LDS Missionaries Staying in Touch with Mormon Investigators/Converts

When you go on a mission it is inevitable that you will make friends with investigators and possibly baptize a few. Most of them will develop some type of a bond with you, particularly if they join the Church. On occasion these relationships will last a lifetime. You will probably receive letters, calls or emails letting you know about significant life events marriage, children, career advancement, Church callings. You might send similar happenings. Even if you don't you might include them in your annual Christmas list sending them a yearly family letter about your achievements which many Mormons are prone to do. A few return missionaries might get busy in their lives immersing themselves in education, jobs, or family life and lose touch with their investigators or converts for months or years. Many times people move to other places so you lose their addresses and then you have a hard time reestablishing the connection. The good thing is that you can always write the membership department in Salt Lake City and have them forward your letter on to your friend is they are still an active member. If they are an investigator you can pay to find them in the U.S. or Canada. In other countries you just plain lose them. You can always catch up in the next life. Most of this applied to well adjusted people of which I am not.

Most of my converts I have no clue what happened to them. I was never much of a letter writer. I never stayed in touch for over thirty years. I have only heard about them for the first ten years from other members or missionaries who did a better job at communicating with them. Whenever my wife and I take out our scrapbooks we reflect on what happened to our investigators. Neither of us knows since we haven't talked to them in many many years but we sure do have fond memories and can tell stories about what happened on our missions. We just imagine they had great lives and talk about possibly visiting our mission fields and checking up on them.

Today I read a post by AHLDuke on Mission Nostalgia. He has been home from a mission for a few years and had not kept in very good touch with some teenage girls that he helped convert with his companion. One of them was coming to the SLC area and wanted to have dinner with him and his wife. He reflected on the success of his mission. One of the measures of success is how did your convert turn out. He fortunately had a pleasant experience and reconnected with one of the women. He at least knows for a certainty how she is doing. He also had time for introspection about the quality of the people he baptized.

I wonder if there are many like me. I never once wrote any investigator or convert while on a mission or even after my mission. I did run in to a companion or two who gave me reports from time to time. I think I missed out by not staying in touch. I don't really have any rationalizations about why I didn't stay in touch. I just didn't and it is unlikely now I will do much more than I have. I did some reflection myself about staying in touch with converts. If I had it to do over and had been more mature I would have remembered them from time to time. At the time I worked with them I think I was only approaching my relationship as a short term one. I really didn't see the forest because I was looking at the tree. I lost out on some social growth.

I remember once when I was bragging to my mission president M. Russell Ballard about baptizing seven people in one month his response. "It is not the number that matters but the quality of the person." He then asked me where will they be in ten years, twenty years. At the time I thought every one of them would stay true to the Church. Now I wonder, how can I know the quality if I never stayed in touch.

We say that how great will be our joy in the next life if we bring someone to Christ. Is our duty only to baptize them or is it something greater? By staying in touch we might have a lifetime effect giving them some one to turn to when they are struggling or someone to celebrate with when they go to the temple, become bishop/relief society President, etc. I know I need to reexamine my relationship with those I baptized. Recently I recontacted people I knew in the distance past. A few we were able to pick up where we left off and now occasionally I email them but a few blew me off and a couple were downright hostile. Relationships need to be worked at. I wonder what experiences good or bad people have had with their investigators and converts. Do you think we have a responsibility to stay engaged in their lives?

Spiritual Experiences--A Hugh Nibley Experience

Many years ago I was walking across the BYU campus as I approached the Eyring Science Center I saw a young attractive teenage girl crying. She was angelic in her features with rosy cheeks and light colored hair. I contemplated walking by but the Spirit told me to stop and see what was the matter. She was very distraught and explained that she had just lost a debate contest that was being held there. She repeated that she just didn't know how she could lose since she was so prepared. She told me she was a sophomore in high school and she was sixteen. I asked her about herself to get her mind off of losing.

She identified herself as Martha Nibley, the daughter of Mormon scholar Hugh Nibley. I knew Dr. Nibley having seen him around the religion department at BYU. In fact I was just started a course from him. She told me of her hours of preparation and how she should have gotten further in the competition. She couldn't understand how she had done so poorly and couldn't understand why. I discuss her preparation which she described as being very extensive and thorough even showing me her note cards. I suggested that she shouldn't take it so personal that judging people in a contest was very subjective and that next time she would do better.

A couple of weeks later I was talking to Dr. Nibley after his class and said I met your daughter the other day. I was going to talk to him about his daughter but conversations with Dr. Nibley were one-sided. He talked and everyone listened. He said you are that nice young man she told me about, come with me. He led me to his office which was about eight feet high crammed with books from floor to the ceiling. There I sat in a chair while he carried on a conversation with himself as he conducted his research and wrote speaking in about five different languages. He turned to me and said you know I died on the table during an operation and that you go to a place where they offer you spiritual food if you eat you have to stay there. He talked about Egyptian funerary practices involving Osiris and the afterlife and repeated that he was offered something to eat and if he ate it he would have had to stay there. Then he said something profound, he told me that there were two kinds of people those who built the kingdom and those who made the money that built the kingdom or a combination of the two. He emphasized that when we died we take with us our personality. Our personality is made up of our knowledge and our love or our need to be loved. He had me follow him down heart attack hill as he walked his bicycle to the bottom. He actually like to make fun of himself occasionally laughing. He told me he was color blind and pointed at his shoes, one blue and green tennis shoe saying his wife had to help him or he would put on mismatched one. I sat in his office after class about three times listening to him and keeping him companion. I guess you could say it was a type of apprenticeship as I always fancied myself a scholar. I even took Biblical Hebrew from Keith Meservy and Greek from Margaret Allred Potter later Toscano as well as Italian and Spanish. After a couple of weeks I stopped going with him since it was kind of boring listening to someone talk to themselves especially since I couldn't read whatever set him off in his research and writing. I also didn't know what he was saying as he would lapse into German or French. I ended up later taking German for Graduates from Murray Smith but at the time it was mostly babbel. I also decided to switch from Ancient Scripture to Church History which I found more interesting. The saying about our personalities I have always remembered. Hugh Nibley was an interesting fellow.

MTC Missionary Orientation

The last two years we took two of our daughters to the MTC in Provo so we have experienced the orientation in 2006 and 2007. We anticipate doing it the next two years in 2009 and 2010 followed four years later in 2014 and then four years after that in 2018. In preparation for a visit you should consult their MTC: Missionary Training Center Provo, Utah website. The site is divided into four main areas: Missionaries, Volunteers, Prospective Employees, and Employees. Under the Missionaries section is link for What You Know.The What You Know section answers the common questions: What preparations are necessary before entering the MTC; What should I bring to the MTC; What supplies and services will the MTC provide; How will my expenses be handled; May my family come to the MTC; May I have visitors to the MTC; May my family deliver packages to the MTC; Do I qualify as a student on my parents' health insurance; Is it possible to receive immunization at the MTC; What about travel from the MTC to the mission field. The MTC is located at 2005 North 900 East,Provo, UT 84604-1793. Its phone number is (801) 422-2602.

Missionaries are called most weeks of the year to report on Wednesday. There are usually four hundred to eight hundred called each week. Missionaries serve there for between two to twelve weeks. I think the only weeks that callings don't occur are on the week of Christmas or if a holiday falls on Wednesday. Missionaries can get a free meal from several of the local restaurants the day before or on the day they report to the MTC. Their family members have to pay. A few restaurants that I know who give a free meal include Burger Supreme, Chuck O Rama, Brick Oven, Chillis, Olive Garden, and Macaroni Grill. Most restaurants will give you one if you ask so don't be afraid to ask.

When you drive in to the compound you are directed to park either to the North or South side. They stack the cars when all the spots are occupied so be prepared to wait if you are parked in a line for about five or ten minutes after. At the front the missionary and his bags are unloaded by a group of volunteers. The missionary and family members gets out of the car while the driver takes it to the lot. The missionaries are directed to a baggage area where their bags are left. It is good to agree to meet at a certain spot after the bags are dropped off. Most families then go up to the sign in front of the complex to take pictures. There are so many people doing it that you have to be polite and only take two or three pictures or the other families get mad. In order to get everyone in the shot you ask someone waiting to take your picture. Then it is fun to have your missionaries picture taken with some of the older volunteers or on the sidewalk in front of the complex. Next you enter the MTC. Missionaries enter through a couple of doors on the left and families a different couple of doors on the right. The missionary is given their name tag with color dots signifying where they are going. My wife and I run in ahead so we can take our missionary's picture as she enters. Then we get a shot of their name tag being put on and their standing with their arm around the volunteers. Shots of us with our missionaries with their name tag on. You take several pictures in the lobby with the picture of Christ. Once the name tag is on and you start walking down the corridor to the room no more picture taking is allowed. You follow the long hallway down to the meeting room as volunteers direct you. The hand out large amounts of Kleenix to crying family members.

There are usually five or six one hour orientation meetings starting at 10:30am and going until 3:30pm. They stagger the sessions since they use a couple of large meeting rooms that are constantly turning over. Only close family members such as parents, grandparents, and brothers and sisters are invited. You are supposed to keep your group small to no more than four or five. The fewer the better.

The actual presentation once in the room lasts about thirty minutes. They show Home Front Commercials on TV screens scattered in the large hall to occupy you before the program begins. An opening and closing prayer are given by one of the new missionaries chosen randomly. There is usually some kind of rousing hymn like Called to Serve to start out. There is a short talk by the MTC President and his wife followed by a short video which shows missionaries throughout the world with a few remarks by President Hinckley. The MTC president usually says something like "your missionary will be taken care of, and that he or she will would return even better than we left them." His wife talks about not worrying about your missionary and the MTC experience. One of them says that families should depart fast like pulling off a band aid. Most families cry and the missionaries are reluctant to leave their families but it takes about five minutes after to clear the room. I even shed one single tear the first time when my oldest went. Parents go out one set of doors and missionaries go out their own set of doors. More tissue is passed out as you come out the door. Then you wander down the hallway and exit. You walk to your car and leave.

Missionaries and General Authorities

When I was a missionary I spent three months in the LTM. Back in those days before the MTC we would sit in our own section of the Marriott Center and would share the speaker with the students from the Twelve Stakes. It was an amazing sight seeing hundred of missionaries in their white shirts and ties. We listened to speakers like Bruce R. McConkie who would speak to us in that deep deep voice testifying of his personal knowledge of the Savior. He was an amazing speaker.

One of the joys of being a missionary is hearing the General Authorities speak. One of my two daughters met Elder Boyd K. Packer who personally told her that her parents would be blessed for having two missionaries out at the same time. My wife's fondest memory in the MTC was when the missionary choir sang during a talk by LeGrand Richards. He was a delightful speaker who had a problem going over. They actually pulled on his coat tails to get him to sit down. He usually ignored them and spoke on rapping his cane a time or two to make his point. One of my daughters remembers fondly M. Russell Ballard speaking to them and his devotion to the missionaries. In a time when stake conferences are done across closed circuit broadcasts this is one of the few times that young people have an opportunity to mingle with the prophets and apostles.

Some of the most spiritual times in my life were listening to the General Authorities while on a mission and later as a student at BYU. On my mission I actually received a couple of blessings from General Authorities who visited. I always remember Carlos Asay giving me a blessing to strengthen me on my mission. It helped me get through a difficult time. I am not proud that I had some struggles on my mission but it meant something to me that he was trying to help me be a better missionary and serve valiantly to completion of a honorable mission. It is important for missionaries to know that the General Authorities care for them. I will always have a place in my heart for his kindness to me. The missionaries who serve in the field are the leaders of the future. I think the Lord is mindful of them. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same" (D&C 1:37–38). When his servants walk among them blessing them and encouraging them through their words it motivating and just might possibly make the difference between a missionaries success or failure.

Spirtual Experience--Marked Man

When I was a student at BYU my wife and I rented a house at 242 West 400 North that was owned by woman from Castledale named Argene Olson. The interesting thing about the house according to Argene was that Dallin H. Oaks was a home birth and his father had a vet practice there. Living in Vernal I always thought he had come from there but according to her his mother had to move later to Vernal where she taught school. It was right off of Freedom Boulevard across from the State Liquor Store. Every day a huge man over 6' would walk by and say hi. The man turned out to be Delbert Barney. After several months he invited me and my wife over and told us unusual stories. He claimed that he had been a chaplain during World War II. He told stories about how the Lord had told him he would one day be called to the Council of the Twelve. He liked to tell us that he kept giving up his spot for whoever was called. He said he didn't want to be like Sam Cowley, a former G-man who he claimed would have been called had he not be tempted and gambled a time or two. I always felt uncomfortable when he told us these wild stories. He claimed that he was a marked man. Even though he was a bit on the kooky-side my wife and I liked to befriend him since we knew he didn't have many friends. One night we had him over for dinner. He decided to give me a blessing. In his blessing he proclaimed that I was also a marked man and that I should remain faithful to the brethren. Other than Ernest Strack there was no more colorful character in Provo in my opinion than Delbert Barney. I later read a master's thesis that did confirm that he had really been a chaplain. The part about either of us being a marked man I don't put much confidence in. I do have to admit Delbert Barney was a spiritual person who prayed and read his scriptures fervently. I am sure that he is now passed on but I will always remember him with fondness for his devotion to the Church. Every time I am tempted to aspire to a calling I remember Delbert Barney. I hope some day he gets the desire of his heart.

Missionary Letters--Rome Italy

So this Christmas was awesome and I probably have eaten more in the last 4
days then ever before IN MY ENTIRE LIFE it is a wonderfully terrible
ridiculously fabulous feeling. So my christmas miracle for this year was
another testimony to me of the importance of members who are
constantly listening to the spirit. So Christmas night we were at the church
watching movies and our two evangelical sisters called us. They told us
that Luciana had been sick all that day. THey both sounded like they had
lost all hope were tired, sick, and not feeling any christmas spirit.
They asked for a priesthood blessing. I told them that we would come
over with some Anziani. Keep in mind that we had taken a two hour bus ride
to get to church and the buses had by now stopped running because it
was Christmas night. Neither of the sets of Elders could come with us
because they had to finish calling home and by the time they called home
we wouldnt have time to walk all the way to our contacts house and then
home. I prayed and felt very strongly that they needed a blessing. I
didnt know what to do and didnt want to insist because after all it was
christmas, we couldnt call a member because it was christmas. So me and
my companion prayed and decided that if nothing else we would go to
talk to them, sing, pray, and then walk home. So we started walking, then
I felt impressed to cross the street at a random place, so we crossed
and right afterwards Presidente Sanna and his family pulled over and
asked us where we were going. We explained the situation. They drove us
and President Sanna gave both of the sisters two of the most amazing
blessing I have ever heard in which he basically told both of them that
the answer to their trials right now was to get baptized and to listen to
what the missionaries have been teaching. In case I didnt already
know, I know now that God answers prayers and for everything he provides a
way, even when it seems impossible. Sometimes we just have to start
walking. I love this work. I love my mission. Buone Feste.
Vi Voglio Bene

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

This week I am trying to write one big letter to everyone...Sorry it
won't be very personal but I hope you all know how much I love ya'll.
Well transfer calls came. I will be going to a new area after 8 months
here. I read a quote by Joseph Smith that sums up my feelings "God will
feel after you and pull you by the heartstrings, and if you cannot
stand it you will not be fit for the Celestial Kingdom" I will miss it
here. But my president is letting me leave after the baptism on
Saturday...so I am grateful for that. Anyhow tho really I am kind of excited
because I am kind of wanting a change and a challenge...it will probably
kick my butt because I am tired and old, but might as well sprint at
the end. Pray for me haha. I think that maybe there are a few more people
that I can love. I hope you pray always.

Coddling Missionaries

Going on a mission is hard work. You have to get up early in the morning, make your bed, shave and shower, prepare, cook and eat breakfast, exercise, wash dishes, have companionship study and learn concepts from Preach My Gospel, plan out your day hopefully in a planner, you have to call people and set up appointments, or ask members to pick up investigators or you and your companion, or on occasion go on missionary exchanges with you. You then have to walk, ride or drive miles to an area for tracting or appointments. At dinner time you have to meet with a member family who may or may not be helpful in giving you contact but you have to learn how socialize with them in hopes they will like and trust you to give you contacts. Missionary work is hard, tedious, monotonous work.


Then you have to go out in to the mission field and contact people you don't know who for the most part will reject what you have to say. Many will make appointments that they won't keep. If they keep their appointments you have to help them feel the Spirit so that they can accept commitments on the way to being baptized which means you have to be in tune yourself all the time. You have to not be afraid and be bold and challenge them to accept the gospel. Missionary work takes a strength of character. It is not easy to get up every morning knowing that it is cold and dark and that you will be going out to baptize possibly a handful of people. You will push yourself physically and mentally to travel thousands of miles and may or may not see immediate results.

Many missionaries become discouraged or despondent when they find out how hard a mission really is. They become tired and look forward to going home. It is not unusual for missionaries to want to go home early.

Betty Pearson thinks that thousands of missionaries abandon their missions because mothers are coddling their children. She relates the example of an ex-boy friend of her missionary daughter whose mother made his bed, cooked his meals, scraped the ice off his windows, and let him live at home until he was 25. She gives examples of parents who wrote their missionary every day filling the letters with things about home and talking about the stuff they would do when they come home which trunked the missionary out. She suggested parents should concentrate on their kids missions and avoid talking about home and to only write once a week.

I agree that parents need to prepare their kids better for missions. Teach them to make their own beds, clean their rooms, learn how to sew buttons on clothes, learn how to conduct a hymn, shine their shoes, learn how to cook meals, wash dishes, and exercise. Many missionaries are so obese today they can't walk a mile let alone walk ten or twenty miles which many missionaries have to do. I walked so many miles on my mission that I put a hole in the back of my heel that was so deep it bleed constantly. You have to be tough to be a missionary.

Missionaries should also be taught to live within their means while on a mission. In my mission we had an Elder whose parents gave him so much money that he would do things like buy televisions which were against the rules. The mission president had to struggle with this elder mostly because he was constantly goofing off because he would buy things to entertain himself from radios to dart sets to televisions.

Suzanne at Meridian Magazine says: " One of (last week’s) readers noted that missionaries serving in her area often come with credit cards from home to use on the mission. I find it disgusting that such enabling parents are baby-coddling their children on missions. For those parents who might be tempted to send their kid into the mission field with a credit card, consider this: A) The Church doesn¹t even let people go on missions if they are in debt to ANYONE. B) Since when does a good missionary have time
to use a credit card!?

As a returned missionary, I can assure all the Nervous Nelly parents out there with kids on missions, your son or daughter is surviving just fine without you. It may be hard to accept, but your child does not have time to think about you as much as you are thinking about him. Good missionaries are never homesick and wishing they were at the mall with you. They are reveling in the Spirit and work of the Lord, and the last thing they think about is home, except on P-day when they either a) have to write a letter home, or b) they don¹t get a letter from home. Even though most missionaries are being supported by their parents (with much sacrifice on their part to say the least), the mission is a deeply personal and private experience that has very little to do with the people back home or with the missionary¹s parents. Doting parents need to back off and let the kid grow up while he¹s away from you long enough to do so!

My dad left for his mission without enough money to even get to Korea, at a time when people traveled by ocean liner. He had some wonderful spiritual experiences because he had to learn to rely on the Lord and others around him for help. Do your kids a favor and let them have those experiences too. Stop sheltering them from life by putting a credit card in their hands. Without it, maybe both you and your children can grow up over the 24 months they¹re gone!"

Parents need to do a better job in preparing their kids for missions. They need to talk about enduring to the end while on a mission. My mission was the hardest thing I ever did. I was ill-prepared for a mission but one thing I did learn was that by sticking it out I could be persistent in any task and complete things that others would have given up on. Don't enable your kid to fail. Encourage them to stick it out. My non-Mormon father when I spoke to him once told me don't quit or you will feel like a failure your whole life. I didn't like his counsel but I made it through and I am glad I did. Remember the old adage when the going gets tough the tough get going. Be tough the Lord will bless you.

Spirit Tracting

When I was in the CTM I was assigned to a very spiritual elder. He was a convert and had the gift of prophesy. He was a former Greek orthodox and had worked for the phone company before his mission. Elders told me that he would tell them what was going to happen and it usually happened just like he said. He asked to be assigned my companion even though most elders wanted to avoid me. He spoke Greek and I spoke Italian. I actually learned a few phrases from him. He had a black belt in Taekondo. He could break marble with his bare hands and had once killed a bull in a slaughter yard to reach his rank. One time a Hell's Angel type threatened us and said he was going to hurt us. My companion was a small guy even shorter than me and I am 5'6". My companion spoke to the man in a whisper with command saying I wouldn't do that if I were you, the tall and massive biker actually jump back if hit and walked away doing nothing but laughing. My companion found me a small smooth rock that he had me pound on each day. Then little by little he had me break larger and larger tree limbs. The trick he told me was the speed of the hand and to keep it in motion even if it smarted a little. I could break massive tree trunks by the end of our assignment. We had a huge area that included over a half a million people in the Toronto area. We did things like stand on a street in front of massive fifteen story apartment complexes preaching the gospel. One day someone called the cops and one undercover cop came by and asked us for a Book of Mormon, which we usually asked a dollar or two. Our mission president M. Russell Ballard told us if they didn't pay anything they wouldn't value it as much as if they had so we were instructed not to just give them away. The Spirit told me to just give it to him or we would be arrested. My companion started to ask him for the money. I stopped him and said come here and told him what I suspected. We gave to him for free when he insisted he wanted one for free. The cop after we gave it to him identified himself and told us we were lucky we gave it to him or he would have arrested us for soliciting without a permit.

One of our best proselyting techniques was what we called spirit tracting. We would leave our apartments on bike or foot and follow the spirit wherever it lead us. It usually worked by one of us saying lets go left on this street then right on that street. Sometimes we wandered for hours till we stopped at a particular house. Inevitably we would get in and teach the person who would progress towards baptism. We might have three or four discussions a day using this approach. We learned how to be in tune with the Spirit. We had great success doing this and a couple of people were baptized.

Christmas and Missionary Phone Calls

One of the few times of the year that a missionary can call home is on Christmas and Mother's Day. Missionaries need to coordinate their calls. In some places you have eight missionaries working out the times since they are in different time zones than their families. When a missionary calls his or her family he or she has a tendency to talk about things other than missionary work like who is dating who in the ward, or other social things. Sometimes families talk about when the missionary comes home kind of details like going back to BYU. Sometimes this can set a missionary back as they become trunky. Particularly if it involves former girlfriends etc. The call should assure missionaries of family happenings and should concentrate on encouraging missionaries to do well in their missions.

I understand that a missionary has a hard time on Christmas because it is hard to do much other than visit a few people usually members or close investigators. Most missionaries are not going to tract because they know many people have family over and don't want to be bothered with them. Many missionaries will spend the day with members or investigators for dinner or with the other missionaries. I remember on my own mission visiting a few members and investigators where we sang Christmas carols. Some missionaries don't feel comfortable singing so it is more challenging. I had a companion who didn't like to sing one year so we gave out a special tract on Christ instead.

The day can be tough for missionaries since we don't usually get a pile of gifts. Plus the gifts tend to be more practical like food, clothes, and money. It is not the same for a missionary since many receive Christmas gifts before the actual day. A lot of missionaries open their presents early and there are not too many so even if they wait it lasts about ten minutes if you open them with just your companion and about thirty minutes if you do it as a district. It can be kind of a bummer if you don't get anything nice and other people get cool presents. Calling home might be the high point of the day.

My mom sent me some nasty Cherry cordials that were half melted with hard Christmas candy. My parents always taught me that it was the thought that counted. I did get a couple of Christmas cards including one from a girl I liked back home. I spent one Christmas in Italy and one in Canada on my mission. When I was in Italy there were no members since we opened an area. I remember I got a couple of gifts from my companion which included an Italian kiddie book with Italian words for different objects and a loaner coat which he wanted back. We went out as a district to a restaurant and had pizza and some kind of gelatin thing with ham in it which was very different. We sang a few songs and the day seemed to drag out. In Canada it was slightly different as we went to an investigators house where she gave us hot chocolate and iced Christmas cookies. We then spent most of the afternoon at a member's house eating a regular meal with ham and all the fixings. An unusual thing happened as we went in the evening to visit a few investigators. There was a drunk guy in one of the apartment buildings, he threatened to throw my companion down the stairs if we didn't leave the building so we got out of there fast. I remember my companion was kind of depressed since not too many people were in a festive mood to see us that evening. We just wandered around since no one we knew was at home.

I have often wondered what kind of things missionaries talk about when they call home. Having two missionaries out in the field we try hard to find out how they are doing on their mission. We try to avoid discussing if any of us have heard from former boyfriends or tell them about friends who have gotten married. We try to not let them waste the time which is too short. We try to encourage them and let them know we are praying for them or how we can help them be better missionaries. Sometimes we talk about gospel subjects. We try to avoid talking about what is going to happen when they come in several months since we know this will cause them to not concentrate on their missions. The call is usually upbeat and we avoid any conflicts so as not to worry them. They do usually like to ask what siblings got. We try to stress the Christ and giving part and let them know we love and respect their devoted service.

I am sure there are a lot of things that missionaries chat about with their families. I wonder what Christmas experiences and phone conversation topics others have had on their missions. I am sure most elders and sisters Christmas day is not as dull as mine. I hope that all missionaries have someone thinking of them and remembering them for their selfless service on Christmas.

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Dear Brother and Sister ( ),
> We are pleased to inform you that your daughter is doing well in the
> Italy Rome Mission. We met her at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport when she
> arrived, and Sister Rhien and I enjoyed getting acquainted with her during
> her brief stay at the mission home.
> We are so thankful for her decision to serve the Lord as a full time
> missionary. This service is one of the noblest known to mankind. While
> missionary work is very rewarding, it is also very demanding and difficult.
> Written communication with family and friends can be a great source of
> support and encouragement. We encourage you to write her every week and she
> is counseled to do the same. Share her mission with her and you will grow
> together.
> Missionaries receive 180 Euro (about $225) each month to buy food and other
> personal supplies. All other expenses are paid directly by the mission
> office. All of the missionaries who watch their personal expenses closely
> have sufficient to be comfortable. It is recommended that your daughter
> not receive more than she requires. If special circumstances occur, she
> should contact you to work out any adjustments (if you are supporting her
> financially). If hardships exist, I would appreciate being informed as soon
> as possible.
> Sorella will have an amazing experience as she begins her mission,
> learning how to love the amazing Italian people, speak the beautiful
> language, and do this important work of the Lord. She will begin her mission
> in Livorno and her first companion will be Sorella G. She is one of the
> best missionaries we have, so your daughter will be in good hands.
> Sister Rhien and I wish to thank you for the opportunity of working with
> Sorella . I will interview her every six weeks, and we will do our
> best to love, encourage, and sustain her. If there is anything I should
> know that would assist me in helping her, please do not hesitate to advise
> me.
> We appreciate you sustaining your daughter and thank you for not calling her
> directly. This will help her better concentrate on her work. If you need to
> contact her, you can call the mission office and we will be happy to help
> you. We know the Lord will bless you because of your daughter's missionary
> service. May this be a time of joy for your entire family as Sorella
> serves her Father in Heaven in the mission field.
> Sincerely,
> Robert C. Rhien
> President
> p.s. : would you please respond that you received this email. Thanks
>
>
>
> Italy Rome Mission Italy Rome Mission
> Postal Address: Street Address:
> C.P. 11/282 Montesacro Piazza Carnaro 20 (new street address)
> 00141 ROME, ITALY 00141 ROME, ITALY telephone 06 871
> 93 443

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

salve,ahhh i miss you all sooo much. i dont really know how to use this keyboard because it is an italian key board and i cant really figure out how to capitalize my letters so any ways this letter will not have any capital letters. i arrived in italy which is absolutly beautiful. i got a new companion named sorella g. for my trainer. we are in a city called livorno which people always say is small, but it is really not that small it is like 110 thousand people, but i guess in comparison to rome that is small. it is on the mare and we do proselyting there. it is really beautiful and nice because it means there is a breeze so at least for now it is not that hot. every one needs to write me because now that i am half way across the world i feel very far away. the mtc was great but the mission is like really different and my trainer does things differently than i expected. i am in one of the two bike cities so i have to ride a bike. yes... the first few days i thought i was going to die at least one hundred times, because lots of people ride around on little scooters motorinos and have no regard for you. i thought i was going to have to be bold teaching but turns out i also have to be bold and have faith to ride a bike becuase i have to trust that heavenly father wont let a crazy smart car run over me. i still feel like my backside will never stop aching constantly and i think my legs are going to fall off but it is fantastic. i lost seven pounds the first week i was here because we only eat two pieces of toast for breakfast, stuff ourselves full of pasta at lunch but it is usually just pasta with olive oil or we eat a lot of tuna, then a piece of fruit before we go to bed at nine. i constantly feel like i am going to die of starvation, but this has been one of the best weeks of my life. we taught our first lesson this week, i cant really speak italian which frustrates me, and lots of people want to speak to you in english so that is hard to try practice italian when everyone is speaking in broken english to you, especially the members. it is especially hard to talk to younger people, because they talk so darn fast and they have a sort of dialect where they pronounce there c like h so try to say cocacola con una canuch with your c like h ten times fast and see if anyone can tell what you are saying. yeah not so much. we do alot of door knocking only it is all tall buildings so you have to ring the buzzer at the front door and they they say pronto chi e and you have to in like 10 seconds explain who you are and ask if you can share a message. they are really polite and will tell you all kinds of things but i have been here a week and i havent gotten into a house yet. the best is when they just ring you into the building by unlocking the door, they you have to run as fast as you can up 10 flights of stairs while they are asking down the stairs who is it. they you have to despritly and out of breath explain that you are missionaries and then they always say no i am not interested. its great. then at least you can knock on the actual doors in that building. it is so hard because you have to pray that they can feel the spirit through the little buzzer thingie and want to let you in. anyways lots of times they say there is no one here, non ce nessuno it cracks me up. but ya... your like then who am i talking to. the first lesson i felt the spirit soooo strong. we taught a lady named carla whose friend was over, and at the end her friend mentioned how peaceful it felt when were were teaching. it was like yeaaaa thats the spirit. we dont have that many investigators but the ones we have are crazy in a good way. carlas son is getting baptized in the catholic church this week because a priest told her he needed to, and we havent taught her baptism yet and the missionaries have been teaching her for a couple of months. she smokes during the whole time we teach her. she told the last missionary that i replaced that she didnt like her because she had a funny face. anyways real missionary work goes a lot different ly then in the mtc where you teach four lessons then commit to baptism, but i think also i am different so things will change a little bit with me if i can ever learn to speak italian. ah i love italy. i will write you more spiritual better letters next week, this week i have just been crazy because i just got here. i love you tons, and write me ok that is all for now, many more ridiculously fantastic details next week

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Mia Familia Wednesdays are our p day so we check our email then. Livorno is awesome we do a lot of finding work on the beach so my face is getting tan, and I am developing a nice tan line around my neck. Oh and forward me Matt's address I am going to send him a picture of me in Italy for my swim team kids and write them a letter. How weird that other people are living life like normal in the states and swim team is in fact about to start again. General Conference was really good, and we are getting copies of the speakers on tape, so I will know these talks better then ever before. It is cool how important different things become on your mission, like really knowing what the prophet has instructed us to do. I am excited that you are scrap booking my pictures. We have about 5 progressing investigators which is really nice. We asked Carla.. the lady that smokes.. to commit to be baptized this week and she told us she doesn't want to feel obligated to keep the commandments. So that was a really amazing experience to ask someone to commit to totally change their life. My companion thinks that I am a pusher which is probably true. I always want to commit the people we speak to instead of to just share a message. My companion teases me that she doesn't feel like a trainer because I don't just follow her lead I always want to know exactly why we are doing certain things. She is really patient and amazing. I understand the language really well, but I cant ever say what I want to say which is so annoying. So the next appointment with Carla I had this idea that she needs to learn how to make and keep commitments so I decided that we should commit her to fast this Sunday to show God her desire to know if this church is true. Which is funny because I think that the thing that she is lacking is really a desire to act. We brought a member to the appointment. The most amazing thing happened. We asked her to commit to fast and pray, and she told us that she is a mangione which when you add one to anything it just means like a er she is a eater... anyways so then we all bore testimony and the one the member bore was a hundred times better than ours because she actually speaks italian. Then we asked Carla to say the closing prayer. Then Carla actually prayed to have the ability and desire to fast and to pray. This is the first time she has ever given us anything besides a wishy washy i dont want to feel obligated but maybe. I love how the church is set up to grow peoples faith through actions. Then we just keep growing our whole lives, it is the most amazing blessing to be able to constantly progress. <<<<

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Things are going good, this week I don't have a lot of time because I am streaking my companions hair after email so we have to hurry. Things are going well. We did chalk for the first time last Sunday. All of the missionaries in our district, there are 6 of us. Go to the walkway were there are a million people walking around just doing nothing. Then we draw the plan of salvation and talk to people about what we are drawing and doing. I still don't speak Italian that well so it is always a fun experience. So of course the person that I stopped to talk to was investigating the Jehovah Witness church. They mostly just want to bible bash and I am really not interested in doing that with them. But I was talking to the husband and wife with an elder who was standing by me. He started to talk to the husband who was totally not interested in listening. Then I just started to talk to the lady who the husband was of course like .. you just stand here and look pretty and hold the baby. Turns out that she was from Romania and she didn't really know what she believed and we talked about her baby and her life and what she liked to do and what she thought her purpose was then slowly the man started to stop talking to the elder and listened to what we were talking about. I of course was telling her about prophets and the restoration. Then he sent her to sit in the car while he informed the elder about what was really true. It kills me sometimes. There is this lady investigating the church who wants to know more and come to church but she cant because she has to cook her husband pranzo before work. I am like hello have you ever heard of cereal can he not make himself a sandwich. Then we have another investigator named Jantina. She is so beautiful, she is from Holland and she is what we call an eternal investigator because she has been investigating the church for two years. She wants to be baptized but cannot because her husband will not let her. She cant have the gift of the Holy Ghost because she cant be baptized and her husband is a total jerk who tells her all kinds of terrible things. There are a lot of women in the church whose husbands are not members. They ask us a lot about what will happen after this life to their husbands. My companion tells them that they will have another chance to except the gospel. I don't really know what to tell them, just to endure to the end despite your trials and that heavenly father is merciful and just and he will bless you according to your faithfulness. But that is not really an answer. I have never been so involved in real life and yet removed from it. It is a weird thing to care so much about people because we know everything about them, and yet we don't really know anything because we have only known them for three weeks. I love you all. I hope that life if good. Thanks for writing me I love to read your letters.

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

That's so awesome that you get to 전도 to men!!!! we are not allowed to start talking to men here and so sometimes it's really hard to find people because many women are at home and not walking around on the streets. I'm in my new area which is really the boonies! I really like it but the dialect is really funny! they end every sentence with yu! so amusing! anyhow my new companion is an angel...seriously...I'm so lucky that I just wanted to cry the first day because was so grateful to be able to obey all the rules and be able to do really missionary work! She will go home the transfer after next but I'm seriously so excited to get to serve with her. I already know her because she is the C ordinating Sister so I will be going on a lot of splits! I'm so grateful....I can't possible tell you how strong I have felt the spirit the last few days...We both really want to do mission work and we really love the people in our area so miracles happen everyday. We have had a new investigator everyday since we started together. The amazing thing is that all three of these investigators ran up to us on the street thinking maybe we teach English and then they were really interested in our religion and agreed to meet again!!!! I just can't describe to you how amazingly happy I am. I was right to the point where I thought that I can't do this and amazingly Heavenly Father gave me the most amazing blessing of this transfer. I realize now that I can be this really sweet kind person from the intense heart break I felt last transfer and the precious happiness that I feel now! I am so grateful that I can feel that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. I still have some hurt and worry but for now I feel grateful even for those feelings because I am more sensitive because of them. I can cry with the Filipino woman who's son is so thin and sick that the message of resurrection broke my heart and softened hers. I don't think I could have taught that lesson without a little heartbreak. I can testify to the busy mother who thinks that religion is too much burden that I want to stand before Christ and be judged if nothing else so that I can wet his feet with my tears and say thank you because I have HAD to rely on him...because I am insufficient by myself. I can tell new investigators that their families can really have more hope! Because now I can see hope beautiful this world is and hope for an even better world. I can't have everything that I want...but I can have everything that God wants...I want to be whoever it is that he sees when he looks at me. I want everyone to feel like I feel right now. Where love is, there God is also. Thank you for you love... I can feel your prayers changing my heart.

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

This week we had our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Rhien. It was awesome I love them. Sister Rhien is such an example of what a strong woman in the gospel can accomplish. She is always loving and serving the people around her. This week I have to give a training on Christ Like Attributes I get to choose two. I am nervous because it is my first time even though it will only be in front of my district like four elders and my companion. It is silly that I share the gospel all day long and get nervous to give lessons in church and district things. But it is good for me. I still don't know what I will say but I need to prepare something. So it was nice to hear some really amazing teachers teach us this week. Sister Rhien broke down the first chapter in the book of mormon and explained the pattern to us. She reads the scriptures to find every single that that could possibly be important. I am learning to read the scriptures in a different way on the mission. Then President talked about the things he has learned on his mission. He told us that if we will make three promises to God our lives will change. To be a 100% home or visiting teacher, to Always be worthy of a temple recommend, and to commit to do a certain number of endowments every year for the rest of your life. Sister Rhein talked about in 1 Ne 18 when the prophet is bound two things happen. 1. Storms come and 2. The Compass doesnt work and we dont have direction. Then she asked us something and I will tell you the same thing. Please do not bind the prophets by disobedience. There are so many fantastic things that the Lord wants to bless us with. I know that that is sooo true. One of those blessings is a prophet on the earth today. My testimony and love for the prophet has grown so much on my mission. Listen to the prophet. Read the Ensign, know what the apostles teach. I love you all, write me back!!!

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

I am essentially out of time because we had to do email later because we sat around at home waiting for the heater guy to come. They just post things on the front door of your building like notices and you have to pretty much do what they say if you live in that building and yesterday the notice said to be in your apartment starting at 10 until the heater guy showed up. So we finally got to come do email and shopping right now and it is time to start pros. work again so I sat in the apartment today and read all of Preach My Gospel and so that was really cool. It is such and amazing blessing to have. READ IT if you haven't already and buy a study journal and do the personal activities in it and the companion and district activities for FHE and your testimony will grow so much. Then you can start doing more missionary work also. Interestingly the quotes at the end of the first chapter all talk about member missionary work. Every member a missionary. We need more members who are willing to help in this work, the way we do it is so much less effective there is a better way and that way is all YALL thats right YOU. If you don't feed the missionaries and give them referrals you should start. Ask them if they need a member to go to any of their appointments, ask them if they need somewhere to have an appointment and volunteer to do it at your house, ask them if there is anyone who is coming to church that needs someone to talk fellowship them, then pray for people who you can share a message of the gospel with and tell the people who come to mind that you would love to meet with them and the missionaries so they can be taught more. Make our home a place where the spirit is and the missionaries could use as a tool to do this important work. There are a lot of Jehovah's Witness members in Livorno we see the members doing house, the members approaching people on the street, the members doing the missionary work. Sadly there are a lot of really good things about their church but the Devil always only changes the truth enough to lead people who are truly searching astray. They have so much success because the members do the work and they speak the language and live the lives that the people we teach do. That is so powerful. I love you I dont know why I went off on this random rant. Vi Voglio Tanto Tanto Bene

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Cari Miei
> I am at three month conference so I do not have time to write this week. I am doing really well and we are about to go out and explore Rome. It is crazy to see all the people I was in the MTC with and to see how much everyone is progressing. I know that without the Spirit none of us would be able to have learned so much in such a small amount of time. I have seen so much change and growth in myself and the people around me. I love this gospel and I think that Heavenly Father calls us on missions to find people but also to learn how to perfect ourselves and become more like Christ. I love this work and this gospel. I will write a longer letter next week because a million amazing things happened this week but I am allorah out of time purtroppo. Ahh I havent spoken english for a week and this letter is sooo strange to write. Vi Voglio un Saco di Bene

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

I don't have a lot of time but I just wanted to say hi and that everything is sooooo beautiful here in Cagliari (actuall spelling) Every morning we run this two mile steeeep hill and when you get to the top you see this giant like soo old city that looks like a hidden city that you are forbidden to enter and there is a wall that slopes up with a castle on the top of it and a city built around it and then on the other side the ocean and on the opposite side the mountains. So I am soo lucky to be here. The language is going insoma and I love my companion i have been so lucky to have so many amazing people as companions. I hope that the move is going well. I am actually giving an adestramento for Zone conference with my companion so I have to finish that today and next week I will tell you all about how it went. It is on the power of positive thinking.

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

fAMIGILA mIAsO THIS WEEK TO COME YOU WILL BE ON A PLANE THAT IS PRETTY COOL. i JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU TO BE SAFE AND THAT ONCE YOU ARE ALL SETTLED YOU SHOULD WRITE ME BACK AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT IS. gOOD LUCK WITH ALL THE FINAL DETAIL THINGS I HOPE YOUR WASHING MACHINE WORKS UNTIL YOU LEAVE AT LEAST. tHINGS ARE NEVER BETTER ON THE ISLAND. iT IS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL HERE AND THE WORK IS GOING REALLY WELL. lAST FRIDAY WE HAD SHABAT WITH ONE OF OUR JEWISH INVESTIGATORS NAMED GRAZIA MARIA. sHABAT IS THE JEWISH CELEBRATION ON THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SABBATH FOR THE SABBATH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE SANG JEWISH SONGS AND READ RUTHS CONVERSION STORY AND DANCED TO HEBREW MUSIC AND ATE LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF FOOD. gRAZIA IS PRETTY MUCH AMAZING SHE DOESN'T BUY ANY CLOTHES THAT COST MORE THEN 1 EURO AND SHE IS REALLY RICH AND SHE SPENDS ALL HER MONEY TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WHOLE WORLD. SHE ACTUALLY DECIDED TO BECOME JEWISH AFTER SHE WENT TO ISRAEL AND SAW ALL THE PEOPLE THERE. SO SEEING AS HOW TODAY IS ONCE AGAIN FRIDAY I JUST WANTED TO SAY HAPPY SHABAT EVEN THOUGH THE SABBATH IS NOT REALLY ON SATURDAY AND YA KNOW THE WHOLE LAW OF MOSES WAS FULFILLED AND WHAT NOT. SO ANYWAYS WE JUST HAVE TO GET HERE TO ACCEPT THAT CHRIST CAME AND SHE WOULD BE SUCH A COOL MEMBER. COMUNQUE HAVE FUN BE GOOD LOVE LIFE AND LIKE GRAZIA MARIA SAYS EVERY TIME SHE SEES US REMEMBER YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND SOMEONE (1. RICH 2. CHARMING 3. INTELLIGENT 4. CULTURED 5. AND PREFERABLY YOUNGER--- UNLESS THEY ARE ABOUT TO DIE AND THEN YOU CAN JUST SUCK IT UP FOR A LITTLE WHILE) YEA MY MISSION IS ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE. sO THOSE ARE MY WORDS OF ADVICE PASSED ON FROM A 50 YEAR OLD PERPETUALLY SINGLE HIPPY ITALIAN WHO LOVES THE BEETLES. i LOVE MY LIFE THE GOSPEL IS TRUE.vI vOGLIO uN sACO DI bENE

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

I eat pasta and bread every meal and I have gained 20 pounds on the mission to attest to that fact. But they just think they know what Pasta tastes like, real pasta is completely different when it is made by an Italian the same goes for Pizza, just wait until they try my Tiramisu... except I have to attempt to find the ingredients first because who knows if we even have half of these things in the states, that I never ate until I came here. Comunque Send my love, do you still not have a computer. Oh and for Christmas although it is a little whiles away how am I supposed to call you all. Let me know K Vi Voglio Bene

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

That's hilarious!!! I hope that the machine turned out alright! Well the work in Korea is amazing! We have 5 progressing investigators right now...The all have gained testimonies of Heavenly Father's love and now we are working of their testimonies of the Restoration. I had the opportunity to extend 2 baptism commitments this week. The first one (Pak Une He) has a Catholic background and she says that she feels that she needs to be baptized again by immersion this time. The only hang up with a baptism date is that we are unsure of her testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith. She really feels that the Book of Mormon is the word of God but she thinks that all good things are from God so we don't know if she thinks this is the one true church. The Korean people are very noncommittal and when you push they feel burden and will shut down so this is a very crucial time. The other commitment I extended was to a 20 year old girl named Phyo Chen Goun her sister is a member and she accepted and will be baptized in three weeks!!!! It's amazing that Heavenly Father is working such miracles. People seem to be able to understand me and I can teach the principles to help people progress in the gospel. It's so wonderful. In the MTC I set really high goals about what I thought I could accomplish on my mission. I would like to help 50 people prepare and receive baptism and 20 people to prepare and go to the temple. I prayed about these goals a lot because I was very nervous that maybe I was expecting to much, but while I was in the MTC Elder Ballard came and talked about how President Hinckley is very concerned because the work is no where near where it should and could be. He told us that if we have EVER heard or thought that we were going to a non baptizing mission we should repent and get it out of our head. He told us that we could be like the sons of Mosiah and help thousands come to the knowledge of Christ and the restoration of his gospel. I believe him and I want to serve the kind of mission that I know I have been cut out for. The time has come to gather the four corners of the earth and I have been promised that I would be a powerful force in that work. Please pray that I will have the faith to do these things. I know that through Christ all things are possible. I just hope I am brave and strong enough to help this work go forth. I love you all so much. I wish I could tell you about every lesson we have taught this week but I just don't have time. If you have time I encourage everyone to study Preach My Gospel. It really teaches everything necessary for us to fulfill our purpose in this life. I have been so blessed to be called to Korea. I love the people here so much. Sister and I struggle because we are both new to the language but it's amazing how the people we are teaching need the gospel explained in a more basic way then the previous missionaries have taught so we are able to really help them progress not only despite our weaknesses but because of them. I love ya'll and I never take your prayer for me for granted.

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Everything is going great here. Thank you for emailing. I get email on Thursday here. I got to spend my birthday with the Chway family at a shiek saw (a traditional Korean resturant) they are so awesome! They are too generous. Sister Chong (they don't have the same last names as their husbands in Korea) is going to send you an email with pictures from my birthday. She is so nice to us and if you keep in touch with her she will be a life long friend. She love to email and emails sister gunn's mom all the time. Phyo Chen Kyun (sorry if i sometimes spell things different it's really hard to romanize) is doing awesome she is so sweet. We ate cake yesterday with her and her sister and she is progressing so well we had to move her baptism back 2 weeks but she is gaining a testimony and learning and growing. She felt the spirit when we watched the restoration movie and I almost cried because she was bearing her testimony that she felt God's love. We have not been able to meet with Pak Une He because her father's health is very bad. In Korea the hospitals are kinda strange. If you go to the hospital for a broken finger you may be there for a month or two. So we hope to meet with her this week. We are also working with 7 other progressing investigators. My favorites are Kim ee Gong she is 19 and wants to attend BYUH but is also interested in learning more about God. She is sooooooo cute and sweet. She prayed for the first time last week and she thinks that the stories of Jesus's life are amazing. Also we are teaching Chong Une He she is a 23 year old collage student and she is so prepared for the gospel she understands so well. She has attended church every week and we plan to ask her to be baptized in two weeks. There are so many other people that I want to tell you about but I just don't have time! Well send me pictures of Nikki's baptism and I will try to get time to send pictures too! That cousin contacted me and I wrote back. So I will keep in touch with him!

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Ya I hate getting old too. Everyday I wake up and wonder why my back hurts so much. We are doing really well out here. My companion is awesome and we do way cute things for the members and our investigators. She is a Korean so I supply the ideas for activities and projects and she handles logistics. We are praying to stay together one more transfer because we have two baptisms coming up! Most of our investigators are single young adult women. Also a few years ago there was an elder who baptized maybe 40 people in our area...unfortunately they didn't really understand much about the gospel (I think a lot of girls just had a crush on him) and so we have many inactive young single adult members. So basically we spend a lot of time doing activities and eating with girls our age it's exactly what I love to do so time seems to be flying...it seriously feels like I have been here a week but I'm already in the middle of my 2nd transfer! WOW! In a way it feels that I've always been here and also it feels that I just got here. Anyhow my address is ummm hold on I have to figure out how to do it in english.......ok i think it is Tajeon Mission Office> 300-600> Tajeon Post office P.O. box 38> South Korea> hmmmm...maybe I just know what it is in Korean....anyhow that should work. Also will you send me Gigi's address so I can write her. I so want to do a marathon also! I am way lazy but I'm starting to realize with things like your body really what it takes is consistent effort everyday. I always used to think dilligence was working really hard all the time and then I would get worn out and quit...Now I have learned that if I just do a manageable amount everyday I end up ahead of the game. I have especially noticed that in my language. It seems pretty pathetic to just learn one grammer form and 10 vocab a day but the other missionaries are always amazed because most of them at the begining thought they needed to learn like 20 words a day and after awhile gave up but I do my 10 words and now I know a lot. I love language. I want to learn like 5 more languages now! anyhow talk to you later> Love, 브루노 자매 선교사

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Thanks for your advice about my comp...it was what I needed to hear Hey what's up I feel like a loser because you actually spend time and energy making your emails interesting and I just write what ever pops in my head...if I write at all. It's so funny that last week was easter. I didn't even know. No one in Korea thinks about easter. I guess that's what happens when you live in an non Christian country. I don't know that missionary work is any different here than there however. The hardest thing is to get people to realize that their eternal salvation is at sake. I mean you would think people would WANT to know if the church is true...but usually that's the hardest part. We have an investigator that kinda reminds me of Carla her name is Wah Hung Oak. He husband was baptized almost 5 years ago and at that time the sister missionaries started visiting her. At fist she wouldn't even have them in the house with her, but she would let them drop by messages. That happened for two years, then she started to let them come in and read the messages with her, of course always stuffing them with food. After awhile she let them teach the lessons. This has happened since I got to the area. She however refuses to pray and doesn't participate in the lesson at all. So we started teaching with her husband. I don't even bother teaching the lessons because she has already heard them. I just started with Nephi chapter 1 and every time we read and talk about the chapter. Last week after the husband Bro. Pak shared his thoughts and testimony I felt like I should share 2 Ne chapter 4:15-35. So I just explained that my Korean is weak and I can't say what I want but that I feel the same way as Nephi. Then I bore my testimony and told her that I loved her and wanted her to progress but more importantly Heavenly Father loved her and wanted her to progress. Then I asked her what she thought about the scripture and something amazing happened. She opened up and said she felt the same way as verse 31 she wanted to do everything right before she tried to live the gospel. She actually now has a desire to do what's right but she is afraid to try because she knows that she will make mistakes. Now we can show her how the gospel can help her. She still hasn't prayed but this week when we went she seemed happier, and she shared what she thought about the chapter we read. To me that's the miracle of a change of heart. It will still be a long process but that to me is more amazing then the investigators we have that will be baptized because that's REAL LIFE that's the MAJORITY of who we teach and the less actives we visit. Even that's how we are now it's about progressing and realizing that yes life is hard and choosing to do what's right is hard. But that is real faith, knowing that something is hard and doing it anyway because you KNOW that God loves you and wants you to be happy. And everything is about love. My companion right now is really hard. President told me when I became her companion that if I felt it necessary if she couldn't change or was unwilling to change she would be sent home. She is Korean and she speaks no English whatsoever. The Korean language is far easier to speak then it is to understand. And yet I don't envy you because the spirit and really reading people's tone and body language really tells you more than words ever could. Don't ever be fooled by someone's words. Anyhow but she lies to me alot and sometimes has no desire to do missionary work but like mom told me she may be my most important investigator. She has the same problem as my other investigators...desire. If we really want to do something we can do it, no matter how hard. Don't ever stop testifing and commiting. Messages are only important if the spirit is there. And no one will believe you or let themselfs feel the spirit if they don't believe you love them. If you love them and you love the gospel then your words will not matter. The sciptures can always say what you can not. Don't let other sister missionaries rub off on you it's easy to think that you don't want to pressure people but if you LOVE them and they know that they will never feel like you are pressuring them. Serve everyone you can at every opportunity. At first if might be just to make you look good but it even changed my heart and I can actually care about people other than myself...even though I'm still pretty selfish and self centered. Baptism is important but the real change and growth that people can make is more important. Really love them. Really plan do EVERYTHING in every step of planning in chapter 8 of PMG. Your trainer is awesome because she lets you participate never take that for granted thank her every day for listening to you and your ideas and learn what she has experienced especially about the culture. CULTURE is crucial to success. If you BECOME an Italian then they will love you for it. You have to listen to me because I'm older than you and I have more experience on a mission so HA! but really I just learn every day how to become a good missionary. It's about love and the spirit there is no more and no less then that. You can do alot of things but what you say doesn't really matter how you go about missionary work doesn't matter. Giving people chances to have spiritual experiences and really doing what Christ did is what's important. The biggest thing Christ did was show us how much God loves us. Do that for your investigator. Help them change their life because you love them and they need to feel God's love to have the strength to be happy despite the comfortableness that choosing to do hard things brings. There are at least 1000 people in Italy waiting for you to change their life...I want to know their names. I love you. 사랑합니다. 저는 하나님 사라재신다는 것을 알고 잇ㅅ습니다. 모든 사람와합게 나누십쇼. 브루노 자매

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

President Nemrow and I had a chance to be with your daughter, at zone conference yesterday. I spent a few minutes with her alone and we discussed how she is doing. To be frank it is a bit of a struggle for her. She expressed some frustration in not knowing if she was truly helping her companion. I reassured her that she is a great blessing to her companion. I think she truly is. It was so sweet to see how happy Sister was when she arrived at zone conference. Her hair was French braided into two piggy-tail braids. She also had some darling clips holding some shorter hairs in place. When I told Sister how cute her hair was, she told me that her companion had done it for her! Sister was beaming from head to toe!!! I don’t think that she has ever had that much attention and love in all her life!



I also should tell you that your daughter was recognized in zone conference for her great efforts in learning the language. She is making great progress. When I congratulated her she told me that she has accomplished so much because she and her companion can barely communicate and so passing off language requirements allows them to work together and to communicate—if only through the missionary lessons!



Sometimes difficult situations provide us with the greatest opportunities for growth. Missions are so wonderful. They allow us to see our strengths and weaknesses so clearly. Sometimes that can be frustrating but it can also be a great blessing. As missionaries learn to rely on the Lord they learn and grow so much (Ether 12:27). They also become more effective tools in the hands of the Lord in helping others to come unto Christ.



We love your daughter! She is a sweetheart and she is doing all that is required of her. Sometimes she maybe even tries a little too hard. President Nemrow and I think she is going to be fine. We admire her for all she is doing and will keep a close eye on her for you. Know that she is very precious to us.



With much love,



Sister Nemrow

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

I'm actually probably not any more mature than you. I can see that there are a lot of things that I need to work on especially when it comes to selfishness. It's impossible to be a good missionary and be selfish and I really want to be a good missionary. So I have a lot of growing up to do. But I'm trying as hard as I can. anyhow this week was a little bit hard but I am learning that I can do hard things and that I can trust the Lord even when I'm struggling and it's not forever so I want to enjoy every minute I can.

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Ciao!!!! This week I am emailing from the beautiful city of Florence. We have come down from Livorno for P day. Florence is beautiful and full of things to see it makes me realize that the people in Livorno really are just slow going country people who like to do things like sit and watch the Mare. My trainer served in Florence for 5 transfers which is like 8 months so she knows pretty much everything you could every want to see. She is so awesome and is showing me around everywhere. I thought I would save everyone the trouble of forwarding by just emailing everyone but then I realized that If they want to get this email if not thats cool. Things are going really well we found three people who are potential investigators this last week and that is always so sweet. I was sad that I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone but S. Greer was waiting to use the phone, so I didn't want to use all her time too. I am going to write you my story since I didn't get to tell you all on the phone. We were heading to different appointments like two days and passed this little random street. Every time we passed it we thought we should really stop and do house here. So one night we were headed to do house in another part of the city and we passed the street and decided to just stop there.My companion had just told me a story about a man named F. Bevilaqua. He was about 17 in Italy living and one day he was walking down the street and saw two missionaries. As they walked closer he thought I really hope that they stop me I really want to talk to them. I don't think I will stop them because that would be weird. As they walked closer he thought there is just something about them that I cant figure out. Then they for some reason just walk past him and didn't stop him. ten years later some missionaries knocked on his door, he let them in and within a month he was baptized. He was ready to listen ten years before but he didn't get stopped. So of course I am there on the street like the big dork that I am stopping everyone who walks by while S. rings chetofs and vice versa. We are ringing and this guy walks by and I stop him, and he is interested. He listens to us teach a first and it goes really well. Then we give him a book of Mormon and he says he wants to read it and meet with us again.Then we taught two more lessons to people who lived on that street. It was just a little miracle because the week before was harder and we didn't have that much success in our finding work or with our contacts. I love being a missionary because it seems like Heavenly Father is always just giving us little miracles all the time to help us stay positive. I love my companion because she recognized the hand of God in everything. She wakes us in the morning with a positive attitude and just amazing gratitude and keeps it all day long until the second she goes to bed. At first it was hard to keep up, but this gospel is about teaching people how to find happiness and I find her rubbing off on me j.k. NO but really recognize the little things and you will realize that they are not really so little, they are instead exactly what you need to overcome your trials. Because yes this life is a prove i mean trial slash test, but it is about getting over that and finding happiness. I know Heavenly Father has given us everything we need to be happy, most importantly an awesome family!!!!! I love you and was happy to get to talk to you. Vi Voglio Tanto Tanto Bene

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

My companion was sick this week so I am emailing a day late...the good news is that she so far doesn't have TB or laringitis. Now we are waiting to see what else causes one to cough up blood...yuck. Anyhow beside that things are really good. The only problem is that she keeps insisting she is fine despite the fact that she has a really high fever and can barely talk she still is trying to go to appointments. I finally made her call the president two days ago and now we are at the hospital...but she got a blessing and she looks a lot better today. She keeps insisting that we will go to an appointment tonight but I already canceled it....Hopefully tomorrow we can do missionary work but I am having fun proselyting to all the nurses...they are too lazy so they will do anything to sit down and take a break...even talk to me! Hospitals are a lot different in Korea...You can just walk around where ever you want and leave and come back at anytime....the patients just take their IV's with them walking around town. I'm not really sure that it's completely sanitary but whatever. The only thing that is really annoying is the bathroom it's disgusting, I'm considering asking for a sponge and cleaning it myself. Anyhow before all that excitement I had a really great week because of something that I realized this week. I have spent alot of time in life wondering who I am. But I was reading in the Ensign an article to the aronic priesthood and I realized that one day walking along the streets of Korea that I made a what felt like at the time a tiny choice. It was more of just the thought I want to know God no matter how hard it is. That thought has beat around in my head a bunch as I have encountered all kinds of experiences and I keep telling myself...I can do hard things. Well something amazing happened I realized that as a daughter of God I really can do hard things...that made things even easier. Then this week reading that article I realized something. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. It's not so much that I just chose that but that I remembered it. I already chose before this life to be a disciple of christ...That's the real me. Of course I'm really flawed and trying to figure out how to get myself to do what I need to....But I really am a follower of Christ! Anyhow that was really exciting to me. It makes me feel like maybe I can actually be whoever it is that God wants me too be....even if sometimes that's hard for me to see. Anyhow one more thought...I read a talk about how all scripture testifies of Christ and I thought isn't my patriarchal blessing scripture so I read it trying to find types of Christ and it's amazing that I can see him in almost every sentence! I highly recommend giving it a try. It makes me think that everyone's life is a testimony of Christ....I am more and more thinking that after my mission sometime in life I really want to write a book using a whole bunch of different people's life's as a lens to seeing God...if that makes sense at all....And of course take pictures! It's just a thought but it would be really interesting to me! Anyhow I hope everyone is well.

Missionary Letters--Rome, Italy

Famiglia Mia So this week was crazy because we got transfer calls on Monday and my trainer is leaving me to go be with my MTC companion and I am getting S. So I am sad for her to go and excited to get a new companion. This week we set our first baptismal date with one of our inactives we are working with. It is not until December because she still has some things to work out but I am sooo excited because she has been away from the church for 7 years and is ready to put her life in order and come back. It is the coolest feeling ever to be able to help people realize the peace in their lives that comes from keeping the commandments. It is really starting to be summer here. The second you step out the the shower you just start sweating. We have been doing lots of "house" and I realized I am thankful to be serving in Italy I realized that I don't really know what kind of finding work they do in the states but we "do park" and "house" and we also "do chalk" where we draw out the plan of salvation and try to get people to stop. The funniest thing is that last week people stoped but not that many were interested, instead there are these two Asian boys whose parents have a stand where they sell stuff that is near by and they have started to come help us draw out the plan of salvation only this is like the third week and we tease that they know it better then us. So at least we have our two little asian investigators even if no one else wants to listen. They are like 5 and 7. Then we are teaching this Romanian lady who doesn't speak Italian that well. We were teaching a first and the spirit was there sooo strong and then at the end we asked to pray and she knelt down and put this rag on her head. We were like ummm OK so we knelt and we prayed then we got up. She looked at me and told me that it was a sin to cut our hair short. I had my hair up and I think she thought I had cut it. And that it is a sin to pray as women with out our hair covered. I was like ummmmmm so then I just recommitted her to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it since she had committed to do that already. So then I went home to search the Bible to figure out why she thought that. Then I pretty much found exactly that in 1 Cor 11. So I was wondering if anyone had any advice you know besides what I was already planning to tell her about how Joseph Smith was a prophet and the times are different and we receive revelation for our day specifically and dont do things exactly like in the bible. So that was my fun experience. I guess you had to be there but she told me I was sinning like 5 times I was like ummmm OK yes I dont speak enough Italian to know exactly what to say right now Meno Male I still have my trainer. Yea I love awkward moments the mission if full of soo many. I have to go now so my companion can finish packing. Write me back .Vi Voglio Bene.

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

I'm exhausted but really happy. We dropped pretty much all of our insincere investigators this last couple of weeks but it really allows us to focus on finding and really showing love to the people who truly have a desire to learn and progress. I wonder are your two little Asian investigators Korean? I have been thinking a lot lately about a question one of our less actives asked us about Why do I need to love God? So I have been studying the creation a lot I think it has a lot to do with gratitude and feeling his love...also I need to study the end of the plan of salvation more in depth. Anyhow we have one baptismal commitment right now and I think we will have another one soon...really the time is flying I really don't know sometimes that another day has started.

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Sorry that I haven't written in so long....I don't know how the last two weeks past by so quickly....I got your package and the album is sooooooo cute everyone loves it...the missionaries all want you to make theirs hehe. But I can't change the money into Won so i'm sending it back to you. If you could send travellers checks I found out I only need maybe 40 american dollars I'm also sending you the check grandma sent me for my birthday maybe you can use that money for something. Sorry I'm such a bother! These last couple weeks have been so good I'm really hot and tired and hungry pretty much all the time, but I don't think I have ever just understood how happy I could be before. I really now know that if I have less i can love it more. Hopefully I can learn how to overcome selfishness more if you have any ideas then I would love to hear them! I have been especially studying Mosiah chapter 2-5 lately...I really want to understand and become how he talks about being a child because of something I read in Galatians about we are just servants of God (and from King Benjamin we know unprofitable servants) unless we become CHILDREN of God. anyhow if you have time study it and send to me what you learn! and also if you are studing anything else I would love to hear about it and the small prompting of the Holy Ghost that you are getting. That's one thing that I'm starting to develop that I now realize is really one of your spiritual talents you have very clear promptings about others in our family about the little things that they need to cope and progress. So I'm trying to be less selfish so I can know how to USE the discernment I have anyhow I hope everyone is doing well I love you

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Hi thanks for remembering me!!!! I taught my kids in English class part of the national anthem for the 4th of July. Right now we just got back from the beach (we went with our district for fourth of July and my comp's last P-day) anyhow in like 7 mins we have to take a taxi to mission correlation so I have like no time. But tomorrow we will meet our new mission president...i'm kinda nervous. But also excited. We will have 2 baptisms on Monday right before my comp leaves which is pretty cool...The best thing that I can tell you Gigi is to really teach about prayer, fasting, and faith. And teach her about showing love to her husband usually that's the best way to change people is to become more Christlike...then they can feel god's love through you, if she asks him and he feels the spirit then I know he will say yes. She need to also share the gospel to him....even if it's just the spirit. But the thing that probably helped the most is that all the ward members fasted and prayed about it two....see how that goes ....anyhow time's up I love you all

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

Thanks for your letter. It's so strange the roads that life ends up taking us down. But I think maybe the thing that I most need to learn is to just enjoy the experiences. Sometimes I wonder how this mission can be the time that I most spend with people but really feel like it's just me and God. My trainee is quite a challenge for me, the hardest thing it seems in mission work is to help people have desire. It's sometimes feels like smashing your head against a brick wall. She doesn't seem to have very much interest or love for our investigators as of yet but from my past experiences i know that as i set a good example of obedience and more importantly love she will progress. We have some awesome investigators right now and more importantly i really love the members of our Naju branch. They are so close because it's so tiny but I really feel like they are some of my dearest friends...it's kind of hard because i know i am just a missionary and maybe one year later no one will remember my name...but for now i tell myself i can keep in touch and that i will know them forever. I bet it was a lot of fun to see your friends, the I think I have gained the moral courage to be able to be the kind of woman that I want to be, but practise in a controlled environment might be a good thing haha. It's so hard to believe that I have almost been a missionary for a year. The days are forever long but somehow the months just fly. It's so incredibly hot you wouldn't even believe it. I fainted the other day because it is just so hot and we are so busy. I still maybe over schedule us too much but I would rather over schedule than not have anything to do. I take a cold shower every morning and then I never dry off because I just sweat all day. Most people don't have air conditioning in Korea so it's just hot. But it's kinda fun and I think I am losing weight at least. The thing that I miss most about being a junior companion is i don't really have time to think, I just have to do. My greenie says she thinks that I'm a workaholic and all the elders in our zone call me and ask me how I get such good stats but they don't believe me when i say we just work hard and plan well and follow preach my gospel. The truth is that most people are just lazy. I know, because I was a lazy person before my mission. But I finally figured out what you were trying to tell me about depression when I was in collage...Everything is just a choice. I can choose to work hard or to be lazy. I can chose to be depressed because I'm lonely or to enjoy the good relationships that I have. It's still really hard at the end of the day to choose to work hard and be happy but I am getting better at it. The truth about life is that if your tired or hungry it's harder to follow god hahaha. But those are also the times that if you choose to do it you find the most power. Anyhow I don't really have much important to say. Interesting things happen everyday but for some reason when I have time to email than I don't know what to say. I don't know why but when I do think about anything besides mission work than I just wonder about my life and what I should do in the future. I wonder what kind of life God wants me to live and what kind of person I should become. Everyone that I have ever met has such a different concept of me. Lately I just want to chose one personality and one set of talents and really become excellent at SOMETHING everything is just too hard. What kind of things do you think I should work the most at developing?

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

I have another disobedient companion....but the hard times in my mission are really a blessing because I feel so much closer to Heavenly Father. I really want to help you decorate...it sounds fun...I spent all day today (P-Day) scrubbing the floors and trying to make the house as comfortable and homey as possible...One of the things that I'm trying to develop is the capacity to feel the spirit as much as possible for the last 6 months that I have left. I have realized more and more that I am influenced so much by my surroundings. If I eat too much sugar, or If I don't clean up my spirit is offended and it's hard to feel peace. I really appreciate the simple lifestyle that a mission facilitates. It makes me able to appreciate the simple pleasures of life...I read this talk by Elder Wirthlin called the Abundant Life, and my goal is to make first my mission, and then my life a masterpiece. Sometimes I wish that I could just see what God wants me to be because I could just become that. If I knew just what he wanted then it would be so easy to just do that. But I guess that's the point of agency and i can choose the most delicious and fascinating things to me and just focus on them. I always thought that it was important to be good at EVERYTHING before my mission but now I think maybe it's more important to be really amazing at a few things and just enjoy everything else. Anyhow right now I just want to make these last 6 months everything I can imagine for a mission...Do you have any ideas for important things to accomplish or do in mission work?

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

it seems that you are having your own mission experience. Just remember that your greenie tranfer is the hardest, after that you are dead tired and want to go home but you just know your in it for the duration. I didn't know you were teaching, what subject is it? Have you decided if the focus of this part of your life is going to be on strengthening family unity or building the kingdom in a very remote part of the world? I'm interested to know what mission work is like in Saudi Arabia. This week was really great. I was at the end of my rope thinking that I was always going to be held back by my insufficiencies but I realized something important. God can do anything. Even if I can't do everything that I want to do I CAN do everything he wants me to do, because if he wanted me to do more than he would just give me that strength and cause it to happen. I thought it would decrease my productivity but it seems that I am now even more successful than before. Anyhow I have been fasting twice a week for my area and to know what God wants me to do here and on Monday I spent 30 mins of my personal study time in prayer. I felt like the heavens opened and I was given specific direction about 9 people in my area to bring them to the waters of baptism and receiving the gift of the holy ghost. My goal this transfer was only 6 but I had no idea who those people could be. So if you are praying for me at all will you not pray for me to receive blessings but please pray that the people in my area can be blessed to accept the gospel. My district is absolutely amazing right now. I think that there really is a slice of 4th Nephi in my district. If the whole world was like our district everyone would just be happy. Dad wrote me about after my mission but I don't know what to do. I got a blessing about it and I just was told that when the time came to go home I would be given the keys that I needed to know what the Lord wanted me to do in my life. So I won't think about it again until necessary. I am praying for you and our family. Don't give up on family scripture study and prayer. I know it's hard. I repent for not contributing every time I have an investigator that refuses to read or pray. I guess a mission and a family are pretty much the same.

Missionary Letters--Daejeon Korea

This week was the biggest holiday in Korea, the Harvest. So this last week was pretty slow. I went on a split for two days to do some training in Mokpo which is on the beach and that was kind of fun. Besides that we spent a lot of time with our investigators and members eating and talking but because of the holiday we weren't allowed to proselyte or knock doors. Yesterday was our P-day but the wasn't any place open to email so we are just emailing today and then we will go out to work. I have been studying a lot about mercy and justice lately. One sister that I am pretty close to believes pretty much according to Spencer W. Kimball in the miracle of Forgiveness. She thinks we pretty much have no chance of receiving salvation and that we much do everything in our power to overcome the fallen man and then throw ourselves on the mercy of God. I see where she is coming from definitely. But the point of the whole thing is that when I think of how awful my sins are then I get really depressed, because I think no matter what I do I will never be able to do enough works to every overcome those sins. Yesterday we went fishing with our district and I talked to one of the Elders about it. He said that he thinks that the mercy part is more than our comprehension and that really the people who won't receive salvation are the ones who didn't allow themselves to accept it. I don't really know what is true. I know that sometimes when I study about the atonement then I just feel an overwhelming sense of peace and resolution, but sometimes I just look at how much I'm lacking and think that I am the vilest of sinners. I don't know. So the point is will I receive salvation or not? I wonder if I can know that now or not. Anyhow it seems that all the answers in life come down to pray and receive a sure answer from the Holy Ghost.