In 1884, my great-grandfather, John Kunz III, received a mission call from President John Taylor over the pulpit during the October general conference. John Kunz, a convert of 13 years, had immigrated from Switzerland to Bern, in southeast Idaho, 10 years prior to this call. With only two weeks to prepare and just $5 in his pocket, Grandpa left his family and began his journey to Switzerland to serve what turned out to be 2 1/2 years. Grandpa kept a daily journal of his mission, and in that journal, he often wondered if any of God's children would ever benefit from his sacrifice.

Several years ago, after deciding to down-size my construction business, I had a tractor and scraper listed for sale in a four-state publication. Several weeks after the listing, Val Schwendiman, a potato farmer, called me and expressed an interest. Because the equipment was on a project, we arranged to meet and travel together to the job site for the inspection.

On the appointed day, he and I met and traveled for several hours. He told me a little about his business, but mostly we talked about his family and the gospel. He told me of how several of his sons had served missions and where they served. He shared with me some of the successes of those missionary efforts.

About midway through the trip, I asked Brother Schwendiman where his name originated. He replied, "It's a Swiss name. My family came from Switzerland."

I then explained to him that I, too, have a family line from Switzerland and told him about my great-grandfather. Brother Schwendiman looked at me and paused for a few seconds before asking me, "What was that man's name?"

"John Kunz," I replied. "Elder John Kunz."

"That was the the man that baptized my family into the Church!" Brother Schwendiman exclaimed.

Upon returning home, I took my great-grandfather's daily missionary journal and read it, carefully looking for entries containing the name of Schwendiman. I found many, most expressing gratitude to the Lord for the fine treatment of this family to a servant of the Lord, in need of a meal, lodging and friendship. I took Grandpa's journal to the printer and had a copy made and mailed it to Brother Schwendiman.

The lives blessed by this humble man's sacrifice in missionary service extends far beyond his own family.

— Ron Galloway, Afton (Wyo.) 3rd Ward

Another in a series of "Missionary Moments."

Illustration by John Clark.