Alma with her music class in Leon
Walking up to the office window, I told the man the Lord had spoken to me, telling me there was mail there for me, which had come in on that ship. He came to the window, began talking about the Lord, and asked me how I knew the Lord had said there was mail there for us. I answered that we had come to port in order to sail on the ship then in harbor, that we did not have our fare, but the Lord had told us the fare would be provided after we reached the port. I was sure there was mail for us there, and would he please give it to me? Handing him the Testament, I told him to read it, and learn about the wonderful Savior who could come into our hearts and talk to us, and lead us in such straight paths. He began to weep, and told me he had never before seen a Bible, had hated and persecuted the missionaries, had hated me when I came inquiring for mail, and had not even believed in God before; but my coming so many times, saying the Lord had told me there was mail coming for me, in spite of my knowing that the mail ship was not due for two weeks, then the arrival of the mail ship before time, and the postponed sailing of the other vessel upon which I said we were to sail, had convinced him that God was actually speaking to me, and he promised to try to get our mail. However, there were thousands of letters, and he was rather doubtful if he could find our mail in the midst of so much other, but promised that if I would return in the afternoon he would do his best for me. In the afternoon, I returned for the mail, which I was sure would be there. The man came hurrying to me, and handed me two registered letters, saying they were on the top of the pile of mail in the first bag he opened. Surely God had spoken to me, he said, and he knew now there was a God, and he was going to serve Him, so as to have Him speak to him, too. And very earnestly he promised to read the Testament, also he asked for a Bible for his wife, and tracts for his friends.
When I opened the two letters there, lacking twenty-five dollars, was the amount for our fare. We sailed the following morning. Later I went into my stateroom to find out the exact amount of money we had, to make sure how much was lacking for the entire trip to the homeland. Sure enough, there was exactly twenty-five dollars lacking. Again I looked to the dear Lord for help to believe for the needed amount, and again He spoke, telling me to open my Bible. I did so, and my eyes fell upon this scripture:
“And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee; He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.”—Deut. 31:8
Looking at the little scripture calendar hanging on the wall I saw in the space for the day on which we would land in Panama the identical verse I had just read. Strengthened and encouraged by this, I felt that Jesus would make it all right, and that we were simply to trust and obey.
Upon arriving in Panama we were taken to the American Bible House, where we were treated with the greatest kindness. Dear Mr. Duffey and his wife gave us much valuable information about the whole of Central America, as they were in touch with every mission station, and had themselves been missionaries there for many years.
We had to wait three days for the ship to New Orleans, and we sweetly rested in the Lord and trusted Him to supply that twenty-five dollars.
One day we met a young Mexican on the street, whom we had known in Nicaragua. He was a traveling salesman from St. Louis, Mo. We had given him a Bible and talked to him about giving his heart to the Lord, and he had been very much interested in our work in Nicaragua. We invited him to visit us at the Bible House, and in the evening he came. We read the Word of God and had prayer, and he told us of his having persecuted the missionaries in Mexico. He had never seen a Bible before he met us, but in the United States he had learned that missionaries did a good work among the people, so he no longer hated them. He said he was glad to have met us and heard us preach the Gospel. “In return for this Bible which you have given me,” he said, “and the way in which you have talked to me, I feel I should do something for you, and the Lord,” and he passed twenty-five dollars across the table to me. Praise the Lord! there was the rest of our fare home. Surely God does temper the wind to the shorn lamb, and take care of His little ones, leading them in and out where they can find pasture.
We sailed the next day. Many were the precious souls reached by us with the Gospel while we were in Panama; also on land and on sea after we left there. Shall we not praise God forever for all His goodness to us, and for the privilege of being called to preach to the nations of the earth?