His Wonders In The Deep: Typhoon Brian and Bryan

(This story was written in October of 1996.)

From 1989 to 1995 our family lived in Guam in the Marianna Islands. I worked in the recreational diving business as a dive guide, instructor, and dive boat captain. In October 1992 I was contracted to help deliver a 110 foot yacht from Guam to Japan. The "Sounds Of Pacific" was a state-of-the-art, water jet powered, ocean going yacht that had been used as a dinner cruise vessel in Guam. It was an exciting opportunity but had one drawback. We were in the midst of the typhoon season. Guam lies very close to an area near the equator called the tropical convergence zone, where the largest number of tropical storms on the earth are born. Also, we had also had a super-typhoon plow right over the top of Guam two months earlier that had left a trail of destruction and power outages for three weeks.

Denalee with Me before I embarked on my journey.

After embarking on our journey we spent the first night in Saipan where we waited an entire day for tropical storms to move away from our intended route to Japan. Before we left Saipan the next day, I phoned Denalee back on Guam to say goodbye realizing that it might be the last time that I would be able to contact her until we reached Japan. It was then that she told me that Typhoon Brian was heading straight for Guam! Immediately a sickening lump formed in my stomach. Thus far our family had made it through 7 typhoons. This one, my wife and son and daughter would have to brave alone. After discussing safety precautions with my wife, we gave our final good-byes until I would contact her again from Japan. Her voice quivered as we said "I love you" to each other. Hanging up the phone was heart-achingly difficult. After hanging up I paced nervously for a few minutes as I realized I would not be there to protect them in their time of need. We checked the weather fax hourly and eventually we decided to make our move north. I knew that the quicker we departed, the quicker I would be able to contact her and find out their situation. Tropical days far out to sea and long dark starry nights gave me plenty of time to ponder our family's predicament.

I was constantly offering prayers in their behalf as we made our way steadily toward Japan.

Several days later we reached the Bonin Islands of Japan where we would fuel and take on supplies. This was the area where President George Bush was shot down during World War II and miraculously rescued by a submarine with only moments to spare.

The small village on Chichi-jima island in the Bonin Island chain of Japan.

It was a quaint little Japanese village on a small island half way between Tokyo and Guam. After tending to my duties, I took off in a flash to find the islands phone company. My heart sank at first when they told me they couldn't get through. Then, finally, I reached her! I was shaking with anticipation to hear about their situation. As she told me that Typhoon Brian had dissipated right as it reached Guam, I close my eyes and let out a silent prayer of relief. I knew that our Heavenly Father had protected and blessed our family.

The beautiful islands of the Bonin Island Chain.

The trip on to Japan was the roughest part of our voyage because of stormy seas, but knowing my family was safe made the passage enjoyable. Our port-of-call was inside of the Japan inland sea where I had served my mission. It was great to see my mission area again, especially from the ocean side.

Brad at the helm of the Sounds Of Pacific somewhere between Guam and Chichi-jima.

A week or so later, I was on a jet back to Guam and to my family.

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In March of 1993, our family was enrolled as a foster home with social services on Guam. At work one day I got a call from my wife who told me that social services had called and had a five week old island boy for us who not only needed foster care but was also adoptable. Denalee had already picked him up and he was very cute. In only a short time we realized that this little boy was precious to us and we told our social worker that we were very interested in adopting him. She told us that she would get the paper work in order, but as foster parents we should not get too attached. After 8 months we had bonded with him and loved him like our own child. At last social services began the adoption procedure. One day while talking to our social worker, she told us that she was very sorry but that we had not been chosen as one of the possible adoption families. We were devastated! Our hearts hurt from the very deepest abyss. How could we live without this little boy who had become such an important part of our family. For a time, the darkest storms encircled us. We spent every minute of every day pleading in our hearts for divine intervention. Then, finally after a few months of nail biting anticipation, and the help of a compassionate non-member attorney, we were called into the social workers office. As we waited in the empty office, our hearts thumped with anticipation. The social worker walked into the room and after a few uneasy minutes of small talk she said, "the family that has been chosen to be his adopted family is. . . . . . . your family"! My wife and I burst into tears of joy and gratitude. We knew again that Heavenly Father had heard our prayers.

Bryan was sealed to our family in the Hawaii Temple on February 21, 1995.

Bryan, the day of his sealing at the Hawaii Temple.

After all the dark skies, storms, and then the peaceful calm, blue skies of our safe delivery from typhoons and the adoption of our sweet little boy, is it any wonder that we named him BRYAN! I am so amazed and mystified by His wonders in the deep.

We love you, Bryan!