Message 15 August 2011

Message—15 August 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

We had a very busy week this past week.  Monday was our Mission Office Staff meeting with President & Sister Christianson.  During this meeting we finalized all the details for the four Zone Conferences which were held on Tuesday through Friday.  We also had some apartment issues for which we needed the President’s decision and approval.  On Tuesday we attended the Rochester Zone Conference at the Chapel on Westfall Road in Rochester.  Wednesday we attended the Palmyra South Zone Conference at the chapel in Canandaigua.  On Thursday we were at the Palmyra North Zone Conference at the Palmyra Chapel, across the road from the Palmyra Temple.  Then on Friday we attended the Buffalo Zone Conference at a chapel in Buffalo.  We attended all four Zone Conferences for two reasons.  The first is that we are assigned by the President to take some time to talk with the missionaries about issues relating to taking care of their apartments.  The second reason is that we were asked by the President to substitute for Elder and Sister McVea; while they were in Utah for their Daughter’s temple marriage in the Salt Lake City Temple.  Elder McVea is the Vehicle Coordinator for the mission; he has responsibility for all the vehicles used in the mission by the missionaries; this is about 40 vehicles.  When we have a Zone Conference the missionaries bring all the vehicles in so they can be inspected to insure they are properly being cared for and maintained.  If there are any problems with the vehicles Elder McVea can see that the problems are taken care of.  The inspection entails checking the fluid levels, adding fluids where needed; checking the all the lights and the horn to see that they all work, replacing bulbs if needed; checking the wiper blades, replacing them if needed, checking the tire tread depth and air pressure for each tire; checking for any damage to the body, scratches, scrapes, dents, etc.; and checking to see if the interior is being kept clean and the car is being washed and waxed at the appropriate time intervals.  All of these things are recorded on a paper form and then later, Elder McVea puts the information on the computer so both he and the church motor vehicle people can see the records.  We had the help of the new Mission Office couple, Elder and Sister Servoss, with all the inspections.  The Tuesday Zone Conference day it rained all day, part of the time it was a very hard rain; but we had to do the inspections anyway.  I received a good drenching.  After we finished inspecting the vehicles, we made a quick trip back to our apartment and I changed clothes then we returned for the afternoon part of the conference.  The other days, Wednesday through Friday it did not rain.  For the Friday Zone Conference Elder McVea and his wife were back from Utah and so we helped him do the inspections.  The Zone Conferences began at 9am and went until about 4pm each day; with 15 minute breaks at mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and a lunch break for about 30 minutes at about 12:30pm.  In order to be at the zone conferences 40 minutes early we had to leave our apartment before 7 am; and we did not get home until about 7pm each night; so the days were long.  On Saturday we had help from the AP’s and the Elders in Warsaw to load the furniture and other things needed for a new senior couple, Elder & Sister Jones, and take it to their new apartment in Warsaw and get the apartment ready for the Jones’ to move into on Monday (today).

In the morning sessions of the Zone Conferences, the Zone Leaders and the Assistants to the President did some training; then President Christianson did the training in the afternoon.  Sister Christianson was at the Tuesday Zone Conference, but she was not feeling well for the Wednesday Conference, then she went to Utah for the Funeral of President Christianson’s father on Saturday.  President Christianson is an awesome teacher; he uses the scriptures and the Preach My Gospel manual and quotes from prophets and apostles.  This means all that he teaches is doctrinally correct.  One thing he stressed is that if we will study from the scriptures and other approved missionary sources, there are over 4600 pages to learn about and learn how to use in teaching others about the gospel; therefore those sources are all we will have time to study from while on our mission.  Any other publication we want to read or study will have to wait until after our missions are completed and we return home.  He also emphasized that we need to follow the instruction from the Savior in the Doctrine and Covenants that the Book of Mormon should be the major part of our study and teaching, because it is the key to gaining a testimony of the gospel.  When we know the Book of Mormon is true, we will also know Joseph Smith was a prophet through whom the Book of Mormon was translated.  We will also know the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are also true; and we will also know that President Monson is the prophet today.  We have had our testimonies of these truths reaffirmed in the few months we have been here.  We know and testify these truths are correct and of eternal importance to us.

As a Mission President, President Christianson has priesthood keys, which are essential to all that needs to be done in the mission.  For this reason and others, he was not able to go to his father’s funeral, that is why he sent his wife.  He shared with us today that staying in the mission and not going home was the most important thing for him to do.  There were things that happened this past week that it was critical he be here and not in Utah.  Because he was here with his keys, two of our sister missionaries were kept safe and had some special experiences that would not have happened if he had not been here.  He is a great example of an obedient priesthood leader who does what the prophets and apostles have instructed him to do.

We love all of you and appreciate all you are doing for us, including praying for us.  From what we hear from you we know you are all being blessed in your lives.  We would love to hear from any of you.

Love,

Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Richard & Maxine