Elder Manisela's mothers made us this quilt as a gift before he left to go home. It is so beautiful it takes my breath away. Why she would do something so nice for us is beyond me.
Here is Elders Barton and Wilson with Michel. What an exciting evening!
Once again we have a great new group a missionaries. I can't believe how quickly they come and go. Time is flying by too quickly.
What will we do without this bunch?! I look at them and feel a bit of a panic. Elder Buchanan didn't even stay for the picture. His parents met him at the temple and swept him away!
My highlight of the week was again being personally involved in very productive, real life missionary work. We went to a combination dinner-fireside-baptism in the Salem area where I was invited to speak. It was to be followed by two convert baptisms. Prior to the dinner I was visiting with some missionaries outside while people were gathering. I noticed a man I had seen at a stake conference a couple months ago who had attended a meeting for investigators and recent converts prior to the general session. He had been attending church for about six years with his wife and children who were all active members. He had been struggling with living the word of wisdom and had allowed that to stand in the way of his baptism. When I saw him I said, “Michel, when are you going to get baptized?” He said, “As soon as Elder Buchanan lets me.” I called Elder Buchanan (who is a zone leader) over and he interviewed Michel and found he was ready for baptism. He had been waiting for someone to invite him again. Well, he had gone through so many sets of missionaries that I am sure the elders were suffering from a bit of “invitation fatigue.” Anyway, he accepted and was baptized that night with the other two baptisms already set up for the evening. That was great. His wife was so happy and came over to me and thanked me. Of course I was just in the right place at the right time, with the courage to challenge him.
The transfers were again great to be involved in, although this week we did have one elder not make it here from the MTC (we found out the day before he wouldn’t be coming because of some health issues) so we had to quickly make a couple of changes to that, but all-in-all it went good. We had nine come in and eleven go home.
Again the trip to the Portland temple with the returning missionaries was delightful and we feel such a loss when each group of missionaries leaves us. Just a year ago we didn’t know these people and now loosing them is so difficult!
Right after the returning missionaries left on Thursday, I went to the mid-year mission president seminar in Portland. This was for the 9 mission presidents in the Northwest area – Alaska, Vancouver Canada, Washington and Oregon. Elder Clayton presided and he was joined by Elders Arnold and Carlson. It was informative and uplifting. It is not like business meetings I have been to in the past. Although the encouragement to do better is always there, but it isn’t to meet quotas or goals, but to help people find true happiness in this life and in the life to come. It went from Thursday evening through noon on Saturday.
I am writing this on Easter and I am so grateful for the great gift of the atonement and the hope of the resurrection we all have. I am grateful to be involved in teaching this, and trying to better apply it in my own life.
The transfers were again great to be involved in, although this week we did have one elder not make it here from the MTC (we found out the day before he wouldn’t be coming because of some health issues) so we had to quickly make a couple of changes to that, but all-in-all it went good. We had nine come in and eleven go home.
Again the trip to the Portland temple with the returning missionaries was delightful and we feel such a loss when each group of missionaries leaves us. Just a year ago we didn’t know these people and now loosing them is so difficult!
Right after the returning missionaries left on Thursday, I went to the mid-year mission president seminar in Portland. This was for the 9 mission presidents in the Northwest area – Alaska, Vancouver Canada, Washington and Oregon. Elder Clayton presided and he was joined by Elders Arnold and Carlson. It was informative and uplifting. It is not like business meetings I have been to in the past. Although the encouragement to do better is always there, but it isn’t to meet quotas or goals, but to help people find true happiness in this life and in the life to come. It went from Thursday evening through noon on Saturday.
I am writing this on Easter and I am so grateful for the great gift of the atonement and the hope of the resurrection we all have. I am grateful to be involved in teaching this, and trying to better apply it in my own life.
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