Message—5 December 2011
Dear Family & Friends,
Tuesday we arose at 5:30am so we would be ready to leave the apartment by 7am to drive to Canandaigua for the Palmyra South Zone Conference to begin at 9am. We needed to arrive by 8:30am to help with getting the missionaries to park their cars where we wanted them so we could do the inspections of the cars easier. We arrived a little late because I did not follow the directions from the GPS, and took the long way to get there, so we did not arrive until 8:50am instead of 8:30 am. There is a chapel there in this town in which we met for the conference. My main assignment for each of the zone conferences was to help Elder McVea with inspecting each of the vehicles the missionaries use. The church has a very well organized system and procedures to see that the vehicles used in the missions are well cared for. Part of the process is to have the vehicles inspected at each zone conference. This provides the information needed so if any repairs are needed they can be done. Also this inspection was used to see that the vehicles are prepared and safe for winter driving. This takes several hours, so Elder McVea and I did not have the chance to hear the training the missionaries were given in the morning session of the zone conference. Sister Jensen provided some training and instruction for the missionaries to help them in taking better care of their apartments. After dong this training she came outside and helped us with recording the information from each inspection on the form that is provided by the church. Sister McVea was in the Mission Office each day of the week along with Sister Servoss. Elder Servoss came with Elder McVea and he helped us with the inspections for as much of the time as he could. He also coordinated with the missionaries each day to give them new cell phones to replace their old ones; and to insure the phone information was transferred from the old phone to the new one. We were able to get all of these things done in the morning time. In the afternoon session Elder McVea did some vehicle safety training, and then we were able to hear the training provided in the afternoon from President Christianson. We were blessed to not have rain on Tuesday or Wednesday, but Wednesday was quite cold, in the upper 30’s.
The major topic for the training was concerning faith in Jesus Christ, faith to find the people the Lord has prepared to receive the gospel, and praying with faith to help us do what the Lord wants us to do. The instruction was provided by the AP’s, Zone Leaders, and President Christianson. President Christianson’s counselors and the Stake Presidents in each zone also took some time. The instruction was accompanied by the influence of the Holy Ghost and was very influential and motivating. Part of the training given by the President was given to him by Elder Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy. Elder Jensen had asked that this training be given. He said we sometimes do not include the importance and power of Heavenly Father in the eternal plan provided by Him, and taught to us in our pre-mortal life by Him. Understanding more about the Father helps to strengthen our knowledge and testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The other part of the training was based on the last talk given by Elder Bruce R. McKonkie who was one of the 12 apostles. His talk was given in the April 1985 General Conference. He was dying of cancer but the Lord strengthened him sufficiently to give this profound address entitled “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane”. This is one of the most powerful testimonies of Christ and the atonement and resurrection he has provided that has ever been given. I remember seeing and hearing this talk when it was given in 1985 and it made a permanent impression of me of the truth and reality of the Redeemer of us all.
On Wednesday the Palmyra North Zone Conference was held at the Palmyra chapel across the road from the Palmyra Temple which is less than one fourth of a mile from the Sacred Grove. We also had to arise at 5:30 am so we could leave by 7:15 am to get to the Palmyra chapel by 8:30 am. This day was very similar to the Tuesday zone conference including the vehicle inspections and the training which was given. Wednesday afternoon we spent a few hours in Farmington NY trying to find an apartment for the two sister missionaries we had moved out of an apartment in Shortsville the week before. We were led by the Lord to find an apartment that will be much better for the sisters than was the previous one they had.
Thursday we were able to have a P-Day so we could get the laundry done and the apartment cleaned and spend some time catching up on what we did not get done the previous two days. Included in the activities of the day was a trip to Wal-Mart to get me some thermals so I could keep warm at the other two zone conferences; they were very helpful on Friday and Saturday.
Friday was the Rochester Zone conference which was at the chapel on Westfall Rd. in Brighton NY, which is only about a 25 minute drive from our apartment. The first hour of our vehicle inspections there was no rain; but then it started to give us a light rain mixed with some snowflakes, but mostly it was sleet. We got somewhat wet, but not soaked clear through. For this day we had a young man help us with the inspections. He is a member of the Rochester Stake and is waiting for his mission call to come. Elder McVea and I did the inspection steps and Kenny did the recording of the information for us. On the last few cars Elder Servoss came and helped also; so we could do two cars at a time.
Saturday the Buffalo Zone conference was held in a chapel in Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo, East of the city. The day started off at freezing, 32degrees; but by the time we were done the temperature was up to the low 50’s. The vehicle inspections went quite fast because Sister McVea and Sister Servoss were both able to come to the conference since the Mission Office is not open on Saturday’s. Sister Jensen and Elder Servoss also helped out. With all the help we had, we were able to inspect two cars at a time.
Sunday was our Fast & Testimony Meeting. The testimonies shared were filled with the Spirit and very uplifting. In the evening, at 8pm our time, we had invited Casey Reichhart to come to our apartment to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional with us. You may remember she was baptized about a month ago here in our Brockport Ward. She is doing very well and has been attending early morning seminary. The seminary instructor is Jeremy Browne; his wife Brooke is a granddaughter of Arnold Wilson from Mapleton. Arnold was my Scout master when I was in the scout age. Jeremy has been a professor here at the Brockport College; but he has recently been hired to work and teach at BYU Provo. They will be moving on December 13th; and Jeremy will begin at BYU in January. Brooke is one of our organists in the ward, and Jeremy has also been the Sunday School President. They will both be missed; but this is what Jeremy has been hoping for since he graduated from BYU about 10 years ago. They have twin boys named Isaac and Asher who are full of “vim, vigor, and vitality”; or as my mother used say “wim, wigor, and witality”.
Today, Monday, we attended the mission office staff meeting and then helped do some things at the mission office for the rest of the day.
We hope Chris gets home safe from the fire he was sent to in southern California. Last week they had Santa Ana winds that were over 100 mph; and they had all the fire fighters in the state on red alert. There were trees blown over and many homes without power. Chris was sent as a leader of a strike team to work on a fire there. We heard there were winds over 100 mph in the Centerville Utah area that has done a lot of damage and caused many homes to be without power. We hope these people affected can be provided for and that they will somehow have a Christmas.
We hope our family has a wonderful Christmas gathering this Saturday at our home. Please take time to share the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2:1-19 to help remember the real reason for Christmas. We hope Norm and Rhonda continue to do well in keeping their cancer under control.
We love you all and think of you and pray for each of you and your families.
Love,
Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Maxine & Richard
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