...with an eye single...

Saturday, 04 October 2014

Dear Family,

What a week!!   Sunday evening the Devotional was given by Elder and Sister Stephen B. Allen (Managing Director of the Missionary Department).   Sister Allen bore a sweet testimony, and then there was a group of 9 MTC Referral Missionary Trainers who sang a beautiful arrangement using the tune of “Homeward Bound” and the hymns “Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning” and “Oh My Father.”  WHOA!!! So powerful to combine those three, but the thing was that Elder Allen after hearing them perform, walked down and whispered something to them,  and then came up to present his talk.  At one point, he asked the group of 4 sisters and 5 brothers to sing it again.  After the first verse, he stopped them and then asked them to begin again and asked all in the 1M to just softly hum with them.  He spoke of Section 4 - what the Lord expects of a missionary.    Elder Allen said, “The Lord wants you to leave the other things of the world behind.  Don’t coast on this one – give the Lord everything you’ve got.  If your testimony isn’t very strong, use verse 7.  ASK – ACT!!” 

Then again, he asked the group to sing AND asked all of us to sing softly with them.  What a spirit that brought to have the entire 1M testify of that glorious day in the grove.  So powerful – we all left ready to serve with all our hearts, might, minds, and strength.  Below was about how the verses were used:

picture in our room at 2 M

Oh, how lovely was the morning,

Radiant beamed the sun above.

Bees were humming, sweet birds singing,

Music ringing through the grove.

 

O my Father, thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence
And again behold thy face?
In thy holy habitation,
Did my spirit once reside?
In my first primeval childhood
Was I nurtured near thy side?

“Joseph, this is my Beloved;

Hear him!” Oh, how sweet the word!

Joseph’s humble prayer was answered,

And he listened to the Lord.

Oh, what rapture filled his bosom,

For he saw the living God,

Then, at length, when I’ve completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.

Then it was required “movie night” for all the young elders and sisters and optional for senior missionaries, but we stayed to watch the movie “The Character of Christ” by Elder Bednar.  WOW!! How fun to see Elder Bednar be and talk about the “Cookie Monster”.  He “let his hair down!”  You would enjoy watching it.  It was given at the MTC on a year that Christmas was on a Sunday and he was there speaking to them.  Check it out…. [the character of Christ is that He turns “out” in compassion and service and love to others …when you and I would turn “in” to selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed selves].  

view from TRAX

Monday, we began our DCam (camera training) on the 5^th floor of the COB (Church Office Building).  Every morning a young driver would take us to the FrontRunner train in Provo and we would head to the SLC North Temple stop where we would catch a bus to check in at the front desk daily to get permission to head up to the 5^th floor for the Family History Dept.  Going home – depending on time, we would use the TRAX or a bus to get back to the FrontRunner and enjoy an hour trip back to our “home” at the MTC.  There are wonderful people there – all so talented and dedicated.  Sister Karma Tomlinson was so terrific; and two couples, the Waites and Hellings, and Brian, the brother who is the Area Manager for the West Hemisphere was awesome too.  Our Field Supervisor, Leonardo Carrera, who lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil, flew up with his family for conference – and we met him. We had time to be trained by Toby for blur and focus - and then Tony, who they say is the “best camera capture operator on the planet” helped us.  Thursday evening, we enjoyed dinner at The Garden with the Director of Imaging Operations and his wife, the Metcalfs, who are the parents of 10 children.  Friday, we saw where our hard drive comes in weekly, and the Mass Data Operations (MDO) area where the captured photos are analyzed and made to the point where they can be out for use. There was a wrap-up “test” using the Jeopardy Game format. 

oops, out of focus

There are currently 250+ digital cameras all over the world capturing images for later indexing for family history use.  90 couples are now serving and the rest have to be contracted out. They need a lot more Senior Missionaries!

The people on the FrontRunner were kind and fun.  We had pleasant conversations – especially interesting to talk with the brother who works in the purchasing dept of the COB, where he obtains interior furnishings for the temples all over the world.  One day we forgot our cell and who should be there but Cyndi Hardy’s daughter from our ward who was heading home to Provo from her day at the LDS Business School.  She let us borrow hers to call the Travel Office for a pick-up.

We were able to see the Williams before Becky and Ben left for New Mexico;

 and Friday evening, the Hunts, one of the South Carolina Mission’s office couples, took us to the SC Columbia Mission Reunion with the returning President and Sister Holm.  We could not have been more blessed to know so many wonderful young elders and sisters and couples and the McConkies and Holms.  “And what added more to our joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord” Alma 17:2.  We began in the cultural hall for visiting and food.  Then to the chapel to sing hymn #322 “Come All Ye Sons of God” – followed by our “Standing Quotes”.  It was as if we were at a Multi-Zone Conference with great instruction, strong spirit and great people.  Pres Holm got a bit serious and as it were, began the start of our Saturday General Conference instruction by speaking of “faith unto repentance” and saying,   “We were an obedient mission. …You look good in your casual clothes.  You look great!  But remember,  if you are casual in other ways, you may become a casualty.  Don’t become casual with your study of the gospel and your prayers... The highest form of selfishness is discouragement….The highest form of hypocrisy is to teach the gospel and not live it….” 

Today’s conference sessions all seemed to invite us to repent – so powerful to receive that invitation to work on our personal deficiencies from our prophets today.   We look forward to tomorrow; and then Monday, we leave this home of 2-weeks and arrive in Santiago, Chile, on 7 Oct. 

Have a great birthday, Sadie.  It’s a little scary to me to have that day come up for us, but to quote my favorite scripture: 

D&C 68:5-6 

“Behold, this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants.   Wherefore, be of good cheer,  and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living god, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.”

Love you all,

Dad and Mom