Mission Memories

MTC 1977

Florida Ft. Lauderdale Spanish District

Day Before Leaving the MTC

Me ~ December 1979

My last day in the mission field

Last night our stake had a youth activity where our young men and women were called on missions and various returned missionaries taught the cultures of their missions and shared experiences. This week I was also contacted by a former missionary from my MTC district, so I have been pondering my mission experience, which I returned from thirty years ago last month. I've been especially thinking about my MTC experience.

I had a hard time learning spanish in my mission, especially at the MTC. All the missionaries seemed to be getting it so much quicker than me and it got me a little depressed. It wasn't until I got out in the mission field and I was speaking more fluently that I realized it wasn't how good you could speak the language that was important, what truly converted people to the gospel was the Holy Ghost. We were taught the importance of the spirit from the first day in the MTC but until it's seen in action, I can't really say that I understood that principle. I saw how the spirit touched converts and truly turned their hearts toward the gospel. In fact, the faith that I see in new converts still always amazes me and touches my heart to this day.

Anyway, back to my MTC experience. It was so great! Our district was a little bit crazy and it was good because the light-hearted fun of those missionaries really lifted my spirits and was a great start for my mission. Some of the missionaries in that district were the first missionaries to serve in the Dominican Republic so I feel pretty special to be associated with them.

(FYI ~ Why the short ties? It was tradition for the elders to wear their ties backwards the day before leaving the MTC and the sisters in my three-some wanted to get in on that tradition so we all wore short ties too.) Fun memories. Hurrah for Israel!

"I'll go where you want me to go,

Dear Lord...

I'll be what you want me to be."

My Pioneer Parents

Here's a picture of my parents a little over ten years ago serving as missionaries in Nauvoo, Illinois. We went to Nauvoo the year they served and have sweet memories of seeing my parents perform in a play and also listening to my mom tell the stories of the Mormons of Historic Nauvoo. My mother has always been a natural storyteller and it was a wonderful experience to hear her retell history of the Nauvoo community especially at the temple site. In the coming week we plan to meet Angie in Missouri and go to Nauvoo again for the first time after ten years. It won't be the same without my parents who are a great example in our family of going on a mission in their senior years.

"You don't have to push a handcart,

Leave your fam'ly dear,

Or walk a thousand miles or more,

To be a pioneer

You do need to have great courage,

Faith to conquer fear,

And work with might

for a cause that's right

to be a pioneer!"

~Ruth Muir Gardner

Some Favorite Pioneer Quotes:

Truly the Lord encourages us

to walk in faith

to the edge of the light

and beyond—into the unknown.

After the trial of our faith,

He once again shines the light

ahead of us, and our journey of faith

in every footstep continues."

~M. Russell Ballard

That first trek of 1847,

organized and led by Brigham Young,

is described by historians

as one of the great epics

of United States history. . .

Can we somehow find the courage

and that steadfastness of purpose

which characterized the pioneers

of a former generation?. . .

Oh, how the world needs pioneers today!"

~Thomas S. Monson

Cousins Serve In Same Mission

Jeanette and my husband Dave are cousins. Our husbands work together and her family lives just a few doors down from us. Her oldest son, Justin, got his mission call last night. Since Justin is at BYU, we all sat around the (photo: Justin and Jeanette) speaker phone as he announced his mission call. As I videotaped the call, Justin announced it was Buenos Aires Argentina, I could hardly contain myself because that is where my son Jake went on his mission but I was still not sure that it was the same mission as Jake's because there are at least four missions in the city of Buenos Aires so, I kept asking "which one, which one," and as you can see on the tape, I totally lost it when they said, "Buenos Aires North." Wow, I thought, what are the chances that cousins would serve in the exact same mission. We're so proud of Justin, he's such a good guy. He is so prepared to go on his mission and he's going to make a great missionary.

". . .Far and wide we tell the Father's story,

Far and wide His love proclaim. . ."
"Called to Serve"--Grace Gordon

Waiting to hear Justin's Mission Call

Lauren H., Jessica L., Erica H., Bob H.,

Kellee B., Jeanette H., Grandma Tamara L.,

Carson L., & Beth L.