Sept 5, 2010

Dear Family and Friends, September 5, 2010

This has been a good week of hearing from missionaries who are at home and back in school and getting on with the next part of their lives. We have received notes from quite a few who tell us of their school, work and social plans. It’s always good to hear what happens in the lives of the missionaries we have come to know and love.

We also are hearing good reports of the new missionaries. I received a fun call from a new elder who had a health question. His trainer was in the back ground encouraging him to speak English to me. One part of the mission for the Spanish speaking missionaries is a program for them to learn English. I love it when the trainers are trying to help the new missionaries do everything they are supposed to here in the mission. His English was actually quite good also and we solved his problem with a little English and Spanish mixed together. The trainers are telling President that the new group of missionaries is well prepared and working hard. I called one new elder on his birthday and he was excited to tell me he and his companion had found a wonderful family as they were doing contacts on the street. He said they were looking for a church that would help them know how to teach their children better. It was fun to hear the excitement in his voice as he has seen for himself the way the Lord prepares people for the missionaries. The missionaries just need to go and find them!

This week we had a zone leaders’ council here at the mission home. We lost a few of our older missionaries in the last change so we had some new zone leaders who are stepping into the shoes of those who have finished their missions. Mark had a list of items he wanted to discuss and share with the leaders during the meeting. During the earlier part of the meeting each companionship of zone leaders stood and made an accounting of their numbers for lessons taught, investigators found, baptisms, etc. for the last month. Comments were shared and questions asked about things that worked in various zones and ideas that could increase effectiveness as each zone reported in. Mark was looking at his list of items to be addressed and by the time they were all done reporting almost every item was touched upon and discussed. We have really been taught the importance of being prepared spiritually so we can teach the things the missionaries need most so they can be helped in their teaching and sharing the gospel. It was so wonderful to watch the spirit prepare the missionaries to receive the counsel they needed to receive. Because it came in response to comments or questions of the missionaries during the reporting process of the meeting everyone was more in tune with the application of the information. It was a great council and the zone leaders left spiritually fed and ready to encourage and teach their zones. We also had a nice lunch of sweet and sour chicken ,rice ,fruit salad and chocolate marble cake. Our sweet helper Lidu is such a wonderful help on those big lunch days. She is a great cook and very organized in the kitchen. I am so grateful we have her here to help us!

We welcomed Elder Smith into the office a while ago as the “fichero”. He keeps track of baptism dates and reports of all kinds. We were discussing what his title is which we inherited from before we were here. We realized that a fichero is actually a file cabinet. Maybe we need to look at a better title for his responsibilities. Oh well , Elder Roberts is back in the field after having taught Elder Smith and he is doing a great job now here in the office.

There are always lots of things going on with so many missionaries here in the mission. The thing that is always constant in my mind is that the Heavenly Father loves all of his children and he understands what we are all experiencing and he is always here to help us. I feel his love and help in my life and I know the missionaries feel it also. What a wonderful thing to be able to share with other people- that we all have a Father in heaven who loves us! Life is good! Even when life is challenging and difficult we can have peace knowing where to turn for help! We hope you all have a wonderful week! We love you! Mark and Sandy