Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: December 2008

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Australia Perth Mission

Australia Perth Mission

Mission Website(s)

LDS Mission Network (Eric B. Lund)

Facebook--Australia Perth Mission

Missionary Site(s)

LDS Mission Network

LDSMissions.Com

Dear Elder--Elder Ammon Cooper 2007-2009

Dear Elder-Elder Robert W. Doyle 2006-2008

MissionSite.Net--Elder Samuel Bawden 2009-2011

MissionSite.Net--Elder Austin Campbell 2010-2012

MissionSite.Net--Elder James-Michael Petricevich 2008-2010

MissionSite.Net--Elder Jack Smint 2010-2012

MissionSite Net--Elder Spencer Wolfley 2008-2010

Daily Herald--Elder Adam David Grant, 29 November 2008

Bradley Waddoups

Matt Stoddard 2000-2002

Floyd Black Autobiography (senior couple missionary 1983-1984)

JoDee Sundberg Obituary 1976-1978

Obituary: Reid Ollerton Clark (senior couple missionary)

Lillian Spotten Steere Obituary

Geoffrey Allen Despain Obituary

Obituary--Duane Wallace Crimin [Friday, 24 August 2007

Irving Otto Brunstad Obiturary 5 January 2005

Blog(s)

Elder Richard Haskell's Blog from Perth, Australia

Janet Thomas, “Harriet's Firm Foundation,” (Elder Owen Gilbert mentioned) New Era, Nov 2006, 26–29

John R. Gibson, “Book of Mormon Principles: Be Strong and of a Good Courage,” Ensign, Aug 2004, 20

Christopher Cooper, "Small Island Branch Sends Members on Full-time Missions," (Elder Geoff Lui) Church News [Saturday, 13 December 2003].

“President Hinckley Dedicates Temple, Visits Members ‘Down Under’,” Ensign, Sept. 2003, 75–77

Thomas S. Monson, “They Pray and They Go,” (Donald W. Cummings) Ensign, May 2002, 49

Thomas S. Monson, "They Pray and They Go," (Donald W. Cummings) Church News [Saturday, 6 April 2002].

V. Dallas Merrell, “Will You? Implementing the Mission of the Church,” Ensign, Oct 2001, 50

Thomas S. Monson, “They Pray and They Go,” (Donald Cummings) Liahona, Jul 2002, 54–57

V. Dallas Merrell, “Will You? Implementing the Mission of the Church,” Ensign, Oct 2001, 50

"New Temple President," (Donald W. Cummings) Church News [Saturday, 26 May 2001].

Alan Wakeley and Richard Hunter, "Faith Prvailed Over Distance in Temple Trip," Church News [Saturday, 26 May 2001].

Gordon B. Hinckley, "Perth Australia Temple Dedicatory Prayer," Church News [Saturday, 26 May 2001].

“Perth Australia Temple Dedicated,” Ensign, Aug. 2001, 71–72

Lisa M. G. Crockett, “Aussie Odyssey,” (Elder Mike Elsner mentioned) New Era, Feb 2000, 20

Australia Perth Mission CD 1999

"New Temples Announced for Perth, Omaha," Church News [Saturday, 26 June 1999].

David B. Haight, “Love and Service,” (missionary couple Ken and Karen Woolstenhulme) Ensign, May 1999, 68

David B. Haight, "Love and Service," (missionary couple Ken and Karen Woolstenhulme) Church News [Saturday, 4 April 1999].

Christopher K. Bigelow, “Australia: Coming Out of Obscurity Down Under,” Ensign, Dec 1998, 35

“Changes in Members of Seventies Quorums; New Young Women Presidency,” (John A. Grinceri called to 3rd Quorum of Seventy) Ensign, Nov. 1997, 102

Alan Wakeley, “President Hinckley Visits New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico,” Ensign, Aug. 1997, 75–77

"South Pacific visit: Pres. Hinckley completes 8-day tour," Church News [Saturday, 24 May 1997].

Marjorie B. Newton, “Australia’s Pioneer Saints,” Ensign, Feb 1997, 45

Christopher Chetwynd, “Time to Repent,” Liahona, Nov 1996, 24

"New Mission Presidents," (former missionary Robert M. Cowan called as mission president New Zealand Wellington Mission) Church News [Saturday, 5 October 1996].

Christopher Chetwynd, “Time to Pray,” New Era, Jun 1996, 15

"New National Officer--Sigma Gamma Chi," (Daniel Jones former mission president) Church News [Saturday, 1 June 1996].

Larry A. Hiller, “How It Starts,” New Era, Aug 1995, 28–33

Lowell D. Wood, V. Dallas Merrell, and Durrel A. Woolsey, “A Conversation with the Pacific Area Presidency,” Ensign, Dec. 1994, 70–71

E. Dale LeBaron, “Gospel Pioneers in Africa,” (Edward Ojuka) Tambuli, May 1994, 37

"Elder James O. Mason," (mentions missionary son Ben Mason ) Church News [Saturday, 14 May 1994].

"Shining moments: Timely service," (Sister Ramona Page) Church News [Saturday, 15 January 1994].

E. Dale LeBaron, “Pioneers in East Africa,” (Edward Ojuka) Ensign, Oct 1994, 21

“Q&A: Questions and Answers--I’m the only one in my family who attends church regularly. On the occasions when my family does come, they are uncomfortable because the ward members make a big fuss. What should I do?,” (Elder Daniel-Lynn Whittacre) New Era, Nov 1993, 17

"New Stake Presidencies," (former couple missionary Ernest W. Bell called as first counselor in Roy Utah stake presidency) Church News [Saturday, 19 June 1993].

J. Gordon Vaughan, "Missionary Moments: Rejoiced Together," (senior missionary couple J. Gordon and Valmai Vaughn) Church News [Saturday, 9 January 1993].

“A Family Is …,” (Elder Craig Dunlop mentioned) New Era, Jun 1991, 29

Roi and Aileen Walker, “Eric and Noni Thomas: 100 Percenters!,” Ensign, Apr. 1989, 69

“Saints Shine in Perth, Western Australia’s ‘City of Lights’,” Ensign, Oct. 1988, 76–77

"'Standing room only' at Aussie firesides," (public relations missionaries Roy and Aileen Walker) Church News [Saturday, 27 February 1988].

Michael Otterson, “Australia Today: And Now the Harvest,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 23

“Margaret Lawson: Kununurra’s Solitary Saint,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 27

“Bob Cowan: The Moment That Changed His Life,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 26

Marjorie A. Newton, “Australia: The First Half of the Twentieth Century,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 29

Brian K. Kelly, “The Back End of Beyond: Living in Perth, Australia,” New Era, Jan 1987, 21

Michael Otterson, “Australia Today: And Now the Harvest,” Ensign, Oct 1986, 28

Marjorie A. Newton, “Pioneering the Gospel in Australia,” Ensign, Oct 1986, 32–41

“Margaret Lawson: Kununurra’s Solitary Saint,” Ensign, Oct. 1986, 42–43

“Feedback--The Ways of the World,” (Elder Scott Anderson) New Era, Jul 1986, 3

“Feedback--Lost Sheep,” (Robert R. Escobar) New Era, Jan 1986, 3

“Feedback--All Things Are Possible” (Elder Birrel and Elder Lynn) New Era, Aug 1983, 3

“Feedback--Fresh water to parched lips,” (Elder Hank J. Ensign) New Era, Jul 1982, 3

Brian K. Kelly, “Welcome to Paradise--More than a Walking Tour of Christchurch New Zealand,” (Elder Ben McIntyre mentioned) New Era, Jul 1982, 25

“FYI: For Your Information,” (David Thomas Kelly family converted) New Era, Jul 1982, 40–43

“Feedback--Antidote for Pain,” (Elder Anthony Weller) New Era, Jun 1982, 3

“Feedback--Spot On,” (Elder Jed W. Porter) New Era, Mar 1981, 3

“Feedback--Sign Up Now,” (Elder Dale Barnes) New Era, Mar 1979, 2

Melvin Leavitt, “A Merry Missionary Christmas,” (Sisters Emmalee Jackson and Pamela Marles) New Era, Dec 1978, 25

Robert L. Simpson, “‘Not My Will, but Thine’,” (mentions Bruce Opie mission president) Ensign, May 1978, 36

“Feedback--The Spiritual Spin Cycle,” (Elder Russ Hembrow) New Era, Apr 1978, 2

“Area Conferences Announced for South Pacific,” Ensign, Sept. 1975, 94–95

“Church to Divide Mission in Korea,” (Bruce James Opie of Victoria, Australia, called to the Australia Perth Mission) Ensign, July 1975, 76

“Twelve New Missions Announced,” (Australia Perth Mission created from Australia Adelaide Mission) Ensign, May 1975, 127

Richard J. Marshall, “Saga of Sacrifice,” (Donald W. Cummings) Ensign, Aug. 1974, 66–67

Stories

LDS Mission Network

What Does A Financial Secretary Do?

Jan Meyers in the West Indies Mission shares with us what her husband Larry does as finance secretary:

That's
Elder Coleman working on the finances with him. Don't they look awfully serious? Larry will be handling all the finances for the mission, so it is pretty serious business. Part of his job is to fund the debit cards all the missionaries use to receive
the funds to cover their living expenses each transfer, so it's pretty important that our Elders always have money to live on. He also pays bills, handles petty cash, and reconciles all the payments. I'm glad it's him and not me.

Kim Clark, former Harvard Business Dean and now President of BYU--Idaho reported to Jeff Benedict of the Hall of Fame Network the affect of serving as a mission finance secretary:

Kim Clark's mission president was the CEO of a bank. "I got to work with him closely," said Clark, who was assigned to work in the mission president's office after he had been in Germany for about a year. "He had a profound influence on me and my sense of what was possible in positions of responsibility and leadership if people learned to execute them very well."

At age nineteen, Clark was asked to be the financial secretary to the mission president, who had oversight of all the Mormon Church's assets and finances throughout southern Germany. At the time, Clark had completed only one year of college at Harvard before leaving school to serve his mission. He had no experience with finances. Suddenly he found himself serving as a finance secretary to a bank CEO. "By being his financial secretary, I learned a lot having to do with organization, finance, budgeting, and accounting," said Clark.

The experience taught Clark about management. "I saw in my mission what happens when a leader establishes a pattern of consistency and coherence across all aspects of an organization's work," Clark said. "My mission president didn't just care about the quality of the teaching by the missionaries. He cared about the way our finances were handled. He cared about the way we were organized. He cared about training clerks properly and about whether our records-financial and otherwise-were in order, and whether we had control over what was going on."

Clark applied these lessons in his management style at the Harvard Business School. "I try to run HBS as a living model of the very best ideas we have about how organizations should work," Clark said. "I've tried to instill in people this commitment to the fundamental mission and help everybody understand that no matter what their role (alumni relations, teaching executive education, running the MBA program, or providing support or doing research), everybody has an important contribution to make to the mission of the school. If the school is to reach its potential, everybody has to perform at a high level. There's nothing we do that's not important, because we are educating people who are going to be leaders in the world. My mission for the Mormon Church was a very important influence in how I think about organizations."

Also the mission finance secretary may be subject to audit, President Mike Murray of the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission explains the process:

Our Church has a strong sense of financial accountability and stewardship. Members tithe (donate) 10% of their income to the Church. At a local level we have no paid ministers. The tithing funds are used to construct new LDS chapels at a rate of about one new building per day throughout the world; support our worldwide missionary program; support our colleges and universities; construct and maintain our temples and support the administrative staff at church headquarters.Here in the mission field we have many controls regarding the usage of church funds. We adhere to carefully constructed checks and balances.Once a year a team of church auditors perform a thorough audit of our financials. We have a fleet of 45 cars and trucks and leases on 60 apartments. We provide monthly food allowances for 130 missionaries. We have car repair bills, gas bills, utility bills, cell phone bills, office supplies, training supplies, etc.

All of this is managed by one of our full-time missionaries. This is the equivalent of an office manager / bookkeeper job in a company with 130 employees! Elder Lamb is our current Financial Secretary. He does a wonderful job of keeping all the bills paid and all the records in order.

This past Sunday we had our annual internal audit. We passed with flying colors! Performing the audit were two volunteers from the Church: David Johnson who is Chief Operating Officer at WaWa (an east coast chain of convenience stores) and Ryan Dixon, a senior accounting manager at Comcast.

I wonder if former finance secretaries have anything they would like to share as tips for others who might serve in this position.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Multiple Bicycle Purchases for LDS Missionaries

Yesterday I addressed disguising your bicycle to lessen the chance of theft. Today I want to address another bicycle-related issue the likelihood of buying more than one bike on a mission.

I found this instructional gem on the Italy Rome Mission blog:

A few cities of the mission use bicycles. The expense of procuring a bicycle is personally borne by the missionary – the church does not provide the funds. In most cases, missionaries transferring into a city may be invited to purchase the bicycle of a departing missionary. If a missionary purchases a bicycle, we have learned that many homeowners’ insurance policies can insure the full value of the bicycle if they have the value, brand, model, and serial number of the bicycle. Please check with your insurance agent about this. Most missionaries have their bicycles stolen at least once during their mission.

I am glad that my daughter never served in a bike area while on her mission to Italy Rome Mission. I couldn't have afforded to buy more than one bike when I had two daughters simultaneously on a mission and two others in college. I hope they consider parents' financial ability when assigning missionaries to bike areas. You don't need to worry if you win the lottery as a missionary and have a car area if they steal it the mission has to cover it. Usually they just operate with one less car.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Disguishing New Bikes in Foreign Missions/Mugging Missionaries

I was talking to my daughter who is leaving in January 2009 for the Taiwan Taipei Mission about her new bicycle that her mission president is requesting she buy. She told me that she was instructed that she would either have to dirty up her bike or spray paint it an ugly green so that no one would steal it. Most sister missionaries don't like riding dirty bikes so they deface them and choose hideous colors like green or orange. Elders on the other hand prefer to just scratch them up a little and dirty them. My daughter says she can't stand the idea of riding an ugly green bike. She was also told to carry about the equivalent of ten or twenty U.S. dollars in case she is mugged. She told me a friend serving in New York had to carry fifty dollars in NY and twenty when serving in Manhattan. My daughter's new husband said in Brazil it is common to be mugged.

Australia Melbourne Mission

Australia Melbourne (East) Mission consolidated to become Australia Melbourne Mission 1 July 2010

Mission Website(s)

LDS Mission Network (Leslie Fife)

Facebook--Australia Melbourne Mission

Missionary Site(s)

LDS Mission Network

LDSMissions.Com

Dear Elder--Elder Marc Henry 2007-2009

Dear Elder--Elder Heiarii Marurai 2009-2011

MissionSite.Net--Elder Kevin Dewitt 2009-2011

MissionSite.Heiarii Marurai 2009-2011

MissionSite.Net--Elder Tyler Mertz 2010-2012

MissionSite Net--Elder Tyler Okamura 2008-2010

Adam Nelson (BYU Football player former missionary 2001-2002)

Dallin Hutchinson 2000-2001

Michael Workman Bio

Charles Clinger Bio 1997-1998

Dallyn Vail Bayles Bio

Helen Evans Atoa

Duff Tittle Bio (missionary 1983-1984)

Todd Thorne

Lane Rochow (2006-2008)

Aaron Williams Allred Obituary (missionary 1981-1982)

Blog(s)

Elder Scott Baker 2010-2012

Elder Clint and Joyce Warby-The Down Under Warbys

Bigelow's Rameumptom (Christopher Bigelow)

My Life as Lou--My Little Brother (Bernie) Just Got His Mission Call (26 September 2007).

Christopher K. Bigelow, “Australia: Coming Out of Obscurity Down Under,” Ensign, Dec 1998, 35

"Church News: Deaths," (Robert K. Thomas) Church News [Saturday, 17 October 1998].

“Thirteen New Missions Created,” (Australia Melbourne West Mission created from Australia Melbourne Mission) Ensign, Apr. 1998, 76

T. Sean Wight, “My Own Emergency Team,” Liahona, Feb 1998, 34

"New missions created; total now 331," (Australia Melbourne West Mission created from Australia Melbourne Mission) Church News [Saturday, 10 January 1998].

T. Sean Wight, “My Own Emergency Team,” New Era, Jun 1997, 12

"South Pacific visit: Pres. Hinckley completes 8-day tour," Church News [Saturday, 24 May 1997].

Marjorie B. Newton, “Australia’s Pioneer Saints,” Ensign, Feb 1997, 45

Alan Wakeley, “President Hinckley Visits New Zealand, Australia, and Mexico,” Ensign, Aug. 1997, 75–77

"New mission presidents," (counselor to five mission presidents Leo P. Talbot called to Australia Sydney South Mission) Church News [Saturday, 12 March 1994].

John Frazer, “He Beckoned Me,” Tambuli, Dec 1986, 6

"Australian pioneer continues to lay foundation, promote growth for Church in country," (Stan Gray) Church News [Saturday, 7 September 1996].

Larry A. Hiller, “How It Starts,” New Era, Aug 1995, 28–33

"Shining Moments: Timely Service, (Sister Romona Page) Church News [Saturday, 15 January 1994].

Rulon G. Craven, “Like Sand and Surf,” New Era, Oct 1994, 7

“Built on a Rock,” (Greg Kidd baptized by missionaries) Ensign, Oct. 1994, 69–70

"New regional representatives," (Raymond Angus Page former mission president's counselor) Church News [Saturday, 27 August 1994].

Richard O. Cowan, “From Footholds to Strongholds: Spreading the Gospel Worldwide,” Ensign, Jun 1993, 56

Thomas S. Monson, “My Personal Hall of Fame,” (missionary Craig Sudbury) Ensign, Jul 1991, 2

Marjorie B. Newton, “Rosa Clara: Australian Pioneer,” Tambuli, Jun 1991, 8

"4 sets of missionaries from one ward," (Sister Triscia Christopulos) Church News [Saturday, 6 April 1991].

Marjorie B. Newton, “Rosa Clara: Bravery on the Pacific,” Ensign, Aug 1990, 54

John Frazer, “He Beckoned Me,” (member converted by missionaries) Ensign, Apr. 1989, 60–61

“Feedback--Can Do,” (Sister Rachel E. Warr) New Era, Feb 1989, 3

Evelyn T. Marshall, “The Widows’ ‘Might’,” Ensign, Mar 1988, 50

"People in the Church," (Elder Terry Hirsch) Church News [Saturday, 12 March 1988].

Thomas S. Monson, “Missionary Memories,” (missionary Craig Sudbury) Ensign, Nov 1987, 41

“Tabernacle Choir to Tour Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii,” Ensign, Sept. 1987, 79

Michael Otterson, “Australia Today: And Now the Harvest,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 23

Marjorie A. Newton, “Australia: The First Half of the Twentieth Century,” Tambuli, Aug 1987, 29

Michael Otterson, “Australia Today: And Now the Harvest,” Ensign, Oct 1986, 28

Marjorie A. Newton, “Pioneering the Gospel in Australia,” Ensign, Oct 1986, 32–41

“Feedback--A Temptation,” (Sister Jackie De Guzman) New Era, Sep 1986, 3

Lynda Bakker and Majorie Newton, “Temple Crowns Growth in Australia,” Ensign, Sept. 1984, 77–78

“FYI: For Your Information--Three Convert Missionaries,” (Sister Chong Kheng Lin) New Era, Jun 1984, 44

“Relief Society Counselor Named,” (Ann Stoddard Reese takes place of Shirley Ann Wilkes Thomas wife of mission president Robert K. Thomas) Ensign, Nov. 1983, 91

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Sustaining of Church Officers,” (release of Shirley W. Thomas as second counselor in Relief Society to accompany husband on mission) Ensign, Nov 1983, 4

“Ground Broken for First Temple in Australia,” (mentions Bruce R. McConkie who presided over Southern Australia Mission headquartered in Melbourne turning first shovelful of dirt in Sydney) Ensign, Oct. 1982, 77

“Feedback--Hitting Home,” (Elders Wright and Hathaway) New Era, May 1981, 3

“Feedback--Even Old-Timers,” (Elder and Sister Maughan) New Era, Apr 1981, 3

Jerry P. Cahill, “Area Conferences in a ‘New Land Apart’,” Ensign, Feb. 1980, 77

“Feedback--In Focus,” (Elder Daniel A. Washburn) New Era, Aug 1978, 3

“Lesson 34: Obedience,” (Keith Brian Rutledge) Aaronic Priesthood Manual 1, 119

“Area Conferences Announced for South Pacific,” Ensign, Sept. 1975, 94–95

“Feedback--Sorry Brisbane,” (Elders Boren, Thayne, Skinner, Baker, Booth, and Greenwood) New Era, Jun 1975, 2

John M. R. Covey, “Q&A: Questions and Answers--“How important is a formal education?”,” New Era, Sept. 1975, 16–17

Thomas S. Monson, “My Personal Hall of Fame,” (Craig Sudbury) Ensign, Nov 1974, 107

Stories

LDS Mission Network

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Should Mission Presidents Attend Their Missionaries Weddings After Their Missions

Yesterday my oldest daughter Genevieve was married in the Salt Lake City Temple to Stuart Larsen. Both were returned missionaries my daughter served in Korea and he in Brazil. My wife and I are the only members of our family and both of us served mission. At the sealing and receptions we had no relatives other than our children. My oldest three daughters were all endowed as the oldest one had served in Korea Daejeon and was the one getting married, the second served in Italy Rome, and the third is leaving in three weeks for Taiwan Taipei.

My daughter and her financee invited their mission presidents and a few mission companions. Only my daughter's mission president was able to come as well as three of her companions. One of his companions came but not his mission president. Norman Nemrow and his wife Cindy came for the sealing and they would have stayed for the reception in the Joseph Smith Building but had he not had another sister missionary who was getting married and was making the effort to attend both driving immediately after to Midway for the other missionaries reception.

He told my wife that if possible he would attend all of his missionaries weddings and receptions since he loved everyone of his missionaries so much. He was a very kind and considerate man. He said many of his missionaries temporarily stayed with him and his wife when needed when they transitioned to their education in different places in Utah. He considered his missionaries like his own children.

I was very impressed with his love for his missionaries and his sacrifice of time, money to keep their bonds of friendship after their missions.

I understand the love of a missionary for his mission president. All the missionaries in my mission field loved our mission president so much that we wanted him to seal us as he was a general authority. Today the few that had him do it and a few that didn't ask him to do the dame for our children. He really can't because there are too many of us. Even though it is disappointing that he can't share our most precious moments we all realize how hard it is for him to make that happen because of the demands on his time from his own family and church duties. Even if a former mission president were not a general authority it would take a tremendous effort in time and money to attend the two or three hundred missionaries major life events.

I realize that not every missionary feels as close to their mission presidents as I or my daughter might and that only fifty percent might even invite him. It even gets more complicated when you have three mission presidents like I did. I think there are a lot of factors to consider if a mission president can or will attend their missionaries weddings. I think relationship is a primary factor. Also you need to be considerate of the man and his families circumstances. There are a lot of other factors that can be discussed.

I do know that when they attend it affirms their respect for you and show how much they value you. I don't think if they don't attend it says they don't but it sure made my daughter's event special that he loved her enough to be there. I sure was impressed.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Questions, LDS Missionaries, and General Authorities

When I was a missionary serving under M. Russell Ballard one of his favorite things to do as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy and later as an Apostle as he spoke to missionary groups and to his former missionaries was to allow us to ask and his answering questions. He would tell us that no question was stupid but that if he could he would answer the question. If he didn't know the answer he would just tell us he didn't by making a joke. I think this has become standard practice for the Twelve and Seventies as they meet with missionary groups.

I was reading in Brother and Sister Urmston missionary couple blog that are serving for two years down in the Australia Melbourne Mission. Back in March David Bednar visited their mission and did pretty much the same thing as Elder Ballard. Here is a brief description of his meeting with this group of missionaries:

We had the wonderful opportunity this week to be in company with Elder [Bednar] and his sweet wife. Our first meeting was on Thursday. Both missions met together to hear what he had to say. We first heard from Sister [Bednar] . After she spoke I new why he was able to be called to be an Apostle. She was very sweet and humble in her ways. She spoke of how she met him and her love for him and how she knew that he was an Apostle. Then we heard from an Apostle. He was dynamic, brilliant, funny, personable and very spiritual. The meeting took the format of Questions and Answers, both ways. First he asked the Missionaries questions and we had the opportunity to ask him. He told us first that there are no bad questions, but some are better then other. For instance. Where is the Sword of Laban? bad question and he would answer I don't know and I don't care. He asked how often are you going to have the chance to be this close to an Apostle and be able to ask him any question. He said a good question would be. What is it like to pray in the Quorum of the Twelve. We had that question.Answer was The prayers are childlike. Unless you become as a little child, you can not enter into the kingdom of God. Mostly the prayers are prayer of gratitude. We attended two more meetings. One was single adults and we were able to get 9 of our young Chinese new members and also three of the others that we see. They were thrilled to be there. The Questions were all good. He told us to begin with, that this was to be a Revelatory Experience and that we were to take no notes of what he said. We were only to write things that came to our mind that would tell us something to help us. It was a great experience. The third time was Sunday evening. That one was an Australia fireside. He was in Sydney and each Stake center received the broadcast with telephone communications to each building. Questions came from each area. He visited Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. Every mission and every temple and other in between. I was touch by the spirit and received some answers for myself.

I understand their reluctance to have what they say recorded since they are shooting from the hip. Elder Ballard would even answer questions about the second endowment or anointing from time to time. I like the fact that they tackle so many topics since it makes for an interesting and lively meeting.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Washing Cars for the Lord: Good Public Relations

From an early age young men and young women from the United States and Canada learn the value of washing cars. Most in any type of high school or college club hold free car washes where usually they take donations. I even read that some teenage boys make money to go on their missions by holding car washes.

Mormon missionaries are leveraging their ability to wash cars in to a system of receiving referrals. Some do it when the weather is warm and others do it when they want to drum up some attention for the missionaries. Missionaries who are service oriented can use it to improve public relations in their communities. It doesn't really even matter in what country they are serving.

Landon Rich serving in the Peru Lima North Mission described their approach:

Friday we held a zone car wash. We washed the taxis for free as long as they gave us their addresses! The chapel that we did it at is a little ways from the highway so the four of us gringos in the zone had the responsibility to go to the highway and get people to go to the car wash. I wish I had my camera with me because it was very entertaining! Picture this, four white elders dancing around with pink and purple signs yelling “Free car wash, at the chapel of the Mormons”. Yeah it was a blast! It was crazy and our zone leader said that we probably wouldn’t get to do this again on our mission so take advantage of it, lol. We did! But we got quite a few people to stop and get their taxi washed and alot of names to contact!

President Mike Murray of the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission says:

Our missionaries serving in the Logan, Independence and Philadelphia 5th Wards (i.e. congregations) held a free car wash for the public. They washed almost 90 cars, including a police car and an electrician's large truck. One man thought it was such a good deal that he went come and brought his wife's car back. He got a two-fer.

While cars were being washed we invited the drivers and passengers to come into the church building for a tour. Over 100 people toured the building. Women from the three wards provided homemade cookies and punch. One visitor was excited when he saw that we had a large indoor basketball court and that there was a Saturday morning "pick-up game" in progress. He abandoned the building tour and joined in the game.

There are all kinds of outcomes for a car wash by missionaries. You can give tours, find referrals, handout Book of Mormon, or just do some good community service. There is lots of different ways to help out and washing cars is a simple, fun way for missionaries to give back to the communities in which they serve. You can do it even in the winter when people's cars are much dirtier. In fact hot chocolate sounds good to serve to all the attendees.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Missionary Christmas Slide Show

Missionaries and the Christmas Holidays

At this time of the year we remember our missionaries who are in the field. Usually family and friends will send them a Christmas card or two. Some missionaries even have to spend Christmas in the MTC. I remember my own mission and the two Christmases that I spent one in Italy and one in Canada.

The Italian Christmas I received a box from my mother with hard Christmas candy and Queen Anne chocolate covered cherries with a pair of panjamas. I shared the candy with my district in Ragusa. My companion Elder Dal Pozzo come from a wealthy family that sent him a couple hundred thousand lira. He was generous and took all of us out to El Padrino's restaurant. Where we had pizza and some kind of gelantinous dish with ham in the middle. The pizza in Italy is a lot different than in the United States. It doesn't have mozzarella on the bottom and the tomatoe is not spread on sauce. Our pizza had hard boiled eggs on it. It was cooked in a wood burning oven which made it flavorful.

My Canadian Christmas was much different as I was in Kitchener. We went over to a nonmember German older lady who had a crush on my companion Elder Byrd. He was a cute guy with baby blue eyes and light blond hair. We sang a few carols and drank non-alcoholic eggnog. He got a few presents from his family in Utah including some kind of strange pudding to make a Valentine concoction that was pink. I think I got a scarf. It was ultra-cold there as your snot would freeze on your face mask. I can't really remember going anywhere for Christmas dinner. I do vaguely remember about this time I was out with another missionary on exchange as Byrd and a former companion wanted to visit some past contacts. The other elder and I went in to an apartment building to get warm and knock a few doors. There was a drunk on the third floor who was coming down the stairs and he started yelling at us. He told my companion if he didn't get out of the building he would throw him down the stairs. My companion was going to disregard him but the guy was really looking for trouble and pushed pass him. I was down below and saw the guy turn. I could see he was going to hit the elder from behind. So I said something to him to distract him. I then told my companion elder let's just go. We did and the guy calmed down. It was a wasted night. Christmas eve and Christmas day are not good days for missionary work beyond caroling or giving out Christmas cards. I remember we made snow angels as part of the festivities.

When my own two daughters were on a mission my wife and I were in Saudi Arabia. The mission presidents' wives contacted us and told us months in advance to send them packages. My daughter at BYU Idaho took care of the packages for us. We sent them some unique things from Saudi like dates and figs. Today mission presidents and their wives have special Christmas conferences in December where they pass out the loot. They make sure every missionary gets something even if their family doesn't send something.

In Lisbon Sister Laura Thomas shares:

Well, I write to you from Lisbon. Yep, that's right, I'm actually in Lisbon right now. We have our Christmas Conference tomorrow in Miratejo (just south of Lisbon), so the whole Algarve zone came up for the conference. There will be bowling today. We are all excited. Most of the irmas are getting together to go bowling today. It should be really fun.

Elder Sean Gilmore in Buenos Aires says:

We just got back from the mission party and it was pretty fun, but unfortunately P-day is just about over. I still have my full hour to type though, so you should get some good details on how the party was. I got the Christmas package yesterday, and everything was in it, it was sweet, obviously I already opened it. I also got Grandma Sherry's Christmas package, which I wasn't expecting, it had 2 ties, mango bars, a card with a note for 75 dollars for a car fund, slipper socks, and handkerchiefs. I got Grandma Wilma's letter last week asking what I wanted for Christmas, so just tell her I am fine, and that if she really wants to give me something just save something for my nest egg. Yeah I can't listen to that one CD, but I guess I will hold on to it for the next 18 months or something. The rule is it has to be MoTab or the hymns, so a lot of elders try to find any kind of motab cd that isn't hymns because it is like listening to worldly music...but still following the rules.

On Christmas day they called us and we four-way called as the two girls one in Korea and one in Italy and two daughters out West and us talked together. That is the beauty of cell phones. I think we talked too long as one hour elapsed. I ran out of things to say. When I was on a mission missionaries didn't make calls. I only heard from my parents by mail and that was sporatic. Today it is a more coordinated effort to give them a sense of connection.

Elder Derek Hyde tells his parents in his weekly email:

I have my calling cards, they only cost like 15 soles and will last me about an hour and a half. We have a phone in our room and I think we will spend the day in our room. What time in the afternoon do you want me to call. Should I call the cell phone or the home phone?

I wonder what other missionaries have done over the years at Christmas time.