ON THE ROAD AGAIN

On March 5, 2019, Eileen and I (Russell) received a mission call to serve in the Philippines Antipolo Mission.  We are thrilled to be able to serve the Lord again as full-time missionaries.  We will be serving with President Mark Alder and his wife Beki.  Eileen will be working as the mission nurse and I will be working in the office.

For me this is an opportunity to return to the country where I served as a young missionary in the summer of 1975 while I waited for a visa to Indonesia.  Eileen has gone on three Operation Smile missions to the Philippines so she too has some familiarity with the country and its people.

Antipolo is approximately 12 miles east of downtown Manila.  The mission extends from Antipolo on the west to the coast (of Luzon) on the east, a distance of less than 100 miles.  While the distances are not far, we have learned that travel/driving times are long: 45 minutes from Manila to Antipolo (maybe 2+ hours in traffic) and almost three hours from Antipolo to the east coast. 

During the second week in June, Eileen attended training for medical missionaries in Salt Lake City while I attended training for office missionaries at the Provo Mission Training Center (MTC).  On Sunday, June 23, we spoke in church (our talks attached below), on Tuesday we were set-apart as missionaries by our stake president, and on Saturday morning we will board the plane.

We will miss our family members and friends during our absence but know this is what God wants us to do at this time in our lives.  We hope our missionary service will serve as a further testimony, in addition to our words, to our posterity of the importance of serving our Savior Jesus the Christ and spreading his message to the world.

At our setting apart with stake presidency
Left to Right (President Smith, President Robinson, Eileen, Russell, President Dushku

Eileen and Russell

Some of our grandchildren taken before the meeting, we didn't get a photo of everyone after the meeting.

Our mission farewell talks given on June 23rd, 2019

Russell's talk

Brothers and Sisters, we live in a wonderful day and age.  We can contact others instantly almost anywhere in the world through a variety of written, audio, or video platforms.  We can quickly search the internet for information on almost any subject.  We can shop for almost anything 24 hours a day from the comfort of our homes and have it delivered to our door.  We can view almost any show on demand on our own television or computer.  In many aspects of our lives we now expect almost instant gratification.  The desire by consumers for instant access to products has propelled the success of some of the world’s largest companies.  Waiting for anything is clearly something we as a people do not like to do.

Over 50 years ago, a Stanford University professor conducted an experiment on the willpower of preschool children.  What has become known as the “Marshmallow

Test,” tested children’s abilities to defer eating a marshmallow placed before them, for a period of 15 minutes, with the promise of a second one if they waited.  Only about a third could wait.  The professor then tracked those children over the succeeding decades.  The children who were able to wait tended to get better grades, make more money and have more successful relationships than those who could not.  From this experiment it appears that the ability to wait—to be patient—is a key character trait that might predict success in life.

In his General Conference address of April 2010, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.

“Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.

“Impatience, on the other hand, is a symptom of selfishness. It is a trait of the self-absorbed. It arises from the all-too-prevalent condition called ‘center of the universe’ syndrome, which leads people to believe that the world revolves around them and that all others are just supporting cast in the grand theater of mortality in which only they have the starring role.

“As parents, we know how unwise it would be to indulge our children’s every desire. But children are not the only ones who spoil when showered with immediate gratification. Our Heavenly Father knows what good parents come to understand over time: if children are ever going to mature and reach their potential, they must learn to wait.”

During our lives each of us are required to wait for a variety of things depending upon our own set of circumstances.  I suspect that all of us have had the experience of waiting for an answer to sincere prayer for things which seem so right from our limited perspective.  For some of us it is waiting for a better job or for a worthy marriage partner. For others it may be relief from physical or emotional health challenges.  For many of us it may be in regard to wayward children or grandchildren.  The question is how long must we wait?

Brigham Young taught that when something happened that he could not fully comprehend, he would pray to the Lord, “Give me patience to wait until I can understand it for myself.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young (1997), 75)

Each of us must learn that in the Lord’s plan, our understanding comes “line upon line, precept upon precept”—on His time schedule. (D&C 98:12)  

Elder Uchtdorf tells us, “In short, knowledge and understanding come at the price of patience.  Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can’t see the Lord’s hand in our lives until long after trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness.”

Forty-five years ago this coming November, I left home to serve a mission in Indonesia. It was a time of great excitement for me.  Getting a call to a far-off land, listening to the Prophet and Apostles in the Salt Lake City mission home, being an ordained servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, I was on a spiritual high and life was good.

Upon my arrival at the Language Training Mission (LTM) in Hawaii, where I was to spend the next eight weeks learning the language, I found that all was not well.  The prior group of Indonesian missionaries called 10 weeks earlier were still there.  I learned that they/we were having visa problems.  The severity of the problem became clear when all future incoming missionaries had their calls changed to Japan, after which no more were called to Indonesia.

Despite the many, many prayers offered to have us get our visas, nothing occurred and the group of missionaries prior to mine was moved into the Hawaii Mission.  The outlook was indeed grim.

It was in this tentative state, when one day while leaving the cafeteria, my companion and I ran into three of the Apostles on their way to lunch.  There I was face to face with Elders Hinkley, Monson, and Packer.  Elder Hinkley asked me where I had been called to serve.  I told him and mentioned that we were experiencing visa difficulties.  He replied that he was sure we would get to Indonesia.

I returned from lunch to my study and memorization of the discussion regarding modern day revelation.  As I pondered the phrase I was trying to memorize, that phrase being, “When the Apostles and Prophet speak with the spirit of the Holy Ghost, it is the same as if Christ himself were speaking,”  it hit me that I had just been told by an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ that he was sure I would get to Indonesia.

Months went by with no positive visa developments.  After spending over six months in the LTM, my companions and I were moved to the Hawaii mission.  Three weeks later I and one other were transferred to the Philippines Cebu Mission.  The missionary work was going very well in the Philippines and I had some great experiences there, but it was not where I had been told I would finish my mission.  Each day I would not only pray for a visa, I also would get up early and give one of the seven memorized discussions in Indonesian to the wall.  My companion and my zone leaders could not fully appreciate my belief that someday I would be moving on.

Words can not express the joy and relief I felt when the letter finally came telling me that my visa had been granted.  Eleven months into my mission I finally arrived in Jakarta.  At the time I felt that the first 11 months were just a test of my faith and endurance.  Over the succeeding years I have come to realize that those 11 months were: first, a preparation for the even harder remaining 13 months of my mission; and second, a time when two of the most spiritual experiences of my life occurred—experiences that would be the foundation of my testimony of Jesus as my Savior and modern-day Apostles being prophets, seers and revelators.   

When I was young, I felt that the 11 months I had been asked to wait for the answer to my prayer was a long time.  As I have aged I have come to realize that the answer to some prayers may not transpire until after a much longer period of time or perhaps even in this lifetime. 

In his talk Elder Uchtdorf explained an important point on how we should wait for our answers, he said “I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen—patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort.

“There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”

Truthfully, I have always struggled with being patient.  What some may view as my being patient may in reality just be my being slow.  I also like to have my life organized, knowing what I will be doing for the foreseeable future; this, and striving to do what God would have me do are not always compatible.

While we were still serving in Germany, I really wanted to know what God would have me/us do following our mission.  My thought was that we would serve another mission.  However, I wasn’t hearing any answers to my prayers until we went to the temple two years ago.  At that time I got the feeling that I should wait and listen to my wife. During our exit interview in Germany, Elder Sabin told us in response to our questions about what we should be doing next, to “focus on serving the one.” 

Eileen and I have tried to focus for the last 21 months on her elderly parents, on members of our posterity and serving in the temple.  Although we have not been successful in all our endeavors, we have found great joy in seeing Bree taught by the missionaries and baptized, spending time with our family, and serving in the Bountiful Temple as ordinance workers.  If I were to die tomorrow, one of the highlights of my life would be my time serving in the temple—something I would have never anticipated just few years ago.

Although Eileen and I had continued to explore potential mission options, it wasn’t until January when we read of President Alder’s call as president of the Philippines Antipolo Mission that we knew that it was time for us to serve again.  I clearly remember sitting there and looking at the announcement and thinking, “I would have never guessed that I would be happy about the prospect of serving in a office position, located within the busy Manila metropolitan area, but I am.”  I am very grateful for a Father-in-Heaven who is patient with me.

God has a plan for each of us.  He wants us to be happy, not just in this life but more importantly for eternity.  The question for each of us is, will we seek, listen, and learn of His will for us and then do it.  This process is rarely one of immediate gratification or a path we can see clearly into the future.  It requires patience.

As Elder Uchtdorf has said, “Patience means to abide in faith, knowing that sometimes it is in the waiting rather than in the receiving that we grow the most.”  It is my hope that we will “continue in patience until [w]e are perfected.” (D&C 67:13). These things I say in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Eileen's Talk

 A few weeks ago my father celebrated his 95th birthday.  Both my father and mother have suffered with poor health over the last few years.   My father’s health challenges are more of a physical nature, while my mother’s have been both physical and mental, suffering from Alzheimers and it’s associated effects. She has also had multiple falls in the last couple of months.  In a recent conversation they both expressed their desire to pass on soon, if possible at the same time, hand in hand. As my father said, he can’t wait to move from “This to Bliss” referring to moving from this life, on to the next life free from the challenges of mortality.  My parents have complete confidence in the Plan of Salvation and have great hope for what the future will bring. 

 In our pre-mortal existence, we attended a council with Heavenly Father’s other spirit children. At that council, our Heavenly Father presented  His great plan of happiness. We learned that a Savior would be needed to overcome the problems brought on by the conditions of mortal life. It was in this pre-mortal setting that Jesus voluntarily offered His life for all mankind. We must have had complete faith that he would perform his part of our Heavenly Father’s plan. Knowing that our return home was dependent upon being able to repent of our errors,  all of us chose to come to earth and experience this mortal experience. 

 As part of God’s plan we have been separated from God physically and spiritually.  Many aspects of life bring happiness, and some bring sorrow. 

 As a natural part of mortality we have the certainty of death, and the burden of sin.  We also have many other challenges as we struggle through mortality.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ can help offset these adversities and provide us the strength we need to overcome these mortal challenges.

 The purpose of the Atonement is to make it possible for us to return to God’s presence, become more like Him and have a fullness of joy.  Through the Atonement we can become cleansed from our sins, and also transform our lives, our way of thinking and acting, so that we may return to our heavenly home after this life. 

 If someone were to ask you what has been the most significant event in history, what would you say?  My immediate answer might include the discovery of electricity, indoor plumbing, the invention of the internet and the ability to travel to and communicate with others from every part of the world. All these things make my life easier, but they are all of transitory importance.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ gives purpose to every event in history. President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of its relationship to other events in world history: "When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, there is nothing so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace.”

President Dallin Oaks discussed the Atonement in his  October 2015 conference talk:  (Quote) “Most scriptural accounts of the Atonement concern the Savior’s breaking the bands of death and suffering for our sins. In his sermon recorded in the Book of Mormon, Alma taught these fundamentals. But he also provided assurances that the Savior also experienced the pains and sicknesses and infirmities of His people.

“Alma described this part of the Savior’s Atonement: ‘And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.’

“Think of it! In the Savior’s Atonement, He suffered ‘pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind..’  As President Boyd K. Packer explained: ‘He had no debt to pay. He had committed no wrong. Nevertheless, an accumulation of all of the guilt, the grief and sorrow, the pain and humiliation, all of the mental, emotional, and physical torments known to man—He experienced them all.’

“Our Savior experienced and suffered the fulness of all mortal challenges ‘according to the flesh’ so He could know ‘according to the flesh’ how to ‘succor his people according to their infirmities.’ He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all.

“Because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes His power heals an infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities.

“What are these mortal pains and afflictions and infirmities that our Savior experienced and suffered?

“We all have pains and afflictions and infirmities at one time or another. Apart from what we experience because of our sins, mortality is filled with frequent struggles, heartaches, and suffering.

“Thus, our hymns contain this true assurance: ‘Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot cure.’ What cures us is our Savior and His Atonement.”

Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help.  As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Having ‘descended below all things,’ He comprehends, perfectly and personally, the full range of human suffering.” We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.

Christ’s Atonement also provides us the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He will bind up our wounds and care for us. The healing and strengthening power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is for all of us who will ask. 

One day all of these mortal burdens will pass away and there will be no more pain. However in this life we can be strengthened through our trials if we will but ask. 

Recently my daughter Heather told me of a young girl in their neighborhood who had suffered from a cardiac arrest just hours after she celebrated her 14th birthday. She was hospitalized in the ICU up at Primary Children’s for several weeks and had subsequently suffered additional multiple cardiac arrests. My heart goes out to this family and the anguish they must be feeling.  I prayed regularly that they may receive  the comfort which comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  

Many years ago I was 9 weeks pregnant when I was diagnosed with a large blood clot that threatened my life and that of my baby.  It was suggested to me that perhaps to save my life, I could have an abortion. This wasn’t an option in my mind. After a long and difficult pregnancy a beautiful little girl was born. Within hours she was transported to the ICU at Primary Children’s Hospital with severe respiratory problems.  After many days of traveling back and forth to the hospital to be with my daughter, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. One evening Russell asked me to say our nighttime couple’s prayer. I told him that I couldn’t. He plead with me not to turn my back on the Lord. Eventually I went to another room and privately poured out my heart to Heavenly Father. After some time I received an overwhelming feeling of love and a profound feeling of peace. I humbly returned to my husband’s side and told him of my answer to prayer. He asked me what I thought it meant. I didn’t know-I just knew that Heavenly Father loved me, was aware of my circumstances and that all would be well-regardless of the outcome.   I would be able to be with my daughter forever, no matter what happened, because of the Savior’s Atonement.  

I was so appreciate of this experience, as I knew and felt so strongly of the love of my Heavenly Father and my Savior towards me.

This past May at the BYU Women’s conference a panel was held with questions asked. One of the questions was from an overwhelmed mother of 4 young children, wondering how to find the strength to go on. Sister Cordon responded with this answer “I know I just have to go to my knees. And I ask the Lord, tell me again you love me, I need to know.”  She continued, “as soon as I feel that extra dose of love….I know I can do it.”

President Spencer W. Kimball told of Holman Hunt, the artist, who one day showed a friend his painting of Christ knocking at the door. “Suddenly the friend exclaimed, ‘There is one thing wrong about your picture. What is it? inquired the artist. The door on which Jesus knocks has no handle, replied his friend. “Ah, responded Mr. Hunt, that is not a mistake. You see, this is the door to the human heart. It can be opened only from the inside.”  President Kimball then continued: "And thus it is. Jesus may stand and knock, but each of us decides whether to open.”

Among its many blessings, the Atonement brings peace. In order to receive it’s consoling peace, we need to open our heart and be willing to accept it. 

Elder Tad Callister said,  “The Savior's plunge into humanity was not a toe-dipping experience. It was a total immersion. He did not experience some pains and not others. His life was not a random sampling, a spot audit; it was a total confrontation with and internalization of every human experience, every human plight, every human trial. Somehow his sponge alone would absorb the entire ocean of human affliction, weakness, and suffering. For this descent he would fully bare his human breast. There would be no godly powers exercised that would shield him from one scintilla of human pain.

“It would even include the suffering of those who chose not to repent. In other words, the Savior suffered not only for those whom he knew would repent, but even for those who would choose never to embrace his sacrificial offering. Brigham Young made this clear: ‘The Savior has paid the full debt, whether you receive the gift or not.’

When Christ died, He died for you individually just  as if you had been the only person  in the world.

Elder Callister continued, “No mortal can cry out, He does not understand my plight, for my trials are unique.  There is nothing outside the scope of the Savior's experience. As Elder Maxwell observed, As a result of his mortal experience, culminating in the Atonement, the Savior knows, understands, and feels every human condition, every human woe, and every human loss. He can comfort as no other. He can lift burdens as no other. He can listen as no other. There is no hurt he cannot soothe, rejection he cannot assuage, loneliness he cannot console. Whatever affliction the world casts at us, he has a remedy of superior healing power.

“The Savior is anxious that the Atonement make us better. He must be gravely disappointed if people merely acknowledge his Atonement as a magnificent sacrifice to be viewed in awe, but with no thought of change. The atoning sacrifice was designed to motivate us, to draw us unto him, to lift us to higher ground, and ultimately to assist us in becoming as he is.”

As I have been able to study and ponder about the Atonement of Jesus Christ over the last several weeks, I have come to more fully appreciate this sacred and sublime event in eternity. I am very grateful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for me.  I have felt the healing effects of the Atonement many times in my life. I have been greatly blessed by my Heavenly Father. It is for this reason that we are serving another mission. Perhaps in a very small way I can show my love for Him through my service. 

I am grateful to be a member of this church. I am grateful for my family and my good companion who is patient with me despite my many imperfections. I am grateful for the many consecrated couples we have served with on our former missions. Many have served multiple missions. They are a great example to me. I look forward to serving with Russell and President and Sister Alder in the Philippines. 

I say these things In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.