Message—17 June 2012
Dear Family & Friends,
On Monday we had 5 new missionaries arrive here in our mission; there were 4 Elder’s and One Sister. Monday evening we participated in the new missionary orientation meeting which is held at the President’s home. He has a downstairs room that is set up to be a meeting room with a computer projector and also tables on which they can put their scriptures and notebooks to make notes in and the folders we give them with information they will need as they begin their missionary service here. Each of the office staff takes some time, 5-10 minutes, to provide information that will help the missionaries know what we can each do to help them. I take a little longer with my vehicle training because it is required by the Missionary Department. The intent of the vehicle training is to help them keep safe as they travel and also to help them know what vehicle maintenance is required of them. They also must view a safety video clip which starts with Elder Holland speaking to them; then is followed by some additional safety practices and vehicle maintenance instructions; and ends with another summary message from Elder Holland.
Tuesday was the day when the transfers of missionaries to new companions and new areas took place. All those missionaries affected by the transfers came to the chapel on Westfall Rd in Brighton, which is about a mile from the Presidents home, and met at 12 noon. The President gave some instruction and then announced which of the new missionaries were going to be companions with which of the new trainers. As part of this transfer meeting, any mail that has come is delivered to those who come to the transfers; and other things from the Servoss’s and the Ellis’s are also given to the missionaries. I also have to make connections with each of the missionaries who are going to be new designated drivers of their vehicles.
Wednesday evening we attended the Site Training meeting at the Hill Cumorah. Some information was given that pertains to things we can do to help during the upcoming Pageant as many visitors come. President shared some thoughts and his testimony about the first 8 verses in Section 100 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This revelation as given in Perrysburg NY, which is town we have been to a few times. We went there to find a new apartment for the Elders who serve in that area. Read these verses and see what you learn; it is more meaningful to us since we have been there.
Thursday Sister Jensen and Sister Servoss went to help Sister Christianson with lunch and snacks for the new missionary training meeting held at the President’s home.
Friday morning I and Elder Servoss drove to the Sacred Grove to meet with two other site couples, the Nielsen’s, who are the supervisors at the Grandin Building, and also the Smellie’s. These two couples had made arrangements with Bob Parrott to take us through the grove and share with us very helpful information and more details about the grove and its history. Bob also pointed out many lessons the plants and trees in the grove can teach us. Bob is the caretaker of the trees and plants in the grove, around the Palmyra temple, and at the Peter Whitmer Farm. He has also been included in some of the discussions about the area around the new Harmony PA site. He is a forester by profession; he had his own forestry service business for about 20 years before he was invited by the church to take care of the historic sites. Bob is not a member of the LDS Church, but he has a knowledge and testimony the church is true. He has been instrumental in restoring these sites to what they would have looked like at the time Joseph Smith was in these places. He does a lot of work in these areas to keep them looking so pristine and nice and safe. He shared information about some of the trees and plants and their characteristics and behavior. One of the trees he calls the adversity tree. It has a large scar on the trunk which has mostly healed itself. The tree then had another injury which killed the main bole, so the tree grew horizontally to the left about two feet, then made a 90 degree turn and grew straight up for a ways. Then another injury occurred so the tree grew back to the right and then turned up again; always trying to reach toward the light which is required for the tree to grow. Elder Marlin Jensen showed a video clip of this tree in his CES Fireside last month; he talked about how the tree teaches a good lesson for us to always adapt to our trials and overcome them and keep growing towards the light of Christ. We spent about 2 and a half hours in the grove with Bob and the two couples. I learned a lot about the various kinds of trees and how to recognize them and also about a number of the perennial plants in the grove. Bob also shared a few stories about helping with the videos that have been made at the historic sites. One story was about the making of the video of the First Vision. When the filming crew were preparing to do the scene of Joseph seeing the Father and the Son; they chose to do the scene on the east side of the Hill Cumorah; which is on the opposite side from where the pageant is performed. The filming crew went to this site at a time they thought was early in the morning. After arriving and starting to set up; the sunshine streamed down through the trees and there was a mist that came up at the same time and it looked just like they wanted the scene to look. However, they were not set up soon enough to capture the scene before it was gone. So they decided to come much earlier the next morning and hoped to catch the same scene. They arrived early enough and were all set up when the sunshine appeared and the morning mist arose, just like the day before, only even better. They were able to get this scene filmed just perfectly. So when you see this video and you see the actor portraying Joseph put his arm up to block the brightness of the light; you can remember that this scene had no artificial light, it was all natural. Elder Maxwell is exactly correct, God really is in the details of our lives, and He is able to do His own work.
After spending the morning with Bob in the Sacred Grove; Elder Servoss returned to the Mission Office. I had made arrangements with Elder Jeffs, who lives at the Peter Whitmer Farm; he is from Castledale UT, to have him go with me to an Amish harness shop in Romulus. I stopped at the Whitmer Farm and picked up Elder Jeffs and we drove down to Levies’ Amish Harness Shop. These Amish people are great souls; they work hard every day but Sunday and do their farming with horse drawn equipment. I took care of the purpose for which we went and then I took Elder Jeffs back to his house; and then drove to the Mission Office and spent the rest of the day.
Saturday we did our “home” work. We cleaned and Sister Jensen did some cooking to prepare some food to take with us today to Church for a munch and mingle that is held on the 3rd Sunday after church is over. Members bring some kind of potluck item and then we all share it among ourselves. Saturday evening we took the Servoss’s with us and met Elder and Sister Jones in Henrietta NY at 935 Jefferson Rd. which is a restaurant named Bugaboo Creek Steak House. It has a Canadian history to the name and they have decorated the interior with a variety of large and small game animals and fishing also. In Canada it was a place where hunters and fishermen and went to enjoy hunting and fishing trips. Hanging on the walls there is a bison head, a moose head, a raccoon, and a fish on a plaque that all move and talk. Many other animals and fish also decorate the walls; but they do not move and talk. In the waiting to be seated area they have a Christmas tree with white lights and two large eyes that are attached to the tree; and a few of the tree branches move and the tree talks as well. They have a life size Canadian Mounted Policeman manikin standing by the fireplace. It is quite an entertaining place. We had a good meal and visited together. It took us two hours to get our food and eat it; but you have to understand it was the night before Father’s Day and there were several birthday party groups there as well. It was very crowded and noisy and their air conditioner was on full blast so it was cold; other than these few details it was a nice get together.
Today we had a great church meeting with some good messages and the Spirit was also there and we were blessed to partake of the sacrament. I taught the High Priest’s Group lesson about missionary work; I thought it was a good lesson and we had a good discussion.
We are so very blessed to be here in this mission and experience so many marvelous historic sites and interact with wonderful people and try to be helpful in whatever ways we can. We both know Heavenly Father lives, Jesus Christ also lives, and is the head of His Church; with prophets and apostles to whom he reveals His will and wisdom. Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration in this last dispensation; and the Book of Mormon is absolutely true and will bless our lives forever as we read it and pray to gain our own testimony that it is true. This work is all true and guided by Heavenly Father and the Savior.
We love you all and pray for you daily.
Love,
Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Richard & Maxine
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