Elder Scott Invokes Apostolic Blessing on Sisters in the MTC and Sisters Who Go Home to Marry Given Honorable Releases

This week has been really crazy. The other Cebuano district left yesterday and its been really quiet without them. They were all amazing people. Basically everyone loved them! So in crazy news in the MTC Sister Russell left the other day the same day as Sister Brinton. Sister Brinton went to the field while Sister Russell went home to get married! She has a date set for December 6th. You forget there is a real world outside of the MTC sometimes and that people leave their missions.

I guess though that when girls leaves their missions they are considered as having served honorably. Their records say they served a full time mission even if she was only out for 2 weeks. It is weird how that happens.  I was sad because think of all those people that she would have met.  But I think she is happy about her decision about her going on a mission and. I think it was the best thing for her, because she is now getting married.

Apostolic Blessing More Powerful Than A Shredded Tire

Elder Damon Janis of the Denver Colorado South Spanish-speaking mission shares with us the fulfillment of an apostolic blessing he received in the MTC from Elder Richard G. Scott:

Elder Richard G. Scott Pronounces Apostolic Bless on New Zealand Auckland Missionaries

On 30 April 2009 Elder Richard G. Scott left an apostolic blessing on the New Zealand Auckland missionaries:

As you ponder and try to understand who the Savior is during your mission, you will understand him more fully and it will be the foundation of your life. For those of you who are mastering another language I invoke a blessing of the gift of tongues. You exercise that gift with faith. After today you should find a greater ability to learn and communicate in an acquired tongue. What would I have you remember from our experience together, just one thing, an individual—insignificant and not very strong or capable but with the mantle and keys of an apostle said to you:

‘I positively know and bear witness that Jesus Christ lives. He is a glorified resurrected being of perfect love. He personally guides this church. And I accept responsibility before my Father in Heaven for what I say for it is true. His Son lives!’”

In an earlier post this year I spoke about Apostolic Blessings citing an example of Elder Boyd K. Packer leaving one some missionaries in the MTC on how their families would be blessed and one by Elder Russell M. Nelson. It is common when an apostle or seventy visits a group of missionaries to leave some apostolic words of encouragement.

President Monson Puts Into Action Missionary Principles in Panama

Photo by Jason Swenson©Church News

On Sunday, 10 August 2008 President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Panama City Panama Temple calling on the Lord to "provide a spirit of peace to all who observe its majesty." Throughout the world Latter-day Saint members in our temples often pray for the Prophet and that missionaries may be lead to the honest in heart and that the leaders of the world would open their doors to missionary work.

It is refreshing to see that President Monson is making strides to keep open offical channels as he and his daughter Ann Gibbs, Elder Dieter Uchtdorf and his wife Harriet, Elder Richard G. Scott, and Elder Don Clark and his wife Mary Anne, all met with Panama's President Martin Torrijos and his wife, First Lady Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos, at Panama's Presidential Palace on Monday, 11 August 2008 to discuss what the church was doing for the Panamanian people. During the meeting President Torrijos commended the church for its humanitarian efforts and discussed ways of improving literacy with President Monson. President Monson and Elder Uchtdorf discussed the value of the temple for the Panamanian people. The First Lady Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos had actually attended the open house before the temples dedication.

Jason Swenson of the Church News reported :

President Monson presented the President and Mrs. Torrijos with a small statue of a child taking her first steps.

President Monson and his fellow Church leaders also offered direction and encouragement to missionaries in the Panama City Panama Mission.

President Monson and President Uchtdorf both testified of the divine inspiration that can be found behind each missionary assignment. In his remarks, the Church president spoke of the importance of missionaries working closely with local members to find people to teach the gospel.

In his remarks to the missionaries, President Uchtdorf said Sister Uchtdorf's family had been taught and baptized into the Church by missionaries who persisted in knocking on every door in the apartment complex where her family lived. The missionaries experienced rejection at each door until finally finding Sister Uchtdorf's receptive family in the last apartment on the last floor.

A fluent Spanish-speaker, Elder Scott said it was important that the missionaries broaden their language skills while taking advantage of the unique opportunity a mission affords to study the gospel in depth and to better know the Savior.

It has always impressed me that prayer needs to be followed up with action on the part of our leaders. It is great to have such a missionary-minded President like Thomas S. Monson forging ties with leaders throughout the world.