In 1987, I was serving my mission in the England Bristol Mission, and at the time my area was Swansea, Wales. My companion and I were zone leaders and nearing the end of our missions. We were praying hard and long that we could share the gospel and baptize someone before we went home. Eagle, Idaho, was my home.

About two months before the end of my mission, we received a referral from Chad Trent in South Africa. The referral had been sent to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City and eventually arrived in our morning post. I thought it might be a little bit more than a coincidence, since Brother Trent's referral from South Africa came to me, Elder Trent in Wales.

The referral was for Chad's girlfriend, Angela, who was living with her family in Wales. She and her family welcomed us, and she was baptized a short time later.

Soon after, I came home and was married. I lost contact with Chad and Angela. I always wondered if she married Chad.

Nearly 13 years later, in March 2000, I received a phone call late one Sunday evening. The woman, whose son was serving in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, called me to say her son was in a town called Witbank and wrote home telling of an experience he had with a young family in the area. She read to me parts of the letter. Her son wrote that he ran into a Brother and Sister Trent who also knew of an Elder Trent from Eagle, Idaho. It was Chad and Angela Trent.

Soon after I received a phone call from Chad. This was the first time I had ever spoken to him, and I was extremely nervous and excited. I will never forget what he said to me in that short phone call: "I just called to thank you for baptizing my wife 13 years ago. I knew it was divine intervention that you received the referral I sent."

My heart melted and the Spirit was incredibly strong as we spoke to each other from opposite sides of the world. Chad went on to tell me that at the time he sent the referral he was serving in the South African army. As a member of the Church, he wanted Angela to hear and accept the gospel.

I have learned a powerful lesson from this experience — that you never know the great impact your service plays in the lives of others. I get chills thinking about it.

— Bishop Jim Trent, Lindon 2nd Ward, Lindon Utah West Stake

Another in a series of "Missionary Moments."

Illustration by John Clark.