Week Ending August 24, 2008 Week #3

Picture of the Pacific zone members and us at interviews in North Bend / Coos Bay.

August 24, 2008

This week was so busy – I am the most exhausted I have been any week of my mission - and perhaps my life. It has been a full out run everyday Monday thru Sunday. There were many things that happen, that can’t go on my public blog, that stretched me. In all of this I know I am lucky to have the spirit to bare me up, but it is a tiring time nonetheless.

This was a week # 3 with another round of interviews etc.

Specifics for this week – ending 8-23-08

This is a heavy week of interviews as there are over 20 missionaries in each of the Corvallis and Salem zones and I visited ~ ½ of them on Tuesday and the rest on Wednesday. Although time consuming it was good to visit with them and feel of their goodness.

On Tuesday evening we had a very enjoyable dinner with the Portland mission president and his wife (Tim and Jill Dyches) in Salem – that city is the dividing boundary between our respective missions where we both have missionaries serving. They are both so very capable and it was good just to talk with them and to feel of their spirit. It was a real pick me up for Sister Macdonald and me. The Dyches and we determined that we will do this every few months.

Thursday I worked in the office while Sister Macdonald had a sister missionary over to the house and had a good visit with her as they made pies and visited.

On Friday we had interviews out in Coos Bay and that evening we had the assistants over for dinner and planning. While I was working with the assistants we had a former missionary who had gone home a few weeks ago stop by the mission home with his family and we had a pleasant visit.

On Saturday and Sunday I had coordinating council meetings (CCM) with Elder Brinkerhoff and the stake presidents in Medford and Eugene respectively. It is nice to have the association with these good men and to feel of the spirit of the meeting, but it does take a large amount of time - especially the Medford one due the distant involved.

Saturday afternoon the Strattons arrived at our home to begin their missionary service. Since I was gone Sister Macdonald got them situated and had dinner with them etc. Saturday evening when Elder Brinkerhoff and I arrived at our home we had a nice visit with them. Sister Macdonald went to church with the Strattons on Sunday to the Eugene 3rd ward and someone thought Sister Macdonald was a young sister missionary because I was not with her as I was at the CCM. She loved that mistake.

And of course throughout all of this there are tender times with missionaries that are too personal to post in a public setting where there are troubles at homes or the need for personal counsel that are as always interwoven during the week.

Without going into detail this was a VERY full week and I am grateful for the sustaining influence of the Savior in my life. I know it is He that can make all of us equal to our assignments. I pray for that influence to continue in my life and yours.

I do know that this work is divine and that no unhallowed hand can stop its progress. My goal is to make my life worthy of always having that divine direction in my life.

Week Ending August 17, 2008 Week #2

Now that I measure my life in 6 week increments the whole idea that the rest of the world thinks in monthly terms is beginning to be foreign to me.

This was a week # 2 with the first set of interviews starting again etc.

Specifics for this week – ending 8-16-08

Last weekend was very enjoyable. We went out to a baptism in Coos Bay / North Bend on Saturday and took two elders out to dinner with us that evening. On Sunday morning while Sister Macdonald prepared a bit more for her fireside talk that evening I participated in companionship study with the two companionships that attend the same ward house, and we then attended both ward sacrament meetings that day. We then visited with missionaries up the coast on the way to speak in Newport later that day. We visited a senior couple (the Taylors) in Reedsport and saw the missionaries serving in Florence. While there I gave a blessing to a sister, who has been a member for about 6 months, prior to her surgery on Monday. We then had dinner with the Bergshoeffs – another senior couple – and we then spoke in Newport that evening. There were about 125 people there, but unfortunately no investigators. After the fireside we overnighted at the Bergshoeffs and drove home on Monday.

Tuesday we drove first to Roseburg and spoke to and interviewed the 10 missionaries in that area, and then headed to Grants Pass and did the same thing with the 12 missionaries there. I found my prepared thoughts changed significantly and I spoke on the organization of the Lord’s kingdom both here on earth and eternally. It was enlightening to me, and I hope to the missionaries. Sister Macdonald spoke on Alma 3:27 and focused on the word “listeth” and explained the need we all have to lean towards the savior – she did great.

Wednesday we repeated Tuesday’s Pattern with the 18 missionaries in the Medford area and then drove home and on Thursday and Friday we did the same with three districts of missionaries in Eugene. In Eugene we had the closest district over to our house for lunch following their district meeting and interviews and enjoyed their spirit in our home.

The zone leaders are great and faithfully taught wonderful principles on Christ-like attributes from a pattern the assistants had given to them. I know I have said this before, but man-oh-man, these missionaries are SO much better then I was when I was out on my mission! The assistants are assisting me in every sense of the word and they - and the zone leaders - carry out their assignments as well or better then anyone I have ever worked with in the church. I don’t say that to take away anything from wonderful Bishops and others that I have worked with in the past – but rather just to say how great these men really are.
Saturday I was in the office for a while and while I was working I heard the assistants following up on all of the zones and their progress for the week. The idea of proper reporting back is great to watch in action.

Saturday evening Sister Macdonald and I did get out for a date and enjoyed a dinner and a nice visit. We stopped by and saw the Lyman’s on the way back home and had a nice visit with them.

Well that is the week in review. I have found this second set of interviews to be very enjoyable since I know the missionaries a lot more now. It is fun to go into the visit with them trying my hardest to have the spirit with me so I can try to help them and lift them.

I look forward to hearing from any and all of you and hope and pray that you have a great week.

Week Ending August 9, 2008

Picture of the assistants, all of the zone leaders, and us at zone leader’s council.

I am writing this a day or two earlier than usual as we will be traveling this weekend to go to a baptism in North Bend on the coast later today - Saturday. We will overnight there and attend church out there on Sunday and witness the confirmation, and then drive further north on the coast to speak at a fireside in Newport that night, and we will stay there Sunday night and drive home on Monday. Ivan’s home ward is the ward we are speaking at on Sunday night and we look forward to seeing him. We will then leave on our next trip on Tuesday morning to start the interview process again in the south. So if I don’t write now I may miss getting a letter off this week.

This was a week # 1 and it was great!

Specifics for this week – ending 8-9-08

Sunday was a great day. We went to the Eugene 3rd Ward and enjoy attending all three meetings there and feeling the spirit of missionary work in the ward fast and testimony meeting. The counselor in the Bishopric who conducted the meeting was a convert of about 10 years and had been introduced to the gospel by his children who were friends with children of a member in the ward. The two children of the counselor went on to serve missions and he is as polished as any life-time member I have heard conduct a sacrament meeting. That should get missionaries and members alike charged up about doing missionary work. In addition I spoke with various Elders about a variety of issues.

Tuesday was zone leaders’ council. We have 9 zones and therefore 18 zone leaders (had 19 this time as one of the companionships has 3 in it until Elder Bangerter goes home mid-transfer.) We had them and the assistants over for breakfast – Sister Macdonald fixed a masterful meal etc. – and then met for a few hours at the church house. I was amazed at how polished and spiritually in tuned they all were.

Throughout the week Sister Macdonald and I visited with missionaries on health and other issues. We fed the Zone leaders on Wednesday night and fed the sisters and mission assistants in the area on Friday night. They taught us a discussion. I love the sprit they all bring into our home.

Wednesday and Thursday on this week – that is 6 weeks after we arrived – I finally got the final things organized in both the home office and the mission office and now feel a bit like I know where things are. I visited with a great home ward Bishop who has been instrumental in helping a missionary he sent out get recommitted on his mission – he did a great job. I should point that the vast majority of missionaries need no “special motivational speeches” to stay upbeat and those who do get one of those “talks” get back on the path right away and stay there. Occasionally one needs a little bit of an extra push.

In addition to the needed office work I did, I prepared some of the talk I am giving this weekend and started preparing for another round of interviews and a brief discussion at those meetings.
Thursday evening we were invited to go with the Lees (who are missionaries in the office) to visit the Christensen (who are serving in Lincoln Beach.) BTW - Sister Christensen and Sister Lee are actually sisters – you know grew up in the same home with the same mother and father etc. :>) Both of these couples are going home in a month. The stake president over the Lincoln Beach area would like me to replace the Christensen with a companionship of Elders to work in that area. We spent the evening out that way and drove back home early Friday morning. I got a little feel of the area and I look forward to studying this out more and praying for guidance on what to do there.

This morning it is Saturday and we need to leave to drive to Coos Bay / North Bend to get to the baptism. This is a beautiful area we have been called to serve in and with wonderful missionaries.

Week Ending August 2, 2008

Picture of the returning missionaries, the Rosenthals – from the office, and us at the Portland Temple.

This was a week # 6 and the pace was very different than what a normal week # 6 will be. It was transfer week, but there were no incoming missionaries, so this experience will not be typical.

Specifics for this week – ending 8-2-08

The transfers went very smoothly. In the OEM the I-5 runs up and down the highway and the assistants drive up and down it twice picking up and dropping off the missionaries affected by the transfer. I spent Tuesday interviewing returning missionaries and Sister Macdonald spends several days getting ready to feed them on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

On Wednesday we took all of the returning missionaries (and three that are going home in about 2 weeks - mid transfer to get back into school) to the Portland Temple. It is a beautiful temple and there was a great spirit of peace having everyone together there. One of the office couples – the Rosenthals – came with us and drove the van. Sister Rosenthal had names for all of us to do as well. There were 21 of us in total.

On Wednesday night we had 12 missionaries stay at our home (2 of the returning missionaries were picked up by their parents.) I found they don’t do a lot of sleeping, but they are quite enough that we get a little sleep.

At 3:00 am on Thursday I wake up everyone who may have gone to sleep and at 4:00 am the assistants and I take them to the airport. I am happy to report that I was able to go back to sleep for a couple of hours when I returned from the airport at about 5:45 am.

Intermingled with the activities of the week the tooth ache that I have been coping with for a couple of weeks was no longer willing to stay in the back ground. Tuesday I was able to call and get into a dentist – He was LDS and made time for me – only to find out that I would need to see an endodontist to have a root canal. This was schedule for Friday – also an LDS man who made concessions to get me in “fast” although it didn’t feel fast when the tooth was hurting. Anyway after three days of prescription pain killers and some herbal help as well I found relief on Friday when the root canal was finished.

Another thing that happen this week that I think is worth recording is that one of our missionaries got a speeding ticket. He was doing 83 in a 55 mph zone. He called the office and the vehicle coordinator told him he had to call me. I could tell he was shaking in his boots to have to tell me. I of course told him to be smart and drive safe in the future etc., but evidently I was not as hard on him as he had expected. I hope he will remember this in 20 years when his child comes home with the same report and that he will be as kind to that child as his mission president was to him.

Sister Macdonald and I enjoyed our first P-Day of our mission on Saturday. In the morning I spoke with the assistants at an Aaronic Priesthood encampment for the Santa Clara Stake. It seems like every where I go I run into someone who knows someone I do. This week it was a member of the stake presidency whose son had married Keith and Ada Wilson’s daughter. When I got home I found that Sister Macdonald had spent the morning talking to various missionaries and medical personnel about different health concerns etc. Anyway we finally got off about 2:00 in the afternoon and hiked Spencer Butte. It is the most predominate landmark in Eugene and rises ~ 2,000 feet higher then most of the city. There is a great view from up there. In route we met folks from Sandy Utah who were here participating in senior track and field events. Anyway it was fun to just get out and walk and see some of the beauty around us.

This morning as I write this it is Sunday and we have no scheduled talks to give and look forward to a Sabbath day when we will be able to read and reflect on the scriptures, attend our meetings, no doubt handle an issue or two on the telephone, talk to some of the children and just relax a little bit. As you know these plans are definitely subject to change. :>)

Week Ending July 26, 2008

Well we finished a week # 5 this week and it was very uplifting for me.

Specifics for this week – ending 7-26-08

I am learning a lot about how to lift and inspire missionaries. For people who teach the atonement everyday of their missionary lives, many do not know that it also applies to them. They often expect perfection from themselves and are hard on themselves when they fall a little short. I am beginning to learn how much the Lord can alleviate our personal suffering if we will do all we can and let Him care for us. I have learned something of how complete the atonement can be for past failings too. Sometimes I talk with a missionary who relives some of his old sins, but they still haunt him. I tell him of how complete Corianton’s repentance must have been in order for Mormon, when he was abridging the record, to say in Alma 48:17 and 18 that if we would all be like him that the power of hell would be shaken. Clearly Mormon isn’t suggesting we should sin, but if our repentance is as complete as Corianton’s was that we can be 100% clean. Anyway I don’t know if those thoughts will be of any use to you as you teach investigators or other missionaries, but they were on my mind – so there you go.


Sister Macdonald and I spoke at a youth fireside for two wards last Sunday and had a great time. Mom spoke about dressing modestly and I spoke about what a great man David from the Old Testament was, but that he fell when he stopped doing his duty (i.e. he didn’t go to war when he should) and let temptations enter his mind and actions. The home we taught at was a very nice home with a large yard and the family was obviously doing very well financially. They told us of a tragedy they had experienced with a bi-polar son who had threaten the family with a knife and destroyed some things in their home and police came while he was threatening them and he was shot and killed in front of them. It reminded me that no matter how perfect things look from the outside that each of us have our own challenges and that we need the gospel to find true peace and happiness in our lives.



We spoke to all the missionaries this week in a series of multi-zone conferences. We held three combined conferences and spoke in the opening and closing session and then taught one of the rotating breakout sessions in each one of them. All told we spoke over a dozen times this week. It helps when many of the talks are repeats from another session.



We completed the work on the transfer board and I have now spoken with all of the leaders affected and made all of the new leadership assignments. Most of the transfers just feel right and you move on (like in D&C 80:3) with no stupor of thought, but some of them you know for sure they are exactly where they need to be, and with who they need to be. It is great to be a small part in the hands of the Lord in directing this work.



I am happy to report that the Elder who was wavering is not going home and we found a solution for him that I hope will work for him long-term. I pray the Lord will continue to help us help others to grow where they are planted and to build the kingdom of God here and now.



I was also able to get a commitment from two different folks I see at the gym to agree to have the missionaries come by and they gave me their names, phone numbers and addresses. I handed those referrals off today, and it is great to really be at the hands-on level of missionary work.



In deciding which baptisms to attend yesterday I felt impressed to travel to one fairly far away and it was a very nice event. I am sure that the others I could of gone to would have been equally nice, but there was an Elder in the area who needed to see me, and it was another witness that the Lord is directing this work and led me to where I needed to be when I needed to be there. That is happening so often that I pray I will always see the significance of those promptings, and never take it for granted or fail to recognize that it is His power at work not mine.