The Seven Month Mark

It's so hard to believe that we have been on our mission for seven months now.  We have learned so much and feel it a privilege to be here when so much excitement is focused on missionary work and we can see firsthand how prophecy is being unfolded.  Elder Holland spoke to the MTC on January 15 and told them, "There might have been a more exciting time to be a missionary in the Church but I do not know when that would be.  There is an enthusiasm, an excitement, a zeal right now that is unlike anything I know of in recent years. . . You have to be the best missionaries we've ever had, because no task has ever been put before a missionary like the one we're putting before you.  We expect you to be mature, powerful, bold, spiritual missionaries.  And you have to have an abiding conviction of this work in your heart."  How that is so true!  Glen and I are grateful for the abiding conviction of this work that we have in our hearts and we sure know that we are working our hardest!

Another speaker at the MTC, Elder David F. Evans, told newly called MTC presidents gathered at the MTC that a high school student told him that "When President Monson made this announcement, my whole class of seniors began to change.  Now we're focused in a way we've never been focused before.  We talk different, we think different, we date different, we're trying to be ready to serve missions."  Isn't that so exciting?  We got our first 18 year old elders at our last transfer, and they were so fired up to do missionary work and grateful to be here.  We're so excited to be on the front lines and be participants in this great unfolding!

As usual, we've had a very busy week.  Here are a few things of what has happened.

On Sunday, my dad and Bobbie were in Las Vegas and Glen picked them up and brought them over to our condo because they can't drive in the dark.  He will be 86 on his birthday in March and we're surprised that they travel around as much as they do.  It was a nice visit with them.

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the Conders were in Utah for the funeral of his sister-in-law, and since Elder Dana was also gone a lot, and Glen was gone sometimes, I was in the office alone some of the time.  That made it VERY busy for me to try to cover all of the different things that were going on.  I was also trying to prepare the folders of the incoming 30 missionaries--four folders for each missionary, with an average of about 15 pages per folder.  That's 120 different folders!  One set is my working folder, two sets are for the president (one for the office and one for his home) and one set for the vehicle coordinator (Elder Dana).  I also had to get the 60 transfer board cards done--30 for the office and 30 for the president's home.  There was a lot going on!

On Monday, we received three new visa waiters who didn't get their visas to go to Mexico.  I prepared their orientation materials and folders and just Glen and I oriented them, which took all morning.  With their arrival it means that (so far) we will receive 57 missionaries in a 5 week period.

On Thursday, the mission was audited again, and this time Glen had to teach the auditor some things that he wasn't aware of.  It took the entire day and the mission's finances are in great shape.  It's still so amazing to see how much money is spent  from this office.  Glen has to pay so many bills and keep track of so much--you would never believe!

Also on Thursday, Sister Dyer came to the office and gave me an announcement from Eston Humphrey (the former assistant), which was a "save the date" announcement that he was getting married on September 7.  I looked at it, and it was so cute--the girl was darling, and they made such a cute couple!  But I knew right off that it was a hoax--he is still trying to get me back from the cake joke that I played on him!  What was funny too was that he sent in another missionary to secretly videotape my reaction--and how sad that I knew it was a hoax and didn't give him the reaction that he was hoping for!  If I had known I was being videotaped, I would have faked a better response!

On Friday we were able to go to Zone Conference.  I love zone conferences!  I love hearing the missionaries speak and I love the role plays.  This is at the luncheon that I had to schedule with the Tule Springs Relief Society president.  Seated at the table from clockwise are us, Elder Dana, Sister Anderton, Sister Macdonald, and Elder and Sister Hodges, who serve on a welfare cattle ranch in our mission in Hiko.

The missionaries stand to sing, "And we are now the Lord's missionaries to bring the world His truth--and thank you for the food!"  to the sisters who served us the lunch.  

It's a joy to see the missionaries visit with each other and be buoyed up by their association together.  Seated are Sisters Garcia and Hanson, Elders Weekes and Alford (the assistants), Elders Long and Bruce, and Elders Peacock and Vieira, the zone leaders. (and some of our favorites, for sure!)

The senior missionaries who were at this zone conference--the same ones who were sitting at our table, in addition to President and Sister Black.

On Saturday, we went to the office so that Glen could get four new areas taken care of with their furniture needs.  He has 13 new areas to open up (a record!!  And we thought the 9 new areas were hard!) so he met the high councilmen and some of the ward mission leaders to come and pick up the furniture that we had collected and they took it to move into the new areas--all of them being member homes.  Hurray--four member homes!  That is also a record for us since we've been here, to open up four new member homes at one transfer.  Nine new areas to go in just two weeks!  We also organized the pod full of mattresses and furniture so that we can find things easier.  We were at the office for about six hours.

For our p-day activity we decided to go to the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort.  This is located just north of the strip and is now a state park.  We had been wanting to go there for several months, and this was a good day to do it, except that it was so cold that we were freezing to death!  Brigham Young had sent the first settlers here in 1855 but they disbanded in 1857 because of contention between the leaders. 

This is a large piece of property surrounded by big buildings and it was so interesting to visit.  This is an original wagon!  The real growth of Las Vegas occurred after Hoover Dam was built though, and really boomed after the 1960's.  

I received the kindest surprise in the mail--it was a card from the sweetest missionary here--Sister Luamanu from Samoa.  On the inside she wrote, "You know, the person that is doing the hardest work in this mission, it's you!  I just want to say thank you so much. . . you are the best! Your kindness and loving support has helped me through a lot.  Your work might look simple, but it's not, it needs effort. . . Thank you so much.  Love always, Sister Luamanu."  I was so touched,  and was completely speechless, dumbfounded and grateful. What a tender mercy to lift my spirits!  What a sweet, sweet, missionary.  That is one of the sweetest rewards of missionary work that has happened here!