Message 20 June 2011

Message—20 June 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

Tomorrow will be the first day of summer, my how the time flies.  Since it has rained hardly at all for almost two weeks now, many of the pretty green lawns here are now turning brown like those in Utah do when they do not get enough water.  Very few people spend money on watering lawns, they just wait for the next rain storm and the lawns will recover.

Since we spent most of our time last week helping get missionaries moved and delivering and or installing air conditioners we did not get the apartments in our area checked for June.  So this week we spent most of our days checking the 18 apartments we have in our area.  Because of the long distances between the apartments it takes the better part of 3 days to check the apartments.  There are usually a few things to fix or repair or replace at some of them.

In addition to checking apartments, we also took Elder Morrison and Elder Swaner, who serve in the Brockport ward with us, to follow up on a few referrals and make visits to inactive ward members.  One of the inactive members is a widower, his wife died a few years ago.  He lives in a far corner of the ward boundaries and has not been to church for several months.  We went to visit him with the Elders and had a good visit with him.  We were able to learn about him and his family and his conversion to the church.  He told us the main reason he joined the church was because his daughter joined.  Since this was his motivation, he did not really have the change of heart and testimony needed to sustain him in being active.  He was active for several years, but has not been coming since the first of the year.  We have coordinated with the High Priest Group Leader to have him be sure home teachers will go to his home and try to strengthen him and get him to become active again.  We will also keep visiting him as well.  It is very important that people get truly converted to the gospel before being baptized so they will remain active.  They do also need to continue to be nourished by the good word of God as well; thus the need for home and visiting teaching.

This week we will be having some training from the mission president on two different days.  Tomorrow will be with all the missionaries in our Zone; then on Thursday afternoon we will have more training with other senior missionaries.  The training on Thursday will be in Mendon at the John Young home and the Tomlinson Inn.  We will share more about this training next week and also tell you about the history related to this area.

Thank you to all the family who sent father’s day greetings and wishes to us.  It is an honor to be the father of each of you good children; as well as a grandfather to the grandchildren.  You are each a child of Heavenly Father, as well as our children.  We love you and pray for you every time we pray, both collectively and individually.  We know Heavenly Father will answer all of our prayers and all of your prayers as well.  We need to pray in faith that He will do what is best for each person according to His wisdom and timing and love for us.  We know Heavenly Father and the Savior live and love us and will do all they can to help us.  As we live in harmony with their teachings and the example of Jesus Christ, and use our agency to choose to follow the answers to our prayers, we will receive more blessings and help in our efforts to become worthy of all the promised blessings that will enable us to be together forever as families.  We share our testimony and witness that the gospel is true, President Monson is the Lord’s prophet, the Book of Mormon is true, and was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith through the gift and power of God.  The doctrines taught in the Book of Mormon will help us come unto Christ and be worthy to live with Him and Heavenly Father.

We love you all,

Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Richard & Maxine