Two Weeks Ending April 10, 2011 Weeks #1 & 2

Elder Puertas was a little slow getting his wig on. Sorry elder.

Elders Christensen and Newman did a great job keeping the waffle irons going for breakfast.

A break in the morning rain allowed us to step outside for the group picture. So much easier this way! Just so many shoes to put on and take off. I love it!

Zone Leaders Council was held on March 29th, and we again enjoyed our time with these young leaders of the mission. They are indeed leaders in title and in action. They are unbelievably teachable and good to be with. When we hold Zone leaders’ Council on the first week in the transfer cycle, the rest of that week is normally fairly open as we prepare for the coming weeks. However, this week was different. We started another round of mission president training on Thursday since during week three we will be going to a mission presidents' seminar in Seattle with the other mission presidents in the Northwest Area. In the past this interim seminar has been for the mission presidents only (not their wives) and the annual seminar held in the fall has been for the presidents and their wives. This time Sister Macdonald and the other mission president’s wives have been invited to come to the interim seminar as well. We will report on what happens there in another week or so. Our training with the missionaries this time focused on the need to teach people not lessons. This is one of the lessons from the Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel series that was introduced last summer. Elder Christensen, one of my assistants, traveled with us to Coos Bay on the 31st, and then throughout the southern and eastern portions of the mission in week two and assisted me in teaching this principle to six zones. Elder Newman, our other assistant, taught with me in Eugene on the 1st of April, and will travel with us next week to the northern parts of the mission. As I was preparing to teach this lesson, it occurred to me that I had the need to teach these good missionaries – not just a lesson (after all that is the title of what we were teaching). After we taught the principle mentioned above, Sister Macdonald and I taught the missionaries about what they could expect during the transition of our leadership to the Youngs. It was fun telling them about our call three years ago, and answering a barrage of questions about how the mission changed us, what we have learned, what we hope to do differently because we served, and what they might expect when the Youngs arrive. As we answered their questions, we were reminded again of our love for these missionaries.

On Friday April 8, after we had taught the missionaries in the Cascade zone, we had an opportunity to attend a baptism in one of the Prineville wards of the Redmond Stake. I remembered a goal I had made three years ago, to attend at least one baptism in every stake of the mission. As we were planning to go to this baptism, I remembered that although I had been to hundreds of baptism, including at least one baptism in every other stake of the mission, I hadn’t been to one in the Redmond stake. It is always great to go to a baptism, but it was especially nice to be able to complete this goal.

On Saturday and Sunday we attended the stake conference of the Redmond Stake. It was presided over by Elder Craig Christensen of the Seventy. It was great to be there and we enjoyed our association with the visiting authorities and the people of that stake. Our good friend David Perdue was released as the stake president after serving for nine years. Called in his stead was President Palmer, who has served for the last six months as a counselor in that presidency. I am sure he will do a great job, and we look forward to working with him over the next few months.

A few weeks ago Sister Macdonald and I had another wonderful lengthy phone discussion with President and Sister Young who will be coming to preside over the great Oregon Eugene Mission the last week of June. We were so impressed with their positive attitude and excitement as well as their firm commitment to leave behind all that they are doing to serve the Lord in this heavy responsibility because they know they were called of God. We were thrilled as they shared with us some of the impressions of the Spirit they were having about things they should do when they get here. We were happy that many of their feelings mirrored what we have felt over the last few years. This was yet another testimony that it isn’t President Young or President Macdonald that presides over this mission. We are just stewards as the Lord presides. This last week their short biography was published in the Church News. If you haven’t already seen it, you can find it at: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/60697/New-mission-presidents.html

Week Ending March 27, 2011 Week # 6

Wow! what a great bunch of new missionaries. We are so excited to have Elder Jones back and his knee repaired. It was so good to see him that I almost gave him a big hug--whoops!

Elder Gellersen and his parents

Elder Winn and his parents

Elder Nichols and his family

Elder Rivera and his father

Another great morning at the temple. There is always someone there who is willing to take pictures with everyone's camera. Very kind and patient people attend the Portland Temple.

Once again we were blessed with timely flights in and out that helped transfers go very smoothly. We only had seven missionaries come in (one of those was a returning elder we were happy to get back, Elder Jones, who had gone home for knee surgery). We sent ten missionaries home. This made it necessary to collapse one area that we hope to be able to reopen in a transfer or two. Of the ten missionaries going home, five had their parents pick them up. It was nice to be able to see these happy reunions between parents and their missionaries.

The trip to the temple with the returning missionaries went well too. Elder & Sister Campbell from the office (who we are lucky to have serve here from our home ward in Orem) came with us too. Sister Macdonald and I commented on how well we now know the temple workers on this shift in the Portland Temple because we always go to the same session on the same day of the week. It truly feels like “our” temple. Saturday, Sister Macdonald and I went to Roseburg to attend a baptism for and in behalf of Elder Mullenax. He had taught this family before his transfer a couple of months ago. He knew that he was now too far away to get to go back for it, so he asked us to go for him. When we told the person being baptized we were there for Elder Mullenax, she thanked us and spoke highly of him and the other missionaries who had taught her.

Sunday it was nice to be able to attend our home ward and have no speaking assignments, but instead just be able to take in the spirit of the meetings and enjoy going to the normal three hour block. Later that day Elder Christensen and I went to Corvallis to attend a baptism for a person that he had been involved in the teaching of before he was transferred to Eugene. It was nice to go to the baptism and spend some one-on-one time with him and get to know him better. A recent convert spoke at the baptism and said how nice it was to be able to pray now as a member and to have the Holy Ghost with her. It allowed her to pray with more meaning. It caused me to reflect on whether my prayers were as meaningful as they should be.

Well I know I didn’t write much this week, but we always have a fair few pictures associated with the coming and going of missionaries, so I will let the extra pictures make up for my shorter writing.

Week Ending March 20, 2011 Week # 5

Shopping at Crater Lake. They were great models for what was available. You couldn't see out any of the windows because the snow was so high and it was cold!

Some breakout teaching at Zone Conference.

Always happy at lunch. Shopping with the Stewarts before a play at the Shakespeare Festival. We had such a wonderful time! Church in Merlin with two of our fantastic sister missionaries!

This week we held our zone conferences in Medford, Corvallis, and Eugene. Since Elder Groskreutz is being released next week, we drove with him and Elder Newman by Crater Lake “on the way” to Medford. While it isn’t exactly on the way, it didn’t add too much time to the trip. The lake is such an Oregon landmark that we like to take our assistants there when the weather and time will permit it. They seemed to really enjoy seeing it for the first time. We have been there a few times before, but we had never been there this early in the year when there is still so much snow. It was beautiful. We arrived in Medford in the early evening, and we had a nice dinner with the Higginbothams and the Johnsons who are serving as senior couples in Brookings and Lakeview. We were blessed to have a great dinner that was hosted by the Hansons and the DeKortes who had served in the mission office with the Fugals. These two senior couples don’t have a lot of interaction with other missionaries because they serve so far away from others, so it was especially nice to have a less formal visit with them when they came in for zone conference.

At zone conference we started with three break-out session and had then missionaries teach about using time wisely. When we came together one of my counselors taught about avoiding the rebellious cycle seen so often in the Book of Mormon and to just stay faithful. Sister Macdonald gave a great talk about being the missionary your mother and your companion rightfully expects you to be. With the help of all the missionaries, I led a discussion about the difference between being trunky and preparing to go home. As we made a list of the attributes of these different feelings and actions, I committed that Sister Macdonald and I would not get trunky, but that we did need to prepare to go home. In like manner, when their time comes, they too will need to register for school, finalize things in their journal, etc. They can and should do those things without getting trunky. We also had a discussion on becoming high yield - low maintenance missionaries. Each of the missionaries committed to write home and tell their parents that they were going to be low maintenance missionaries. The assistants then taught how to be more effective with finding people to teach and to be happy doing it.

Sister Macdonald and I try to take Saturdays as our preparation day, but with stake conferences these last several weeks our Saturdays have been somewhat taken, so it was especially fun this week to take a couple of days and go to the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland (although we didn’t see any of Shakespeare’s work.) Gary and Abbie Stewart were kind enough to get us tickets to see “The Imaginary Invalid” and “To Kill a Mocking Bird”. It was great to be with them and to enjoy some good meals, and great acting in a humorous and a serious play.

On the way back we stopped in Grants Pass and attended sacrament meeting in the Merlin Ward. After six stake conferences is was great to be able to partake of the sacrament and renew our covenants. President Lathen was visiting the ward and invited us to speak for 5 minutes each. Speaking was a small price to pay to be able to partake of the sacrament again.

Week Ending March 13, 2011 Week # 4

The transfers are pretty much done so President has the assistants busy getting his "call list" ready. This is a list of missionaries who will become trainers, district leaders or zone leaders in the upcoming transfer that President needs to call.

I awoke very early on the morning of March 11, 2011 and when I logged on to the computer I read of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that had hit Japan. With that terrible news was the warning of a potential tsunami to hit the coast of Oregon and other places throughout the world. At 5:00 a.m. I sent a text message to all of our missionaries serving on the coast and warned them to stay away from the coast. Immediately after I sent that text I received a text back from the zone leaders serving on the coast telling me that they had received my message and that they would all stay clear of the coast. I texted them back and apologized if my incoming text had made a noise on their phone and had awakened them. Once again they texted me back to let me know that members had called them at about 3:30 that morning and warned them of the coming danger. In hindsight there was no real danger to any of them, but I was grateful that faithful saints in the area had helped to look after these good servants of the Lord so quickly. We, like you, continue to pray for the missionaries and others living in Japan.

On Tuesday we participated in a scheduled conference call that was presided over by Elder Clayton, and attended by two other general authorities, executive secretaries, and the other returning mission presidents and their wives from the Northwest and West areas. About a dozen of we mission presidents and our wives are about to have our lives change as we return home and give the reins to another to lead the missions that for now are ours. The general authorities reviewed the things we need to do before we leave and to make things easier for the incoming presidents and their wives. One of the assignments was to write a summary to the Brethren of things that we have done to improve the mission and the missionaries. As we reflected and answered the questions posed to us, it was humbling, therapeutic and illuminating to reflect on these last three years. At the end of that write up I wrote: “As we have attempted to point out things that have led to the success we have enjoyed here in the Oregon Eugene Mission, I quickly point out that we have simply been a tool in the Lord’s hands and that He deserves all of the credit. We have felt led and inspired by Him throughout this journey, and hope that pointing out some of the things that have worked for us will not be seen as pride in ourselves, but rather as gratitude to the Lord. Modifying what Ammon said a bit we declare: “Have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were mission presidents or their wives that had so great reason to rejoice as we. Yea, and my joy is carried away even unto boasting in my God; for He has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; He comprehendeth all things, and He is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on His name.”

As my two assistants and I started to work on transfers I had a strong impression that Elder Groskreutz, one of my assistants, should be released and train a new elder. That would not be an uncommon assignment for an outgoing assistant, but I had envisioned him serving one more transfer in his current assignment. When I told him privately of my feelings, he said, “Whatever is best for the mission.” This is not a unique “one-time-experience,” but indicative of the type of great young men and women who serve here who are always willing to give “whatever is best for the mission.” As we worked through the rest of the transfers it was clear to the two of them, and me, that this impression had triggered other key decisions and was right for the mission, especially when we considered the new mission president coming in a few months. I am once again glad for the impressions felt and acted upon, that will make the mission better, and we trust make for a smoother transition for President and Sister Young.

Saturday and Sunday we had the privilege of participating in three session of the conference for the Lebanon Stake, that was presided over by Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy. It was great to hear his and others’ comments as they instructed the saints, and to have the chance to do likewise. Elder Jensen had called me as a stake president in 1999, and it was good to be with him again. We had a chance to speak with him in October of 2009 in the Roseburg Stake also. Having the opportunity to renew these types of associations is one of the pleasant things about church service.

Week Ending March 6, 2011 Week # 3

Is Sister Macdonald in the Men's Room?! Well, someone need to take the picture. Elder Curtis must have been a good scout, "always prepared". He carries his hair clippers with him in case someone needs a haircut.

Lokk what was in our hotel parking lot. We didn't know it really existed!

This week we interviewed the missionaries serving in the Salem, Corvallis, Eugene, and Pacific Zones. The three larger zones (Corvallis, Salem, and Eugene) have 26 to 30 missionaries in each. We are always excited to see our missionaries, but a little tired when we see that many good young people in one day, especially when we see these zones in three straight days. We pray that although we are a little tired we are effective with each visit and that we do some good in lifting and inspiring each one of them. The trip to the coast, where there are just 10 young elders and one senior couple, was a welcome day of “rest” with fewer interviews and some beautiful scenery. As I visited with the stake president there, he expressed his appreciation and support for the work done by the good missionaries in his stake. What a great partnership we have with the local leadership throughout the mission.

On Saturday evening we spoke in the adult session of the Springfield Stake conference. President Lewis, who presides in that stake, basically offered my eulogy at the beginning of his talk. He, along with the other stake presidents in our mission, has been so good to work with. I was humbled as he poured on more praise than I deserve. As we are speaking in so many stake conferences for the last time, it is a bit like a farewell tour, and many are offering kind remarks, but we are remembering not to inhale. Sunday we were blessed to speak with Elder Gong and President Cryer in the Santa Clara Stake at an early meeting with the recent converts as well as in the general session.

This week we visited one of the missionary apartments that we had heard was not being kept up as nice as it should be. We let them know beforehand that we were going to stop by when we were in their area so they could be prepared. They were so proud of the transformation they had made. Of course, with transfers you sometimes inherit the problems of others, but they did a great job of bringing the apartment up to standards so the Spirit could have room to move in.

As I was studying the scriptures this week, I realized that now more than ever we have been blessed to be personally involved in helping the Lord bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, even more than we have in any other calling other than parenthood. This is a great time that we will no doubt miss when the opportunity is given to another.