gifts of great worth: gold, frankincense, and myrrh,  all of which were gifts fit for a king. And if they were well enough off to afford gifts like these and be referred to as “wise men,” they must have also been sacrificing the comforts of home to make such a perilous journey through the desert we are now living in.

I think of Simeon, a “man [who] was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.”  We are not told how long he had to wait, but he apparently sacrificed much of his time in prayer and pondering to receive the revelation that he would see the Lord’s Christ before he should die, and came by that same Spirit to the temple to await the coming of the Holy One of Israel.  He was filled with the Spirit as he prophesied in the temple that day and blessed Mary and Joseph.

I think of Anna who was there that day with Simeon and was a widow for 84 years and sacrificed all her time to be at that temple to “serve God with fastings and prayers night and day.”  She would have been forgotten completely in history, but because of her sacrifices for decades, she has been preserved in history as a “prophetess…and gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”  She lived to testify of the Messiah and invite all there that day to look unto Him for hope and salvation. I hope I can do my part to do the same as her. 

I am sure there are others who are not preserved in the scriptural account who also made sacrifices for the coming of our Lord into the world. 

But above all, I think of Him who made the sacrifice to condescend from his place at the right hand of the Father, the Creator “who laid the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and move, and have a being,” , the Firstborn of the Father in the Spirit, and the One who volunteered before the heavenly hosts to be our Savior. The One in whom we trusted in order to choose the Father’s plan and come to this earth knowing He would come here to join us too. The One who would live a sinless life and be sacrificed as the Lamb of God to atone for all of God’s children and bring us back with Him to the Father if we would simply look to Him and choose Him. 

I think of His sacrifices he came here to experience in which he suffered “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind [that he may] take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And… take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and… take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know how to succor his people according to their infirmities… [He] suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance.”  

I think of His sacrifice that he described in His own words: “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink – Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.”   

I think of the sacrifice that a perfect and exalted Father made to send His Only Begotten Son in the flesh into this fallen world, in the humblest of circumstances that surely was not deserving of the King of Kings but was a part of the plan according to His condescension. And why would He do this? Because “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” 

Love. That is the reason and purpose behind all of these sacrifices. God loves us, Jesus loves us, every person in the story of the Nativity did what they did out of love. So, as I ponder on the small sacrifices I am making here in this deployed environment, I am honored to make them for my family whom I love, for my Country which I love, for all of you whom I love, for the principles of freedom which I love, and above all, for the God and Savior whom I love. These things and the people I am sacrificing for are even more sacred to me now. 

I invite each of us to reflect on our sacrifices and give them to God in love, instead of focusing on what we are giving up, especially during this Christmas Season, so that our sacrifices may become more sacred to us all. May the love of God and the love of Christ fill our hearts this time of year, and always; and I hope we continue to share that love with others. I testify that Christ lived, and died, and lived again for all of us, that He still lives today and leads this Church, that He is ever with us in our “afflictions of every kind,” and that He is waiting with open arms to welcome us back into His presence as we follow His covenant path. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Celebrating The Holiday Season In The Middle East - Week 14

Every Sunday night the local Service Member Group of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been getting together to watch the television series “The Chosen” about the disciples of Jesus Christ during His ministry. We are SO EXCITED that we get to watch the special Christmas episode that has been playing in theaters the last couple of weeks, because they are going to make it free on their App. I am in the process of reserving a local building so we can invite the whole installation to come watch it with us on Sunday December 26. Seeing how the original apostles and disciples are portrayed gives me hope that with all my weaknesses and mistakes I too can be one of God’s chosen to represent Jesus and do the ministry He has called me to do.

We were invited to the local Church Christmas Party this weekend and had a great time. Eight of us were able to go and celebrate with singing Christmas hymns, watching the Nativity portrayed by the local Primary Children, and eating some great local food.

It felt wonderful to celebrate the birth of our Savior with local families in the middle of an area of the world where Christmas is not usually celebrated. We have tried to help the Service Members here feel like they are still part of a family and look forward to some more festivities to come.

This week I had a few people come to me at random times wanting to talk or work through some things, including the Rabbi we have visiting here to support Hanukkah. I have come to love this man and his heart for ministry to Soldiers and wanting to do the best he can to represent his faith and show God’s love to all. 

One of the Officers I met with recently had a Soldier under his leadership who stayed behind in The States during the deployment and just died by suicide this week. As a leader, he had looked after this Soldier for many years in the same National Guard unit and tried to help him the best that he could. He was heavily burdened with feelings of guilt and anger and thoughts of what he could have done more to help this man. 

He is also one of those that doesn’t let his feelings out very well, so I provided some reflective listening to help him recognize and express his emotions. I asked him to address this Soldier as if he were still here and get all his anger, guilt, and regret out. I asked if he thought this Soldier would hold him responsible for his own death, and he denied he would. I reminded him that we cannot hold ourselves responsible for other people’s choices, or information we have now that we didn’t have at the time. 

I invited him to recognize this unnecessary burden he was carrying and to let it go through forgiving this man. I had to help him try several times before he was able to get out those words, “I forgive you.” Then the emotions poured out. I knew he would finally start to allow the healing to begin. 

I could tell he was not a faith-based person, but just coming to me because he knew I had a counseling background. But I know that all burdens are carried by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and all healing really comes through Him. I know that forgiveness is one of the best ways to access that healing, as Christ can then become our advocate. I testify of His love for all, regardless of their beliefs, background, choices, or mistakes. I love this Christmas season that helps us all to remember Him a little more and allow His love to be in our hearts.

In His Service,
Chaplain John Critchfield

Happy Hanukkah and Happy Birthday Leah! - Week 13

This week was my youngest child’s birthday. Leah turned 6 years old. My baby is getting so big! I sent her a stuffed camel (she loves stuffed animals and has an entire zoo in her room), but she was missing a camel, which they have plenty of here where I am.

I also participated in the Bob Hope Reading program here at the USO (which I am so thankful for), where they donate books I am able to read to her on video and then send the book and the recording home in the mail. She loved it!

I was sad I didn’t get to be there with her, but happy she was happy and could hopefully feel that connection with me through those gifts while we are apart.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to speak at our LDS Service Member Group Sacrament Meeting. I spoke on Elder Sikahema’s General Conference talk from this last October entitled “A House of Sequential Order” (churchofjesuschrist.org) and described the transcendent events of the beginning of the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ. I described the importance of the sequential order of those events, and how each of us must have the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored within us throughout our lives in similar order. 

Ultimately, we each must first come to understand our divine identity and the divine identity of the God who created us. Then we must come to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His role in the plan of God for all of us. Then we receive covenants through the priesthood wherein we can follow God, feel His power in our lives and be born again in Christ. Then we participate in the work of the Church as we serve and strengthen one another, as well as bring the Gospel to all of God’s children, on both sides of the veil. Then we can receive a fullness of God’s blessings in His holy temples.

As we continue on the covenant path throughout our lives, we must continue to restore these truths within us, and share them with others, to receive a fullness of joy in this life and in the next.

I had the opportunity to participate in the opening night of Hanukkah last Sunday with a Chaplain who is also a Rabbi. He taught us of the history of the holiday and the significance of it in our lives today. We lit the menorah, played the dreidel game, and ate traditional Jewish treats. It was a neat experience.

I also met a member of our church who just deployed here recently. Her Battalion Commander asked if anyone from our faith would be willing to come and pray for their unit and over their headquarters building. The next day, I had the opportunity to meet her commander and listen to her story. She is well educated and spiritually inclined, has experienced many religions through her family members, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

She described the concerns of her unit, the transitions they were in the middle of, and the mission they are called to do. She discussed her concerns about how she could best lead them and asked for a blessing. Even though I described how I have the priesthood and can give a personal blessing, she asked for one more for the unit. So I prayed with her and her Captain, who was our church member in her office, to invoke a blessing upon her, her unit, and their office space. I followed the promptings of the Spirit and honestly don’t remember most of what I said. But I felt the power of the Spirit working through me and hope that she felt and will continue to feel that power in her life throughout their mission.

After that, the Captain asked for a priesthood blessing as well. I did so and felt prompted to bless her with comfort and reassurance regarding her family back home; that as long as she is faithful to her covenants, the power that comes from those covenants will bless her family and give her peace. She described after the blessing through tears what that meant to her as she shared her concerns about her family, which I had no idea about earlier. I testified to her that God knows every challenge and concern she faces and blessed her with these things for a reason.

It felt amazing to be an instrument in God’s hands once again this week!

In His Service,
Chaplain John Critchfield

Happy Thanksgiving! - Week 12

The highlight of this week was Thanksgiving. It wasn’t the same without hearing my brothers’ flatulence and burps, or my kids doing the same thing, or family stories of inside jokes, or my mom trying to hold back a cry when starting to describe what she is grateful for… but it was still an interesting event that was unique to a deployed environment.

I started the day at 4:30 a.m. getting registered for the Turkey Trot and ran a 5k. I don’t normally do that, but apparently that’s how they celebrate any holiday in the military: GO RUN SOME MORE! But at least I got the t-shirt and felt a little more justified stuffing my face later in the day.

And for anyone feeling pity for service members who are away from their families during the holidays, they certainly treat us well and had some great food. They went all out on the decorations and made it fun.

I was able to talk to my family that night (morning their time) to wish them Happy Thanksgiving, and even stayed on the phone when Dana and the kids got to her parent’s house to say hello before the “Big Meal.”

I am grateful for so much this year. I am thankful for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for my membership in His church. I am grateful for my relationship to God and the knowledge of His role in the Divine Plan. I am eternally grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, for His Church on the earth, and the Book of Mormon which clarifies the Doctrine of Christ. 

I am grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith and his role and sacrifices in bringing forth the restoration of the gospel so that I could have these truths in my life today. I am grateful for the priesthood and the keys which have been restored in the latter-days. I am so grateful for the temple covenants which bind me to the Lord, my wife, and my children for time and all eternity. It gives me comfort to know that no matter what happens, as long as I remain faithful to those covenants I made to God and my wife, everything will be okay in the end. 

I am grateful for this great nation which I serve today, and the inspired Constitution of the United States which I have sworn to defend and protect. I am so grateful for all the friends and family members who have helped to support my family during this time of separation. May God bless you all for your prayers, service, and love you have shown us during this time.

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield

Let's Get This Show On The Road! - Week 11

This week I have had the opportunity to travel to a few other countries to fulfill my mission. I have been providing training in Religious Operations and Moral Leadership/Conflict Management to Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists. I also get to check in with other LDS Service Member Groups and make sure they have what they need to continue operating.

Today I am at a military installation in the middle of nowhere, and the last LDS Group Leader just left to go back home this week, but there are still a couple of new service members who just got here and are attending the group. They have not designated a new Group Leader yet, so I was in the right place at the right time to make sure I could offer the sacrament to them, as I am authorized to do so.

I also had a good chat with some of them after the service. One of them is an Air Force Dentist and the other is a pilot. I enjoyed getting to know them, their challenges, and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has helped them in their trials. One of them, who just got here and will be here for several months, is already in the process of becoming the next Group Leader. So, I provided some training on roles and responsibilities and how Distinctive Religious Group Leaders operate (DRGLs as we call them in the Army; everything has to have an acronym!).

A few days ago, I had the privilege of presenting some of my material on Conflict Management along with one of the local officers who was giving a Cultural Orientation briefing. This man was amazing and became a friend within the short time we spent together. I had some time to talk to him before our presentations. He was born in this country but was raised in the Midwest of the United States, so he is a dual citizen. He shared with me his experiences of growing up around very kind people where he never felt discriminated against (except briefly after 9/11). He was educated in a U.S. University where he received a graduate degree in music. His musical specialty is the piano and lute.

What I also found fascinating was what he shared about religion. He stated, “Muslims and Jews, even some denominations of Christianity, often think they are The Chosen people. But from my experience, I believe that Americans are The Chosen people. They have been blessed by God to be delivered from oppression and enjoy the freedoms they do, as well as protect the freedoms of other countries. Only God himself can take a country that represents only 5% of the world’s population and make such a positive influence through them to the rest of the world.”

He also shared how he has attended Christian churches before, even though he is a devout Muslim. People are often confused by this, but he reminds them, “According to my book (the Koran), Jesus will return to save the world. So yes, I believe in Jesus too.” I felt a kindred spirit with this man, and I am better already for having met him.

I am really enjoying traveling and getting to know new people, experiencing other cultures, providing meaningful training to help people with their relationships, and gathering with the Saints in the remote areas of the world. I believe that I am right where God needs me to be right now to be an influence for good, and in the case of my new friend, to be influenced by people from other parts of the world as fellow children of God.

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield

Veteran's Day and a Baptism - Week 10

I have been in the Army Reserve for over 12 years now. Every Veteran’s Day I often accept free meals or car washes, or whatever businesses are willing to give Veterans for free. I do this mostly because I am a frugal person and I like free stuff. But to be honest, I still felt a little guilty because I had never deployed before or gone through the hardships that other Veterans have, who are really the ones who have earned those charitable donations of gratitude. 

Although, if I added up all the time I have spent away from my family in the past 12 years before this deployment, it would total just over a year already. I have missed birthdays, anniversaries, the birth of one of my children, and a few years ago Dana moved from our rental house into our new home while I was away for a two-week military training. But I still didn’t feel like a full Veteran yet. 

This year that changed. I didn’t get any freebies, but I was able to celebrate the day starting with a Prayer Breakfast, which included all the ceremonial things the military does like The National Anthem, a spiritual message, a moment of silence, and prayer.

I went to another special ceremony at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month where we heard more patriotic messages, and we were treated to a barbeque. This was the first Veteran’s Day I felt like I had earned the title of Veteran.

Being away from my family has been challenging for me. This is the longest time I have ever spent away from them. I am grateful I get to talk to them nearly every day, but it also means I am more involved in the challenges they face each day without being able to do much about it except listen, encourage, and pray for them. So, I do my best to pour myself into the work here, like President Hinkley used to teach, and that has been a huge blessing.

One of the fruits of that labor has been the baptism of one of our young Soldiers here. (I have mentioned him in previous weekly updates). I have been sitting in on the lessons with him as he Zoom calls with missionaries back in the states. We often spend another 30 minutes or so talking about the missionary lesson after the call and expounding more on the principles, because he asks me many questions he doesn’t ask the missionaries. It has been a wonderful experience for both of us as I feel The Spirit teaching us both during those conversations. 

Well, the day finally came when he was able to be baptized! Members from the local area, and 10 Soldiers from our Service Member Group came together, and we were able to do the ordinance in a swimming pool. He was so ecstatic, and I loved seeing his enthusiasm for the Gospel. Everyone who knows him can tell that Jesus Christ has changed his life, and he genuinely wants to follow Him the rest of his life.

I feel honored I was able to play a small part in his conversion story, and I can’t wait to witness the rest of his story as it unfolds. I can see this young man growing to be a great husband, father, and righteous priesthood leader one day.

These are the moments that make being a Chaplain worth it all!

In His service,
CH John Critchfield

Happy Birthday - Week 9

Last Sunday after church I received a text from one of the LDS members here who I noticed had not been at church that day when his attendance is usually regular. He mentioned having some struggles, and I asked if I could meet with him immediately because I felt impressed that he needed immediate support. So, I met with him at the chapel tent and let him pour out his heart. He described the history and status of his current struggles. I listened and shared some scriptures with him. We agreed to meet weekly to continue working through this challenge. We discussed the difference between spiritual healing, which can happen very quickly, and physical healing, which can take time. I felt strongly that this is one of the people I was sent to minister to during my time here.

I received an email from an unfamiliar Soldier the next day asking if we could meet. When we met the following day I asked how she knew me, and it turns out she works with the LDS member I just mentioned who shared that I am a Chaplain and mental health counselor. So, I guess the word is spreading. We had a fruitful session on how to deal with workplace conflict and feeling overwhelmed. In fact, I was asked by my supervisors to put together a leadership development training on conflict management which I will present next week, so it was already fresh on my mind. I love teaching people about the Arbinger Institute principles, which is some of the best curriculum I have seen on positive leadership and change. (If you are not familiar, I strongly recommend their books at Arbinger.com)

I have continued to sit in with our young Soldier’s missionary lessons whom I mentioned last week. He has set a date for baptism and is progressing well. After each missionary lesson he has some additional questions for me, as he seems to process out loud. I felt impressed to share with him Moses Chapter 1, when Moses had great spiritual experiences, was taught about his divine identity, and then was tempted by Satan immediately afterward. I showed him how Moses was able to overcome through prayer, remembering his divine identity, and his relationship to Christ. He shared how meaningful this was to him at this point in his progression.

Yesterday was the first time I have been away from home for my birthday since my mission 18 years ago. I started the morning on WhatsApp video chat with my family as they sang to me, and they watched me open their package full of cards and gifts.

I have some great decorations on my closet now!

My Chaplain supervisor and Chaplain Assistant took me out to dinner at a local food truck, and I just about fell into a sugar coma since I have been avoiding sugar for the last 4 weeks. But it was a good way to spend a birthday, even though I am far from home. 

Thanks everyone for the Happy Birthday wishes on Facebook. (I read through them, but I don’t post anything). Here’s to another year of life in which to serve The Lord and do His work on this earth!

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield

"My sheep hear my voice... and they follow me" (John 10:27) - Week 8

This last week it was my turn to lead the discussion in Sunday School for our LDS Service Member Group. The lesson was on Joseph Smith’s wrongful imprisonment in Liberty Jail and the revelations he received at that time. It was a good reminder for me of enduring well despite challenges, and that all these challenging experiences are for my good and help me come closer to God; a price I am willing to pay. 

It also reminded me of how helpless and powerless Joseph must have felt, and then the Lord gives him a revelation on how His power really works: through gentleness, kindness, love and charity, and virtue. These principles bring the power of the Priesthood to life, and we can see their influence. It helps me while I am feeling somewhat powerless on the other side of the world when my family is going through challenges. I sincerely appreciate all the friends and family who have been there to support and show charity to my family in my absence.

I have been privileged to become familiar with a young Soldier here who was introduced to the Church by some miraculous experiences, and a special group of friends he came to know, just before his deployment. He started the missionary lessons before deploying, and I was able to coordinate with Church Headquarters for him to continue those lessons online with the missionaries back home. 

I have been sitting in on the lessons with him, and I have watched as he has stood and born his testimony in Church of the things he knows to be true so far, and the things he is still working on gaining a testimony of. He even volunteered to give the talk in church today and did an amazing job! It is obvious that The Lord has prepared him to receive the Gospel at this time in his life. I see the excitement in him as he continues to hunger and thirst for the words of Christ which have brought so much joy into his life when, previously, he was looking for it in the wrong places.

The local Church Ward invited us to a Halloween party yesterday, and he wanted to go, so the two of us went and met the local Bishop. I wanted to introduce them because the bishop here will oversee this young man’s baptismal interview and ordinance. We had a great time playing games with the local families here that are from at least 10 different countries. 

As we drove back to our installation, we discussed some of his questions regarding prophets, gaining a witness of true principles, and learning to understand the Spirit. His talk today was on the difference between doubts and questions. He bore a sincere testimony of his desire to choose to believe, and how he had already had the chance to defend his faith against doubters.

I have met many people in the last couple of months who are listening to The Shepherd and doing their best to follow Him. I am honored to follow Him myself, and I am loving the experience of seeing Him gather His sheep “from the four corners of the earth, even as many as will believe in [him] and hearken to [his] voice.” (D&C 33:6) I hope I can continue to be a part of the gathering in some way.

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield

"...The Lord Looketh on the Heart" (1 Samuel 16:7) - Week 7

This week I had the privilege of traveling to another military installation about two hours away from where I am stationed, with the mission of providing services to a small group of Latter-Day Saints there and finding a new Group Leader to recommend to the local Stake President for sustaining. The day before traveling was kind of a hard day, with heavy thoughts and emotions, and I could recognize at the time that Satan was trying to derail me from completing my mission with the companionship of The Spirit. Seeing it that way helped me endure well with the power of God, as I prayed earnestly for His help to endure well and prepare for this mission.

So, my Chaplain Assistant and I drove out there (which looked like a barren desert with a few tents by the way, no vegetation whatsoever, and reminded me of Tatooine from Star Wars).

I met the local Chaplain there, and he was very happy to see me because he wanted to make sure the LDS group was taken care of as well. It turns out they had a Group Leader for the last couple of months who had just left, and they did not have another identified yet, so Military Relations at Church Headquarters asked me to help them identify someone. 

I read 1 Samuel 16 a couple of times in preparation, because that is when the Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem to identify the next king of Israel, who ended up being David. I showed up early and got set up in a small building they usually meet in. As I started talking to the few members who trickled in before we got started, all the while I kept praying in my heart, “Lord, who do you want to be the next Group Leader?” There was only six who showed up, one of whom was an investigator. 

As I helped lead them in the hymns, blessed the sacrament, and then gave a talk on “Enduring to the End,” I kept wondering who The Lord wanted. I knew I wouldn’t get some lightning bolt from heaven or direct message like Samuel did. I kept looking at each of the priesthood holders there, and repeated their names in my mind, which I had just learned moments earlier. One particular person’s name kept popping into my mind.

As we were cleaning up after the service, I gave a priesthood blessing to one of the soldiers who had requested it. I remember blessing him to search for the Gift of the Spirit that he most needed to help him endure at this time, to be faithful to his covenants, and the Lord would bless him with what he needed. (I love giving priesthood blessings by the way, because I get a little glimpse of the way the Lord feels toward each of these precious sons and daughters of His. I am filled with love each time I do).

Then one person offered to help me put away the materials we were using for the service, and it was him whose name kept coming to my mind. In the storage room I stopped and told him, “I have been sent here with a request from Salt Lake to identify someone who could be recommended as the next Group Leader. As I have prayed and pondered, The Lord keeps giving me your name. I believe He wants you to serve as the next Group Leader here. Would you be willing to accept this call if it is extended?” He seemed a bit surprised but agreed. I spent some time educating him on what those responsibilities would entail, where to find more information, and reassured him I would help him, as would The Lord. I reminded him of what President Monson used to say, “Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.” He has since been approved and is now serving his first Sunday as the Group Leader there.

That night I was able to get together with a few other members of our group back on my installation to watch The Chosen TV series. We reserved a tent with a projector every Sunday evening to watch episodes and talk about it as kind of a Family Home Evening. One of the guys there was talking about some of his PTSD (in the context of how despite Mary Magdalene’s past, The Lord healed her by casting out evil spirits from her). He said he had been to counselors before, and never would again because of his past experience with the last one. I kind of pulled him aside as we were leaving and said “Hey, if you ever want to talk, as a Chaplain I’m here to listen.” 

We walked back home together, and he began to pour out his heart to me. We sat on a bench as he shared his story and began to weep. I thanked him for sharing his story with me and assured him that God is aware of his past, loves him still, and connected how his past trauma has helped him to help others already. I reassured him that God has a plan for him and can use him and his past to bring light into other’s lives. I also reminded him that when he holds up that light for others, it also illuminates his own path. I made sure he had my information for further contact as he thanked me several times.

I know The Lord was able to use me as an instrument in His hands that day. I also know that Satan knew I would have some spiritual experiences and tried to take my ability to feel the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I also know that The Lord is more powerful and can deliver us from evil influences, and in the case of my new friend, even when evil things happen to us, He can use all things together for the good of those who love Him. 

The Lord knew the heart of that Soldier, and that he was trying his best despite such awful things that have happened to him. He knew the heart of that Soldier whom He had prepared to be the next Group Leader. He also knows my heart and how I want so much to be an instrument in His hands whenever he needs me, despite my weaknesses. He knows your heart too, and can be there for you whenever you let Him in.  

In His Service,
CH John Critchfield