We love when one of the in-field reps is around in person and they talk with us a bit - one talked of a time pre-temple in South America, therefore native missionaries not endowed, after a temple was built and they were bused there, baptisms doubled, because they had been endowed with power of God
"The Atonement reaches through prison walls"
Sis. Mc - prison ministry, conference is no longer on dvds but prisoners can only watch that way so they arranged for some to be made, (writes letters to prisoners). Later she did a zone devotional and told more- prisoners' share printed matter a lot and one inmate ran across a Book of Mormon, he really liked it so he got his cellmate interested and they were reading it. Someone saw them and said, "Hey, you need the book that goes with that," and gave them a Come Follow Me book. Then they got one or two "Teachings of the Prophet..." and wrote to the church asking for more. They were sent the Foundations of the Gospel course where they get 3-4 lessons at a time and send them in for more. The prison ministry worker s always send notes along encouraging them and answering any questions. . Recently the office got a letter saying "I have a new address" with little other information. It was a motel. They eventually figured out it was one of these prisoners. He had decided early on in his sentence that he did not want to be like his father so he studied and had four associate degrees, learned to read braille, and was working on translating textbooks into braille. So the office found the local bishop and told him about the person and made contact.
Currently there is a pilot program for a sort of transition "hotline" for those just getting out of prison.
(may have lead on haircutter? still trying...)
Wilcox's were called to New Zealand, finally said reassign us and in three days had assignment to help run Interpreters dept, includes feeding them so much dealing with catering, have seen new thing of gratitude expressed towards interpreters, including special recognition to Mandarin interpreter without knowing that person had been up all night worrying about being able to convey feeling of speaker.
Large group to Temple, very big temple! beautiful, apparently recently remodeled.
also met Neiders who do Humanitarian aid and have been all over the world.
One way to see God and worship is to see Him in others, We see Him in those we work with or under/for- ministering to the one as they work with each missionary. A couple of missionaries had circumstance (like multiple month-apart canceled flights by Argentina) cause them very long delays in getting out into the field and several people worked together to help them get moving somewhere, also people working to help those after long covid pause who needed to return for some MTC, great efforts and collaborations for individuals to serve and strengthen the young missionaries. (those that went home during the great exodus were given a choice of reassignment in their home country or wait 12-18 months to return when countries opened, that time has come and many are not opened or very difficult to get into)
Still trying to work out seeing devotionals, tricky links, busy at office, etc. Mission department one overlaps our mission one.
Chinese take-out and Portuguese movie with Bethany, she made us more bread!
hung clock, bulletin board, picture, got rug, getting more homey here. swap meet cleaning rags, sheets for spare bed - come on over....
interesting dept mtg, saw new senior recruiting video, (Manti temple workers going on furlough had firesides to encourage them serving missions) One time a senior recruiting meeting had a closing prayer that pets would die so people could go serve! (also have been warned that much of our work is going to move to the cloud which will change how things work and look, yikes!)
Labor Day: an actual holiday Monday unlike mission office in Brazil :). We got to go up to Ogden with Bethany and spend some time with Gen, Megan and Isaac. Glen showed off his grilling skills and they even did some portobello's for the less meat-eating crowd.
A senior couple arrived to work (full-time missionaries) at Ensign College, brought Downs syndrome son, he has gone on all their mission with them, 13 years ago they were here he did dishes in the COB. they will probably be helping students with struggles, tutoring, getting up to speed, keeping up, problems, whatever. Have met another couple who bring daughter in same situation.
Ensign Peak branch pres. conducted, very enthusiastic type, we have missionaries not only in FHE museum and library but about 60 departments in the COB! Like going to church in a room full of stake presidents and bishops (except for more women than men:), blessing the sacrament is always said meaningfully. Had quite a few today say this would be their last testimony meeting of their mission and gave thanks.
Be willing to let God change you (just returned yesterday sister to sister about to leave) Several comments about mission changing you, this is the key.
Made it through week six....
We survived two days without either Cloe or Kathy available. We had day where we met several IFRS we had only talked to on phone or email, they had a day with meetings and training of new GA's so those who could came in person. We love talking with them, we heard about a time when Pres. Eyring was one of the committee assigning missions. He said, go back, no , go back some more, that one. Where did we assign him? no, he needs to go to X. They have two screens, one with profile and basic summary (like all the medical is distilled down to "are they limited in where they can go",) and one screen shows all the missions and their numbers and needs.
All the IFR's are former mission presidents, one told us about first morning being mission pres and missionaries came right on into house, (office was connected). The next morning he was called very early on an intercom he hadn't known was by the bedside.
Inspiration in making assignments/transfers - kept leaving a sister unassigned despite needing it done, two/three days before transfer got a call another sister was coming on short notice.
Its always interesting to learn about more of the things senior missionaries do here. Some are working for church magazines, finding photos for all the different language versions and looking for anything that needs correcting. Our Zone leader does a lots for the mission (over a hundred missionaries in the zone) but also helps (or helped) in temple laundry. So the mission newsletter emphasizes how we "Hear Him" in all these administrative and other sorts of missionary service.
One sister told of earlier in life in her computer career, she was contemplating "pray always" and she decided to "start a prayer and keep it open through the day" so as she worked to find bugs in a computer program she kept praying and would often be lead to search more closely in certain spot, and eventually she became known as the guru of bug-fixing, but took no credit herself because she knew she was lead to finding the errors. Another newsletter we get to see is from the "Farmland Reserve" locations. These are about 24 various ranches, farms, etc. mostly in the US but a few outside it. Sometimes senior missionaries are teaching English to the workers, sometimes doing construction or repair work, or even supervising young service missionaries doing farmwork. This includes producing grain for the church pasta factory, for instance. This pasta goes to the Bishop's Storehouse's for those in need. There are faith-promoting stories here too, like a farm with a bumper crop despite water shortages and trouble all around them. Its another reminder that we need to value service to God and to others in every form. Proselyting isn't the only "real mission" and those who are better able to do other things are valuable in their places, using their talents and abilities.
We have now made it through over 3 weeks without Cloe (our major question-answerer) and even several days without Kathy, but we are so glad they are back! At least, we think Cloe will be back tomorrow :)
We are learning every day new things as we get all sorts of questions from stake presidents. Sometime its whether their missionary is going to their assigned country or a temporary assignment in the states. Currently we are back to making calls (or writing emails) for medical clearances to travel as it looks possible there will be some more countries in South America opening soon. possible, no promises or timeline. We are learning when to send something on to Prefield or MTC or directly to an IFR. We are glad not to be at the reception desk where they occasionally get irate parents, sometimes over very silly things. Or they are upset that their son isn't going to his country of assignment when it is because their government closed the borders, it has nothing to do with missionary dept! Its sad when a missionary can't go because they refused the covid shot. Or (hypothetically :) a missionary could be having trouble because he went to South America during a brief opening before the vaccine and he won't get the shot or wear a mask so none of the native people will let him into their homes to teach.
We have been able to sort of overhear bits of some IFR training and work and heard how much time they gave to a mission president to counsel about dealing with something difficult - much love and discussion to find suitable answers to all the problems involved.
One gave dept. devotional - "Lovest thou me more than these?"
Found a haircutter finally, at Cake Hair :)
We have mission devotionals/conferences and since we go in the office earlier than many Family history workers start, we Zoom them. A few notes:
Heber C Kimball had a vision in the sky when the plates were received that I hadn't known about (or I forget, which is also likely), very interesting. Lucy Mack Smith, when husband was uninterested in church, said religion enabled her to serve Him right. She had a vision of husbands future acceptance of the gospel.
What have we been "raised up" to do?
Mission president said "We in Headquarters Mission follow the prophet because he want us to have protection and power-
Joseph F Smith started the Utah Genealogical Society (1911?) and foresaw a major library with equipment with ways of recording, collating, checking information, etc. -
HQ mission includes Chaplain seminars/training, includes border patrol chaplains.
We got to go to a mission reunion! We weren't good at remembering some of the names but it was great to see missionaries we met in Brasil and see how they are doing. I'll have to post photos next time.
Melinda, we are already 1/9 of the way done!
Thank you for sharing your experiences and for serving. Selfishly I wish you were back in Missouri but I know you’re where the Lord wants you.
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