November 10

Dear Mom,

Raking leaves in Ohio

So we had a pretty crazy week....... There has just been an

outpouring of stuff going on. Some good things, but as of right now

we have no car. I am not sure when we are going to get another one,

or if we will. I guess I should explain.

Coming home, at about 9:00 pm, from the R’s, on highway 62, we

hit a deer. Needless to say, since we were on the highway, we were

going 55. It was a bad accident! Considering everything, I responded

quickly as the driver, but there is no way we would have been able to

see it coming. It was running at full speed, and Sister Byers didn't

see it either. It jumped out right in front, so we hit it while it

was jumping and it hit us pretty high. Upon further inspection of

where it hit, many people told us that it was a miracle it didn't go

through our windshield. We remember it came up pretty close, but

somehow it went the opposite direction. A few very nice people

stopped to help us. Fortunately neither of us were really injured. I

slammed my left side against something. My hand was a bit swollen for

a bit, but I think it is okay. Sister Byers is pretty sore too, but

overall nothing bad. We called J pretty fast, and he and his wife

showed up shortly after! I am so grateful to be here right now, to

know how loved I am that in a crisis, they are there for us. J

helped us figure everything out and get things situated. Sister

Byers was on the phone with our mission office, when the State Patrol

showed up. When I handed him my license, I told him he couldn't say

my first name out loud because I have to be "Sister" right now. He

thought it was funny, and just called my "Little Sister" for the rest

of the night. I got to sit in the back of his patrol car and fill out

some papers for a bit. He and I had a good heart to heart about some

gospel principles, and then he had to let me out, because wouldn't you

know it there are no handles in the back of a patrol car. He said,

"not everyone is as nice as you." Pretty funny. He told me that they

received more deer hits that night than he had ever had before.

Crazy! J and J were so great! They helped get so much taken

care of to make sure we were safe and taken care of.

When we think back to everything that happened, we can really see so

many ways that we were protected. That was something I kept asking

myself. We hear as missionaries all the time that accidents happen if

you are disobedient, but we weren't. We were doing everything we

could to be obedient, but the blessings really came in how we were

protected. That deer should have gone through the windshield, and

could have killed us. Thank you for your prayers to keep us safe. I

know that we were so protected because of the prayers. As the most

prayed for group of people, I can tell you that we honestly feel it.

As far as everything else goes, I am not sure what is going to happen.

I don't even know if we are going to get a rental car or if we are

going to have to get rides pretty much everywhere.

I love you all! Thank you for your protective prayers! I will let

you know how things are going next week, and keep you up to speed.

Love,

Sister Bakker