Message 24 October 2011

Message—24 October 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Last week went by like a flash.  Last Monday as part of our Office Staff meeting, President and Sister Christianson drove us in the mission van to show us the route we needed to follow to pick up some of the Mission Presidents and their wives from the airport, who were coming to our mission for a Mission Presidents Seminar.  We also were taken on the route to get to the Hotel where the Mission Presidents and wives would be staying.  On the way to the hotel we came to a place on a six lane stretch of freeway (I-490) where there were tall concrete sound barriers on both sides of the freeway.  All 3 three lanes going east were stopped and traffic was backed up for over a half mile because of a two point Whitetail Deer which had got trapped in this stretch with no way to get out.  He was going west in the eastbound lanes and kept dodging towards the cars and then back towards the sound barrier.  Later while we were driving back through that area there was no sign of him so he must have made it out safely.  The Mission Presidents Seminar was being held in our mission for 22 Mission Presidents of the missions in the North America Northeast Area.  This area includes from about Chicago, North and East to Washington DC, then North as far as people live including the parts of Canada to the North and over to Nova Scotia.  Elder Jay Jensen is the Area President for this area so he and Lonie came to preside at the seminar.  Also accompanying him were Elder and Sister Nash and Elder and Sister Alonzo of the First Quorum of Seventy.  They also had Brother and Sister Watson, he works in the Missionary Department in SLC, and Terry Spallino who is the Director of Temporal Affairs for the North America Northeast Area.  Many of the Presidents and their wives drove to the seminar in a car; but some of them came by plane.  Elder McVea coordinated assignments to each of us in the Mission Office to pick up those who came by plane.  Through previous arrangements through President Christianson and Elder Jensen; we were assigned to pick up Elder Jensen and Lonie when they came Tuesday evening.  President Christianson picked up the other two General Authorities and their wives; who came on the same flight.  After taking Jay and Lonie to their hotel to drop off their bags, we took them to a restaurant to get a bowl of soup; so we were able to visit with them while we ate.  Wednesday evening we were invited to the dinner with the mission presidents and general authorities and their wives at the Woodcliff Hotel where they stayed.  As the name indicates it is a pretty fancy place.  Jay invited us to sit at his table so we were able to visit a little more with them.  After the dinner Elder Jensen gave some great instruction and testimony about using the Book of Mormon in missionary efforts.  We were greatly blessed to spend a little time with Jay and Lonie as well as the others who attended the seminar.  The seminar was from Wednesday through Saturday at 12:30 pm.  Each day they went to some of the Church history sites and the chapel nearby.  Thursday they were at the Sacred Grove and Smith Farm homes, and the Hill Cumorah; and their meetings were at the Palmyra Stake Center.  Friday they were at Fayette at the Peter Whitmer Farm and the chapel there.  Then Saturday morning they were at a chapel near the Rochester Mission Office in Pittsford.  I helped Elder& Sister Servoss, Elder McVea, and others from the local wards in doing the set up for each of the days.  Elder & Sister Servoss & Elder McVea set up Wednesday evening for the Thursday meeting.  Elder McVea became ill on Thursday so I went and helped the Servoss’s take down the things from the Palmyra Chapel and move them to the Fayette chapel and set things up again.  Then Friday evening I and the recovering Elder McVea went and helped Elder Servoss take down things from Fayette and take them to the Pittsford chapel and set things up again.  Then Saturday after the seminar ended, we returned everything to where it belonged.  At the end of the seminar I was able to give Jay and Lonie a hug as they left to go to the airport.

Friday evening and Saturday Sister Jensen, Sister McVea, and Sister Servoss went to a “Time Out for Women” conference held in a conference center in Rochester; about 1500 or so women attended.  Sheri Dew was scheduled to come, but she was not able to come, so she arranged for John Bytheway to come in her place.  On Saturday some other great women speakers gave great presentations; one of the women was Mary Ellen Edmunds.  Since they were missionaries, they were invited to sit near the front of the conference auditorium very near the stage where the speakers stood.  In order to help facilitate the Sisters going to the conference and to save traveling farther so I could help with the seminar set up and moving; we stayed with Elder and Sister McVea Friday night.  The McVea’s live in the John Young home in Mendon.  This is the home where Brigham Young grew up and lived until he joined the church.

Thursday evening Sister Jensen went to a Relief Society meeting alone and gave a presentation about couples preparing to serve missions, she did a great job according to some of the sisters there.  On Friday during the day we drove to Collins, the Southwest area of our mission; and helped the Elders their move to a different apartment in Perrysburg.  It was raining during the entire time we were moving so we had to use tarps to cover the things in the back of the trucks we used.  We left Collins at 2:30 pm so we could get back to Rochester in time for the Sisters to go to the Women’s conference to hear John Bytheway speak.  Tuesday evening through Friday evening were long days and short nights.

Sunday morning I substituted for our Ward Mission Leader, who was on vacation, in attending the PEC and Ward Council meetings.  It turned out that this was the last of those two meetings that our Bishopric would attend together.  In our sacrament meeting Sunday morning, the bishopric was released by the Stake President, and a new bishopric was sustained.  Bishop James Hurst (he is not related to the Mapleton Hurst family) has been our Bishop with John Petranek as first counselor and Guy Warren (he is not related to the Mapleton Warren’s) as second counselor.  The new bishopric is Bishop David Zundel, with Jeffrey Bateman as first counselor and Guy Warren is the second counselor.  We look forward to serving with this new bishopric.

The Elders here in Brockport are going to have their second baptism since they have been here together.  It is a young lady named Casey, age 16.  Her mother has been reluctant to let her be baptised, but the mother’s heart has been softened through many prayers by many people; and on Friday she gave her permission for Casey to be baptised this next Saturday on the 29th.  She is very excited about being baptised.  She shared her testimony about her conversion to the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith in Fast meeting on September 25th.  The young women in the ward have accepted her and helped her learn about the church.  Casey came to our home and watched both sessions of the Sunday General Conference on Oct. 2nd; the Elders were here also.  She had a great spiritual experience to see and hear the conference sessions.  Casey learned about the church through her mother taking her to see the Book of Mormon Play that was in New York City.  After seeing the play, her mother also took her to the Hill Cumorah Pageant in July to see what Mormons really believe.  Casey filled out a self-referral card after the pageant and the missionaries went to talk with her and that is how she started learning about the church.

Heavenly Father lives, Jesus is the Christ and Savior and Redeemer, the church is true, the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration, and President Monson is the prophet today.  We share this witness and testimony with you.

We were happy to learn from Kendra that her sister Rhonda learned that her cancer is in remission.  The doctor was really amazed the cancer was in remission.  When he first saw her he did not think she would make it.  Prayer really does work.  We hope all goes well with the surgery and whatever else has to be done to help Norm Erickson get his heart problems solved so he can have the needed treatments to get his cancer in remission. Olivia is having some tests next Wednesday to find out what can and needs to be done to help correct her hearing loss in her right ear.  We were excited to learn that Wes was successful in getting a six point elk this month, yeah for Wes!!  We hope Brandon stays safe in Texas on the fires again.  We hope Brad and Kendra and family have a great time together on their hunting trip and that they all return safe.  We hope all the grand children are doing well in school.  Shadyn finished his soccer games last Saturday and won an award with his team.  Good luck to Josh as he starts a new job on October 31^st.  We hope everyone is well and happy and can keep earning a living to provide for their family.

We love all of you and pray for you in all you do.

Love,

Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Richard & Maxine