'A gift to our youth'

By Rodolfo Acevedo, Santiago, Chile.

Published: Saturday, April 2, 1994, LDS Church News

One day in August 1987, a humble couple, John A. and Ada Davis of St. George, Utah, arrived in Santiago, Chile, where he was to serve as director of the Santiago Missionary Training Center.

They came to our land as a gift of our Heavenly Father to the hundreds of youth who would come to the training center to learn, and to feel the spirit of love for the work of the Lord.

John and Ada had each previously served a mission in Mexico. And they served as a couple when he presided over a mission in the Dominican Republic. In these missions they learned to work hard, as farmers learn to arduously till the soil that they might realize a plentiful harvest.

In them we saw the composed leadership of President Davis, and the clarity of teaching by Sister Davis. They also shared their love for the priesthood.

They often taught using inspirational experiences of the Mormon pioneers in the Mexican colonies. On more than one occasion, my wife felt as though angels were actually with them as they shared their love, their wisdom and leadership ability with us.

Even though several years have passed since the Davis' were here, our family often thinks about them. We remember the very special event when the Davis' celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary here—50 years ago they were sealed for eternity in the Arizona Temple.

Our memory of them tells us that one day, their service will make a difference across our entire land. � V s s `� �Ͻ -ansi-language:EN-US'>"The little grave left on a lonely hill in Valparaiso in 1852 has been as a dormant seed planted by an apostle of the Lord to bear fruit in the flowering of the gospel a century later," said Elder Narvaez.