Well, I'm a day late posting this one.
Michael is home, safe and sound and ready to go do more good things. Bruce and I drove from Vernal to Salt Lake last Wednesday, the 22nd, so we could attend the temple with him and other missionaries who were also leaving the Orem mission. That evening we went to a testimony fireside, and on Thursday morning we drove to Orem so we could bring him home. I think he's learned and grown a lot, but really he should be the one to tell you about his experiences. :-)
And here is Jason's latest:
"I have sent ninety weekly reports to my mission president as of today. That's really weird.
I've been doing good here, working on applying the principle of the 'Growing Zone', where you do things that you know are good but you are nervous to do and when you do you grow! It's really hard! But it's the most rewarding thing that I can think of to do, especially as a missionary.
Elder Richards is going home next week, so I have him for his last week in the mission. It's kind of sad, I've known Elder Richards throughout my mission and I've been his companion kind of twice now (you may remember I was with him when I left Victoria to go to William's Lake). So we're working as hard as we can and doing as much as we can to help other people to receive the restored gospel. We met a cool lady on Sunday...she was super nice and had all the right questions! She and her husband have been sort of in the market for a church and they're an energetic young family with three energetic boys! So I really hope we can help them develop their faith in Jesus Christ and repent and be baptized, and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. Because that's the goal!
Thanks for all your prayers! I appreciate everything you guys do for me, it really is a lot and I've been wrong in not acknowledging it very much, if at all. I love you guys!
Jason"
What a nice guy. I also got a phone call from the Vancouver Mission yesterday saying that Jason will be coming home on October 21!!!! I can hardly wait to see my son again!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
Missionary Monday!
Michael is coming home this Thursday! This is his final (missionary) email:
"Hey Everyone! As many of you know, I was called to serve for only three months with the option to ask for an extension or second calling at the end of that period of time. This mission has been hard at times and it's been fun at times but throughout the whole experience I've learned a lot of valuable things. It was a hard decision to choose to extend for the whole two years, harder than it was to choose to serve in the first place, but after much prayer, study, pondering, and counsel I realized that I must trust our Heavenly Father to know what is best for me. I asked to receive a second calling. After a long time (two weeks?) I met with my mission president and was informed that it has been decided that I will not be called again. I have learned much on my mission, more than some missionaries ever learn even after two years according to President Killpack, and it is God's will that I return home to do other things with my life. I'll be coming home on Thursday. To any of you who want to hear my final testimony there will be a testimony meeting at the chapel at 800 s 800 e Orem Utah at 7:00 PM. There are two churches there but there will be signs directing you to the correct one. I love you all and look forward to seeing you again. It may not seem like I was gone long to you but to me it feels like it was three times what it really was. I can't wait to move on to the next challenge.
See you soon.
Love,
Michael"
Bruce and I will be going to the testimony meeting in Orem Wednesday night, and then we'll bring Michael home on Thursday morning. I'm excited to hear any stories he might have to tell us!
And Jason says:
"So you're all in a new area, or a new part of your life. Transfers are an interesting thing, and it's going to be interesting getting transferred to Vernal instead of to West Valley at the end of my mission. I was thinking about what to say to you guys, and I still don't really know what to say. But I'm pretty amazed that the family's moved.
I've been on exchanges most of this week, working with mission leaders instead of with Elder Richards. It's really solidified in my mind and in my life the truth that if you're not out of your comfort zone then you're not growing. I think that's part of why we don't just keep the same callings our whole lives, and why missionaries don't either stay in the same area or have the same companion their whole missions, because God has to give or allow us challenges to learn. When we seek Heavenly Father's help and then overcome those challenges we grow, but we wouldn't do that without them. And not all challenges are miserable. I actually think that no challenges have to be miserable. President Burt said once that "If someone throws a glass of water on ya, all you are is wet." It's all what you do.
I'm not transferring yet, I just thought that everybody moving to a completely different place is a lot like a transfer.
What's helped me out the most is figuring out what resources I have in a new area and quickly establishing goals. If you do that, and do it immediately, then you can work in the new environment joyfully and with enthusiasm.
Those are my thoughts. I don't have any particularly cool stories this week. I'm certain that every thing I do will seem like a super cool story when I get home, but sitting here on a computer makes it all really hard. But I'm working hard and I'm loving life!
Love you guys!
Jason"
In just a few days we'll be seeing Michael again. Jason told me that he had asked about extending his mission, but says that it looks like he probably won't be extending. I say, "Yay!" (But don't tell Jason ;-))His cousin, Lita, left for her mission the same day that Jason left. She got back on April 28 (girls usually serve 18 months and boys for 24 months), and I've been anxious for Jason to get back ever since. And with Michael coming back this week, now I'm really thinking about Jason coming home!
Anyway, that's the news for this week's Missionary Monday. :-)
"Hey Everyone! As many of you know, I was called to serve for only three months with the option to ask for an extension or second calling at the end of that period of time. This mission has been hard at times and it's been fun at times but throughout the whole experience I've learned a lot of valuable things. It was a hard decision to choose to extend for the whole two years, harder than it was to choose to serve in the first place, but after much prayer, study, pondering, and counsel I realized that I must trust our Heavenly Father to know what is best for me. I asked to receive a second calling. After a long time (two weeks?) I met with my mission president and was informed that it has been decided that I will not be called again. I have learned much on my mission, more than some missionaries ever learn even after two years according to President Killpack, and it is God's will that I return home to do other things with my life. I'll be coming home on Thursday. To any of you who want to hear my final testimony there will be a testimony meeting at the chapel at 800 s 800 e Orem Utah at 7:00 PM. There are two churches there but there will be signs directing you to the correct one. I love you all and look forward to seeing you again. It may not seem like I was gone long to you but to me it feels like it was three times what it really was. I can't wait to move on to the next challenge.
See you soon.
Love,
Michael"
Bruce and I will be going to the testimony meeting in Orem Wednesday night, and then we'll bring Michael home on Thursday morning. I'm excited to hear any stories he might have to tell us!
And Jason says:
"So you're all in a new area, or a new part of your life. Transfers are an interesting thing, and it's going to be interesting getting transferred to Vernal instead of to West Valley at the end of my mission. I was thinking about what to say to you guys, and I still don't really know what to say. But I'm pretty amazed that the family's moved.
I've been on exchanges most of this week, working with mission leaders instead of with Elder Richards. It's really solidified in my mind and in my life the truth that if you're not out of your comfort zone then you're not growing. I think that's part of why we don't just keep the same callings our whole lives, and why missionaries don't either stay in the same area or have the same companion their whole missions, because God has to give or allow us challenges to learn. When we seek Heavenly Father's help and then overcome those challenges we grow, but we wouldn't do that without them. And not all challenges are miserable. I actually think that no challenges have to be miserable. President Burt said once that "If someone throws a glass of water on ya, all you are is wet." It's all what you do.
I'm not transferring yet, I just thought that everybody moving to a completely different place is a lot like a transfer.
What's helped me out the most is figuring out what resources I have in a new area and quickly establishing goals. If you do that, and do it immediately, then you can work in the new environment joyfully and with enthusiasm.
Those are my thoughts. I don't have any particularly cool stories this week. I'm certain that every thing I do will seem like a super cool story when I get home, but sitting here on a computer makes it all really hard. But I'm working hard and I'm loving life!
Love you guys!
Jason"
In just a few days we'll be seeing Michael again. Jason told me that he had asked about extending his mission, but says that it looks like he probably won't be extending. I say, "Yay!" (But don't tell Jason ;-))His cousin, Lita, left for her mission the same day that Jason left. She got back on April 28 (girls usually serve 18 months and boys for 24 months), and I've been anxious for Jason to get back ever since. And with Michael coming back this week, now I'm really thinking about Jason coming home!
Anyway, that's the news for this week's Missionary Monday. :-)
Monday, July 13, 2015
Missionary Monday!
I think—I'm pretty sure—I skipped last Monday because we were busy moving. (I'll have to post about that later.
But, anyway, here are today's missionary updates—first, from Michael:
"This week I went to a devotional for the YSA stake that we cover and had the opportunity to listen to several very good speakers. We first heard from a Brother (Chad?) Kirby who is a former seminary teacher and is currently an EFY speaker and salesman for a large software company. he was a John Bytheway kind of speaker who keeps the audience laughing while teaching about the gospel. The second speakers were a married couple who gave a presentation on things they wish they'd known or realized when they were dating. I really enjoyed listening to their advice. The last one was Sister Elaine S. Dalton, former General Young Women's President and she gave a really good talk on always remembering your divine potential which is probably what you would expect someone in her position to talk about. We had an opportunity to meet her and she's very nice. She told Elder Mortensen that he's going to be a general authority one day and he doesn't know what to think of that. I like to use it to tease him when he's being silly. While at that activity one of the YSA girls there commented on how cool my name is and I learned that being quick-witted doesn't always go hand-in-hand with being a missionary because my response was "I know how it can be your name too." Fortunately I don't think she caught that and I left. Elder Mortensen face-palmed when I later told him what happened. He didn't hear it either I guess."
[Tee-hee!]
"I'm really looking forward to finding out what my new call will be or if I will even get one but I have no idea when to expect it. ...I hope you are all doing well and enjoying life. Remember that the key to success in this life is found in trusting God and following His commandments. Forget everything that stops you from doing that and you will be blessed.
Love, Michael"
And here's Jason's news:
"Hi everyone!
It's been a good week. I had Zone Conference this week, and it was super good. And super long. I guess the longer a mission president has been on his mission the more he has to say to his missionaries, because his first transfer meetings and zone conferences were only a couple hours long, but last Thursday we started at 8:30 and ended at 4:30, only taking forty minutes total for lunch and two washroom breaks."
[Washroom breaks. :-)]
"The topic was Consecration and Sacrifice. To summarize the whole meeting, if you are humble enough to do literally anything that you are asked to do by a servant of God (meaning any church leader from your senior companion or Dad to the Prophet), you're living both laws. If you are willing but unable to do what is asked you are equally worthy. ...I know that following the counsel of prophets and church leaders will bring the most assurance and peace and blessings that there are to be had.
"I had a personal interview with President Burt...He told me to do everything right, everything perfect, without hesitation, dragging my companion along with me and ignoring opposition from Satan or others around me. I needed that.
I love you!
Jason"
And that's the news for this Missionary Monday. :-)
But, anyway, here are today's missionary updates—first, from Michael:
"This week I went to a devotional for the YSA stake that we cover and had the opportunity to listen to several very good speakers. We first heard from a Brother (Chad?) Kirby who is a former seminary teacher and is currently an EFY speaker and salesman for a large software company. he was a John Bytheway kind of speaker who keeps the audience laughing while teaching about the gospel. The second speakers were a married couple who gave a presentation on things they wish they'd known or realized when they were dating. I really enjoyed listening to their advice. The last one was Sister Elaine S. Dalton, former General Young Women's President and she gave a really good talk on always remembering your divine potential which is probably what you would expect someone in her position to talk about. We had an opportunity to meet her and she's very nice. She told Elder Mortensen that he's going to be a general authority one day and he doesn't know what to think of that. I like to use it to tease him when he's being silly. While at that activity one of the YSA girls there commented on how cool my name is and I learned that being quick-witted doesn't always go hand-in-hand with being a missionary because my response was "I know how it can be your name too." Fortunately I don't think she caught that and I left. Elder Mortensen face-palmed when I later told him what happened. He didn't hear it either I guess."
[Tee-hee!]
"I'm really looking forward to finding out what my new call will be or if I will even get one but I have no idea when to expect it. ...I hope you are all doing well and enjoying life. Remember that the key to success in this life is found in trusting God and following His commandments. Forget everything that stops you from doing that and you will be blessed.
Love, Michael"
 |
| Elder Mortensen, Elder North, Elaine S. Dalton |
"Hi everyone!
It's been a good week. I had Zone Conference this week, and it was super good. And super long. I guess the longer a mission president has been on his mission the more he has to say to his missionaries, because his first transfer meetings and zone conferences were only a couple hours long, but last Thursday we started at 8:30 and ended at 4:30, only taking forty minutes total for lunch and two washroom breaks."
[Washroom breaks. :-)]
"The topic was Consecration and Sacrifice. To summarize the whole meeting, if you are humble enough to do literally anything that you are asked to do by a servant of God (meaning any church leader from your senior companion or Dad to the Prophet), you're living both laws. If you are willing but unable to do what is asked you are equally worthy. ...I know that following the counsel of prophets and church leaders will bring the most assurance and peace and blessings that there are to be had.
"I had a personal interview with President Burt...He told me to do everything right, everything perfect, without hesitation, dragging my companion along with me and ignoring opposition from Satan or others around me. I needed that.
I love you!
Jason"
And that's the news for this Missionary Monday. :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
