Letters from our Missionaries
By
Peggy Proctor
Sending
a newsletter to the full-time missionaries serving from your ward
inspires not only them but also the ward members to get more involved
in the cause of sharing the good news of the restoration of the
gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. We welcome your ideas to
help ward and member missionaries. We want to know what has helped
in your area—what works in areas where there are many members
of the church and where there are few. Send your member missionary
ideas to missionaryjournal@meridianmagazine.com
Here’s
a sample newsletter from a ward. Names in this newsletter have
been changed.
After two weeks of missionary reports from your parents
in sacrament meetings, we have decided it would be nice for you
wonderful fourth ward missionaries to hear from each other.
Our hope is that you can gain strength and inspiration from the
challenges and success experiences of others in like circumstance.
We love you and appreciate the great work you are doing, more
than you know.
Elder Robinson- Connecticut Hartford Mission [excerpts from two letters]
It
has been a great week. Elder Daniels and I are really learning
to work well together.
Last
Saturday we found an engaged couple, Jon & Melanie, holding
a yard sale. We gave them a Joseph Smith pamphlet and a
Book of Mormon and committed them to read and pray. We returned
this Saturday for a follow-up, and discovered that they were not
only expecting us, but Jon had done a little reading and Melanie
had read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon! In a week! I asked
them what they thought about it, and they asked questions about
being saved by works and grace, and how the Book of Mormon seemed
to contradict what they understand the Bible to mean concerning
the manner salvation is obtained. They used a couple of
references in Ephesians that seemed to say works aren't needed
for salvation. Looking at those references, I didn't know
what they meant or how to resolve their concern. With many
prayers in my heart, and the same by Elder Daniels, I was as honest
as I could be with them. I felt to explain to them my upbringing
in the Church and the way I gained a testimony of the Book of
Mormon and the Bible, and how I knew both were true, and while
I didn't have a perfect understanding of them, I trusted that
they would correspond. Melanie shared her upbringing with
only the Bible, and explained that any new revelation would have
to correspond with it, since she knew it was true. With
that out in the open, we commenced, together, to study the passages
they had pointed out (Eph. 1:3 and 2:6). The discussion
changed at that point. I no longer saw it as me, the enlightened,
but I was forced to put myself in their position. "Well, " I thought "these scriptures ought to match up,
but am I open to discussion and learning as they are?"
It became a combined search for truth, using the tools given to
each of us, trusting in the Spirit's guidance. I learned
from them, as we studied, the true meaning of those scriptures.
The Spirit further enlightened me to see that as partakers of
Christ's covenants we are heirs of eternal life, we can lose
our inheritance through disobedience, as others have.
We
came to a point where we needed to determine the definitions of
salvation and eternal life, and we each needed some additional
study. We had also been talking for two hours, so we concluded
by singing "How Great Thou Art", and raising a prayer
on high in sheer gratitude for our experiences together.
This was truly the way the Lord would have us teach, as he said
in D&C 50:22 -- we were all edified and rejoiced together.
That was one of the great discussions on this mission where that
scripture was so powerfully fulfilled.
On
Sunday we had an investigator fireside in the home of President
Peterson, a member of the Stake Presidency (also a Professor at
Yale). A wonderful sister in our ward told her conversion
story. This was our first investigator fireside, and we
were afraid we would only have a few people there. Before
we went in, we said a prayer that people would come, and to our
surprise and delight, instead of the 6 or 7 people we expected,
we had a bout 20 people there! The fireside was wonderful,
and a great success. It touched many hearts and strengthened
testimonies, and I talked with some of the investigators afterwards
who had a strong desire to be more faithful. We hope to
establish this as a monthly activity.
……………………………………………………………………..
I
really enjoyed General Conference. It helped me to see that
we have to go through a certain amount of pain and difficulty
in order to obtain eternal life, but God can help us and strengthen
us to be able to make it through and endure it well. He
has been helping me as I've prayed for strength.
Easter
was excellent, the best I've ever had. We didn't even have
a dinner appointment with a member. We were able to spend the
day doing what the Savior would have done (well, he probably would
have spent some time eating dinner with his family or someone), ---
we shared the gospel, and we helped change some people's lives
through the Spirit. We knocked on the door of one girl who
didn't understand the nature of obedience, seeing it as restriction.
That is one principle I have a strong testimony of, and as I explained
to her that obedience is a choice and doesn't inhibit one's agency,
but is a requisite to receive certain blessings and happiness,
the Spirit bore strong witness to the truth of what I said, and
she began to cry.
We
gave a Book of Mormon and a Finding Faith in Christ video to this
Russian man visiting the area who had such bright light in his
eyes. It was a wonderful holiday. I felt like for
the first time I was beginning to grasp the true nature of the
most important holiday, the celebration of the atonement of Christ.
It was the best holiday of my mission.
My new companion, Elder White and I get along great. I love
training new missionaries, because they still have that new missionary
zeal and fire and I can shape them, as best as I know how, into
powerful, joyful, successful missionaries. I can teach them
obedience and its blessings. I don't take the credit for
myself, because I owe everything I know and the strength to do
what I do to God, but I'm glad to be an instrument. Elder
White is very dedicated and willing to do whatever is required.
I
have seen that God knows when I need help. On a couple of
days when I was having a particularly tough time with all that
has been going on, and feeling a little hopeless, I got a call
from the Assistants to the President. Once they came out
on exchanges with us, and another time I just talked to one of
them on the phone for a few minutes. It's nice to see that
God will send me the help I need.
The work is going very well. I'm trying to do as Dad wrote
in his letter and lead the zone like that Zone Leader mentioned
in General Conference. … I am trying to be diligent
and faithful and to teach faith and encourage the zone.
I love you all, and I love the work we're involved in, because
it's a work the whole membership of the church is involved in,
that of building the kingdom of God. I am so glad that I
can wear out my life in the service of God. Know that I'm
praying for you.
Elder
Sake- Mexico Mexico City South Mission
Here is the challenge----[Many of you are former missionaries,
bishops, primary presidents, or whatever]--- Look for the lost
sheep.
---Find
someone that you know needs your help and contact them
– once a week. That sounds like a lot, but remember –they
are your brothers and sisters. Something that I have learned is
that many times we have a fear to talk about the gospel with others.
Fear isn’t from God, ---so whom are we serving?
Mosiah
2:17 –“When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are
only in the service of your God.” Who are we serving then? Remember,
baptism is the key to the kingdom of God. Talk to your brothers
and sisters. Many have said, “…But what if they don’t want to
be my friend?” Who cares---well God does---because you didn’t
preach his word.
Abraham
3:27-28—We all chose to follow Christ. Remember that we chose
to follow him, so what are we doing to show that we are following
Him? I’ll bet nothing. As members we take for granted what we
have. Share it with everyone!
D&C
62:3 “Ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is
recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice
over you, and your sins are forgiven you.” Share that!
The
work is going great, but there is so much more that can be done.
May
the grace of God be with you all.
Sister Robison- Nebraska Omaha Mission
Dana is serving in Nebraska. Her experiences there include
surviving football season at the U of Nebraska! She is now a “Husker”
fan. Dana learned quickly to wear red on game days and that it
was pointless to tract if the Huskers lost. If they win they want
to talk about the game, if they lose, they don’t want to talk
about anything!
One
of her favorite experiences was the baptism of a student, Jessica
Pond. She was baptized in a river near Broken Bow, Nebraska, on
a freezing cold February day. Jessica didn’t feel the cold at
all because the spirit was so strong.
Dana
has loved her service opportunities, which include working for
the Historical Society and volunteering at a hospital. When she
went to the Mormon Trail Center she cried her eyes out to see
what the pioneers went through. She was glad to just be a proselyting
missionary but after wearing large holes in the soles of her shoes,
she felt that she knew just a little of what they went through.
She has survived the bitter winter and lots and lots of snow.
She has cleared many a path for the mailman and has perfected
the art of slipping on the ice! There is more weather excitement
to come as it is now officially tornado season.
Elder Robison- Georgia Macon Mission
Casey is presently serving in South Carolina, in the
most coveted place of the mission because of its being located
on the coast with islands and dolphins in view.
One
of his memorable experiences has been to teach a Marine, Landon
Lasson, who, after graduating from the Marine Academy returned
home to Kentucky February 13th and surprised his member
wife on Valentine’s Day by being baptized! Casey had to make the
arrangements, long distance, and ask that the bishop keep their
secret.
He
and his companion taught a part member family in which the husband
was not a member, but the young daughter had been taught and baptized.
The missionaries had not been allowed back because they always
asked the husband to turn off the TV. When Casey and his companion
visited them, the Father asked, “ Aren’t you going to ask me to
turn the TV off?” Cody said, “No, it’s your home.” This set right
with this father and he started letting them teach him. Casey
was transferred and the couple later separated. Three months passed
and the wife of this couple called Elder Robison’s parents asking
for Casey. They said, “He isn’t here; he’s still on his mission.”
The voice at the other end was relieved to know they had called
the right family. The separated couple was now back together again
and wanted Casey to teach them the gospel. Casey was pleased to
find other missionaries to pick up where he had left off.
Casey
relates well to all people, which has blessed his mission experience.
Elder Anderson- Australia Sydney South Mission
You can never take the church, Heavenly Father, Jesus
Christ, the Atonement and the Holy Ghost for granted, --NEVER!
We must all continue to press forward. 2 Nephi 31:20. Progression
is so important, line upon line, precept upon precept.
I
love being a missionary; it is the greatest! Life is good. I am
focused and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I love serving
my Heavenly Father and teaching his children.
This
has been another mission changing week for me. The preparation
for Sister Claiborne’s baptism was absolutely incredible! Wednesday
night we had such an amazing 6th discussion at the
Branch President’s house. Both he and his wife served missions.
The spirit was so strong as all four of us were testifying. Thursday
we had the baptismal interview. Friday we read Mosiah 18 with
her and helped her understand the covenants that she was making,
she then said a prayer. It was so good. In it she said that she
had really been having doubts for the past couple of days and
that day she was calm and knew that it was exactly what she needed
to do. She thanked Heavenly Father for sending me, and Elder Long,
to help her and bring to her the knowledge of Joseph Smith and
the Book of Mormon. After I walked out, I was absolutely on cloud
nine! I thought, “This is exactly why I am on a mission. I am
here to help and be an instrument to Heavenly Father’s children
in bringing them the truth. I felt so peaceful and calm. Saturday
morning was the baptismal service. We had a lot of support from
the Branch. President and Sister Ellis also made the three-hour
drive down. It was a very special experience. Elder Long baptized
her in the ocean. It was the first baptism of his mission.
I
love this opportunity to serve a mission. It is changing my life.
I just hope and pray that I may continue to be worthy of the Spirit
and have it continue to guide me and show me the way and fill
my mouth as I speak. This is His work and His glory, but I glorify
my Heavenly Father for the blessing that He gives me and for the
experiences that I am having. I know without a shadow of a doubt
that this is the ONLY true church on the face of the earth, because
the Plan of Salvation is absolutely perfect. God lives, and Jesus
is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Joseph Smith truly was
the instrument in restoring the truth and authority to the earth.
The Priesthood is humbling to hold. It is sacred and so powerful.
I am humbled that Heavenly Father has blessed me with all that
I have.”
Elder Bond- North Carolina Raleigh Mission
Elder Bond is in North Carolina training another new
missionary. They have a car for two weeks and bikes two weeks.
He doesn’t mind the bike exercise, but the car is great during
the snowstorms and the sweltering heat.
Parts
of North Carolina are rough places to serve! Landon and his companion
have many doors slammed in their faces, have people yelling at
them, and even rocks being thrown at them! Despite all this they
keep working hard and their teaching pool keeps increasing. They
have three people committed to baptism. The work is going forward!
Elder Pritchard- Washington Seattle Mission
Ronald
has been serving for almost three months. He went through a period
of homesickness in the MTC; he didn’t expect to feel that way.
He wrote home phrases like, “Dad you were right” and “Thank you
both so much for the great advice!” Then one letter near the
end of his time at the MTC read---
“It’s so weird now, because …everyday is a Sunday. It used
to be that religion was an important part of my life; it wasn’t
my life. It is now. The gospel is becoming as familiar and as
regular to me as sitting on the couch used to be. Although I’ve
heard it a billion times, that when you love the people you’re
teaching that you’ll find yourself so lost in teaching them that,
for a time, that’s all--- and I mean ALL you care about. I love
…you so much [and] know that what I’m doing is truly His work.”
On March 2, he left the MTC and headed for his first
assignment in Washington. The Membership of the ward he’s in is
450 with 150 active members. Ronald did a lot of tracting and
not much teaching. The Seattle Mission has been established for
110 years. Many people said, “We’ve heard about your church before
and don’t want to know any more so please leave us alone.”
Before
General Conference the mission made a push for the ward members
to invite their neighbors and friends to attend the broadcast
at the building. Ronald and his companion made invitations to
pass out and Ronald wrote this note in the ward Sacrament Program:
“We as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints have no greater gift to share with our neighbors, friends
and family than the fullness of the gospel. Our motives should
be ones of charity, the pure love of Christ, as we extend our
most precious blessing to them. Missionary work is truly a labor
of love. We labor because of our love for our Heavenly Father
and the Savior, and all our Heavenly Father’s children. It’s not
the easiest thing to do, but this is His message. He will be there
to help us as we spread His gospel. I’ve already seen His aid
in the short time I’ve been on my mission. I know this is His
work, and that He loves everyone. It’s through us that He takes
His gospel to them. It’s up to us to further the kingdom of God.
I love and respect all of you and know you’re up to the challenge,
so let’s get going in the most important work we can aspire to.”
He
later wrote,
“Conference was awesome, didn’t you think? I really enjoyed
President Monson’s talk about courage. It was just what I needed.
The thought hit me, ---we’re here on earth to progress and become
the best we can be, so quit slacking through life and make yourself
better with God’s help.’’
Elder Stout Venezuela Maricaibo Mission
Hey
Guys,
It`s
still nice and hot down here.
Saturday
we baptized the kids of a family we are visiting. We want to baptize
the parents, but it will be a long process. The Mom is Columbian
with no I.D. and the husband needs to get a divorce from his previous
wife. We`ve been finding families that are actually married.
Being married here in the area I am in, isn`t common.
We
have a family that we are teaching who are progressing a lot.
They have read and prayed to see if the Book of Mormon was true.
They received their answer. The husband read a little bit and
said a personal prayer. He said he started to feel chills and
that his eyes started to get all watery. --His friends sometimes
bug him about us teaching him. He tells us that he isn`t ashamed
in front of them because he knows for sure that the church is
true. He is starting to change a lot for the good. All we need
now is to get them to church and baptize them.
The
people in this area are open to hearing the gospel. Working in
the Andes Mountains was harder. The people are more closed there.
Here in the hottest part of Venezuela they are more open. We just
need to work smart and pray a lot. We`ve been getting a lot of
blessings.
Being in Venezuela makes me way humble about the stuff
we have in the states. Hospitals are way different in the states.
When I have a stomachache they tell me to take lemon. If I have
a headache they say, take lemon. If I have a broken leg they say,
take lemon! The people always say take lemon for every kind of
sickness.
I`ve
learned a lot of stuff about life being here. I`m glad I chose
to go on a mission. All of the experiences I`ve had will help
me out in life. Other than getting parasites and all that weird
stuff It`s been pretty fun. Thank you all for what you do for
me. I love you all very much.
--------------------------------
Down
here we`ve had tons of rain. It`s been raining for about two weeks
every day. When it rains it rains hard. We always get stuck in
a house with a metal roof when it starts to rain. When it rains
hard with a metal roof you can`t hear anything. it`s pretty hard
to teach like that. A lot of the time we teach outside but when
it rains we have to go inside. After is rains and the sun
comes out it gets about twice as humid. I sweat like crazy when
that happens.
Last
week I got to eat something new that you don`t eat back in the
states. I ate iguanas. We went to some member’s house. We watched
their kids hunt down iguanas, then kill them and clean them out.
We came back that night and ate them – [also the eggs]. It tasted
just like chicken, but a little bit more tough than chicken. The
eggs were different than chicken eggs. They tasted just like the
iguanas. You rip off the top of the egg to make a hole then you
squeeze the inside out like tooth paste. It was good. Now I know
that I can eat iguana! The kids here are pros at hunting them.
They use slingshots. Sometimes they jump on them to stop them.
If they had bb guns down here they could do some damage.
We
should have some baptisms coming up here in a week or so. We will
baptize an Indian girl. We had two families and about 11 investigators
in church. The families aren`t married but we can help them get
married. We should have a lot of success this month. My Spanish
is getting better. I am the only American in this whole town.
Elder Mason Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission
I
had one of the best experiences of my mission this last week.
We were invited to give a presentation at a private high school
this last week. This school is something else. We
parked in this four story parking garage that was just packed
with luxury vehicles, which we thought were the teachers, but
it became apparent that these were the students cars. The
campus was huge!
We
got lost a few times while trying to find Chaplin McKay's office.
The students were so helpful and nice- it made me feel like I
was at BYU. Eventually we found the Chaplin and she took us to
her comparative religion class. We gave a presentation about
why we serve missions and then about The Book of Mormon.
It was so fun! The students asked a lot of good questions.
At the end of the class we invited them all to have a booklet
about the Book of Mormon and a Book of Mormon pass a long card.
The
Booklet is something great that the mission office has developed
over the last eight months. The students were from different
religions, but several of them expressed interest after the class.
The Chaplin was impressed by our presentation and invited us to
have lunch with her. I told her we only had credit cards
so we probably wouldn't be able to- but she told us that the
lunch is free there. So we had lunch with her in the nicest
lunchroom I've ever been in. It was not your typical lunch-
room food either. We left feeling great about the presentation,
and we'll be starting a correspondence with the Chaplin.
We
met with Marion and Diane again. Marion still hadn't read
the Book of Mormon, so we read half of a chapter and told him
to finish it on his own. I'm sure that he will. He came
to church and that seemed to go well. He's got to get baptized
before I leave. We had a couple of good first discussions
this week. On Saturday, we did a lot of less active work.
We found a high priest, who has served in bishoprics and stake
presidencies that hadn't been visited in 15 years! He'll
be coming to church this Sunday. We visited with another cool
less active that was really excited to see us. He hadn't
been visited in sometime either. He'll also be coming to
church this Sunday.
Ron
and Tammie both got home late and missed our appointment with
them, but we had pizza with them one night and taught Ron a brief
first. We should make a lot more progress with them this
week. We have a busy week ahead so I'm excited. Thanks for
all your letters and support. The Church is true, and the
work is going great!
Elder
Stewart Missionary Training Center [New Jersey Cherry Hill Mission]
Greetings
from the MTC! This is my first day here (you dropped me off this
morning), and I am already loving it!
4/18 I love
you guys so much & you are all in my prayers everyday (Like
12 times a day! We pray so much!!)
4/21 I sure
love going to the temple! I really love Sundays now too and fully
understand the meaning of a day of rest!
4/28 Yesterday
Elder Richard G. Scott of the 12 Apostles spoke to us on how to
become better missionaries, have faith, etc. It was a sensational
talk. After we all were able to shake his hand!
I am the one
who picks up the mail everyday, and I love getting your letters.
(Mom) Tell your young women girls thank you so much for the letters.
I love the
MTC so much. I have never felt so close to Christ in my life.
5/12 Last
night we had a fireside with Elder Henry B. Eyring! It was an
amazing talk about using the spirit and how we should expect revelation.
We need to study, ponder, and pray to prepare for talks and discussions,
but when the time comes, we should teach with the spirit. It was
so amazing! Elder Eyring’s testimony is so strong! I sat
there thinking to myself, “Wow Tyler, there is a general
authority, a special witness of Christ, bearing his testimony
only 20-30 feet away!” Amazing!
. . . I know
I am doing the right thing and feel so good being here! I remember
talking to my companions the other night, and we commented on
how different we all have become, … changed for the better--it’s
hard to explain, but I know you understand.
5/16 All is
well here and I am really having such a great time. I have never
studied so much in my life, and I love it!
. . . I love
reading the scriptures now. I’m doing it for hours and hours
at a time. The Book of Mormon is so amazing. The stalwart leaders
like King Benjamin, and Abinadi, and Alma, and Ammon, were such
great and loyal servants to the Lord! Family, read the scriptures!
Every night! And pray for me that I can learn the language and
be an effective tool in the Lord’s hand!
The gift of
tongues is an amazing thing! I’ve heard that people from
the government, like the FBI, have come here to the MTC to try
and find out how the missionaries are able to learn languages
incredibly fast and to find out what goes on here. So those special
intelligence agencies would come and observe, and would never
really have an answer--but I have one, and it is so plain to me!
The secret is God! And his gift of the Holy Ghost and the gift
of tongues!
I love you
all!
