IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR

 

As I (Russell) look back on 2023, I find so much to be grateful for.  The year started with the birth of our 16^th grandchild.  I have found true joy in my grandchildren.  Our two oldest grandchildren, granddaughters, were sealed to their eternal companions, in the Provo and Provo City Center temples.  Our oldest grandson began serving a full-time mission, just yesterday we learned that he has been transferred to a Spanish speaking area in Wisconsin.  Another granddaughter received a mission call to serve in Chile.  Last spring, Eileen and I were able to conclude our 18-month Church-service mission in the Temple Department and conclude our most recent period of serving as ordinance workers in the Bountiful Temple.  Prior to our beginning our current full-time mission last August, we were able to take our children and grandchildren on a Church History tour, visit our children in Oregon and Idaho, and take a couple of trips on our own and with Eileen’s sisters.  But the two biggest blessings were quite unexpected, things neither Eileen nor I would have even dreamed of happening one year ago.  On the Saturday before we entered the MTC, we were able to go with Shefali and other family members to the Bountiful temple and be with her as she received her temple blessings.  And our youngest son Jon is house-sitting for us.  He has, quite literally, come home.  

 

Looking at my current calling, I find much to be grateful for.  We have wonderful mission leaders and senior missionaries to serve with.  I am so grateful for their support, particularly with the zone conference vehicle inspection process and with transfers when I need to drive the truck and trailer.  Generally, the young missionaries are a joy and inspiration to be around.  It is just that intersection where teenagers and cars meet that makes things dicey at times. 

 

Question: When does 86 mph equal 90 mph (90 mph being the speed at which the Orbcomm device notifies SLC, and SLC notifies me and the mission president that the driver’s driving privileges are permanently revoked)?  Answer: When done on a dirt road and the consequences are left to the discretion of the vehicle coordinator. 

We have not had the opportunity to see much in our community since we have been here. This past week we went to see President Truman's house, which is only a few blocks from our office, and also the Truman Presidential Library which is about a mile from our office. Both were very interesting and informative.  Harry Truman lived in Independence, both before and after he was President.

President Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the U.S.  He became president with the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt.  He ran for president in 1948 and the Chicago Tribune mistakenly printed a newspaper saying Dewey had won.

Truman's presidential limousine

Replica of the oval office during his tenure

The buck stops here.  This plaque was on his desk. He also liked to say "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen."

Our selection of white elephant gifts, all were items left by previous missionaries, carefully wrapped by Sister Christiansen and Sister Perry.

Pavlova made by Sister Bradford

                          Elder Dunham, Sister Hunsaker, Sister Skousen and Sister Hardy

Sister and Elder Bradford, Elder Gordon

My (Eileen's) sister Chris and her friend Yvis came to visit for Christmas. It was very very cold at Adam Ondi Ahman. It made us reflect on how it must have been for the early saints.

He should've given up on wearing those new cowboy boots he got off of Amazon. Required surgery.

 

 What is one of the worst things that can happen to a sister with long hair. LICE!  Her companion spent 4.5 hours picking them out of her hair.  Fortunately they are best friends and could laugh about it. But notice, I have my hair up!  I took closeup pictures that I could blowup and then show the sisters what they were looking for.

 

THE WAY HOME

As I (Russell) heard the song, “I’ll be Home for Christmas” this last week, the last words, “If only in my dreams” didn’t seem so sad to me as it has some other times when I have been away.  Upon reflection, perhaps it is because I can communicate with loved ones who are far away so much easier now.  As a young 20-year-old in Semarang, Indonesia in 1975, it took six weeks for a round trip letter (three weeks each way).  Zoom is an absolute miracle, it’s even free, and something I now take for granted.

 

Maybe it is just because I am getting older, but now, in addition to our home in Centerville, I find myself thinking of home as the place where my Father in Heaven is, where I believe my mother, sister, grandparents, and mother and father-in-law are.  And I want to be there with them again someday. Although we celebrate the baby Jesus’ birth this time of year, it is His providing me (all of us) a way to get back home that I find myself celebrating the most. I am eternally indebted to Him for showing me the way and then making it possible through His atoning sacrifice. I need to murmur less and repent more.

 

We had zone conferences again this past week.  Perhaps in part because it was Joseph Smith’s birthday yesterday, President Sommerfeld spoke about how worldly knowledge pales in comparison to heavenly knowledge.  He then spoke about how Joseph Smith was tutored by the Father and the Son on multiple occasions and by over 50 other beings from the past. President Sommerfeld, quoting President Russell M. Nelson from a talk he gave to new mission presidents/mission leaders, said the reason Joseph had this privilege was because he was ushering in a new dispensation.

 

President Nelson also said, “We marvel how Joseph was able to accomplish all that he did in his abbreviated lifetime,” he said.  “His amazing accomplishments were enabled by the miraculous and matchless power of Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and many other heavenly beings. His work was also facilitated and complemented by his dear wife, Emma.  Her constant, capable support, and her faith, which she demonstrated time and time again, cannot be overemphasized.”

 

The spiritual atmosphere indoors during zone conference doesn’t always extend outside the church building.  On Tuesday, I took one of cars that had been driven to zone conference by the missionaries to the body shop for repairs.  I also had the unpleasant opportunity of telling the driver of the car that his driving privileges had been revoked by SLC (Church HQ) and telling his companion that I was revoking his driving privileges for waiting two weeks after the accident/incident to tell me about it.  Even then, the story only came out in bits and pieces as they were faced with a situation that they could no longer avoid. It is a cold time of year for two young missionaries to be walking in rural Missouri, but very appropriate.  A few days later, I got a call from a concerned member from their ward.  He was trying to understand why the mission would restrict the number of miles the missionaries can drive in a month.  He even asked if he could “buy” more miles for the elders.  I couldn’t help from smiling a bit as I told the member that the problem was not that his ward’s missionaries didn’t have any more miles, but that they no longer had a car, something they had avoided telling the member.

 

I know the holidays are hard for many missionaries.  For most, this is their first time living away from home.  Two more sisters went home early this week.  One sister, we thought was going to require an escort.  Eileen was not looking forward to flying with her on Friday.  Although Eileen, our mission president, and Missionary Medical all thought she needed accompanying, her parents and her stake president did not.  Maybe it was a Christmas gift to all that the parents got their way.

When we arrived on Christmas Eve at the Independence Visitor Center it was raining. I loved the visual of Mary and Joseph appearing to cry as they looked at the Christ child. 

  

                            We had a lovely evening with the Sommerfeldts at their home

December 23rd is the birthdate for Joseph Smith. We visited Liberty Jail where he suffered many deprivations  for 4&1/2 months. 

This is a life size replica of Liberty Jail.

Elder Perry sends surprise packages for his wife to me so it can stay a surprise. I wrapped it and put hearts all over it. He said for sure it will be a surprise as he would never think of doing that. 

President Sommerfeldt teaching the missionaries doctrines about Joseph Smith.

Gingerbread houses made by the missionaries during zone conference.

BIRTH OF TWO BABIES

Christmas for a missionary can be a very different experience.  On one hand, you are away from and missing loved ones with whom you normally celebrate the holiday. And on the other hand, without the distraction of normal holiday decorations and commitments, you can focus more on Jesus Christ and the many blessings that we enjoy because of Him.

 

A few nights ago, Eileen looked contemplative, so I asked her what she was thinking about.  She told me of a woman she had seen that day.  Nina is a single mother of three, due with her fourth child later this coming week. She is estranged from her parents and none of her children’s fathers are involved in her or her children’s lives.  The circumstances of this woman’s daily life are difficult and without much hope for a positive resolution.  We decided to buy Nina a large box of baby diapers and a Walmart gift card as a baby gift.  While I know that what the woman and her children need most is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives, we have to start somewhere and trying to be her friend seems a good place to begin.

 

So, this Christmas, Eileen and I are celebrating the births of two children.  Both born into humble circumstances, one being our Savior and the other a child few will even notice having been born.

 

Last week, I (Russell) mentioned that a senior missionary had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  At the time we had not heard back from the missionary about her willingness to have her mentioned by name in our blog. Sister Kearns is our mission secretary, a full-time live-at-home missionary.  This last week she shared with us and all the members of our senior missionary district the details of her diagnosis.  It was just six weeks ago at zone conference that she was commenting to Eileen about her headache.  In just a few weeks, she has gone from there, to seeing several neurosurgeons and awaiting a surgery date sometime in the next two or three weeks.  I am impressed with Sister Kearns’ efforts to continue working as long as she possibly can, and her positive attitude of accepting whatever God has in store for her.

 

On a more humorous note, the missionary bound for Mexico that I went looking for last week, is the son of a General Authority Seventy.  This last week, Eileen and Sister Kearns were coordinating with Church Travel to get his medical and travel arrangements made quickly. Unfortunately, Church Travel would not commit to when they would have him travel and Eileen was trying to schedule appointments for the elder to get his prophylactic rabies vaccinations.  He and his companions had driven to the office so that I could exchange out their car for a new one.  When Elder Gerard heard Eileen say that she didn’t know how to proceed with coordinating the vaccination with his tentative travel schedule, Elder Gerard proposed an idea that no one in the office would have dared suggest.  “Why not call my dad?”  Elder Gerard’s father is in the Europe Central Area Presidency.  Eileen let the young elder call his dad and it was almost funny to see how fast Church Travel reacted to a General Authority’s request to set a firm schedule that Eileen and Sister Kearns could then work around.

 

On Friday, I (Russell) drove to Tipton Missouri, a two-hour (one-way) drive east of Independence.  I was having trouble scheduling a time with the elders to have them trade out their car for a new one.This being the last of 14 new cars, I was anxious to set the last of the used cars up for transport and sale.  So, I drove the new car to them, changed the Orbcomm device from the old to new car, oriented the device and then drove the old car back to Independence.  When I drove up to the address of the elder’s house, I didn’t think I had the right place.  The house had a garage and a covered carport, but no mission car. Come to find out, the elders don’t park in the driveway because that would require them to either back out of the driveway or back in when they parked their car.  Since missionary driving rules require them to have the non-driving companion standing behind the car every time it backs up, the missionaries try to park in such a way to never require them to have to back up.  I firmly, but politely instructed them to start parking the new car on the driveway under covered parking.  My guess is that my instruction remained in their memory as long as, but probably no longer than, I was in their sight.  

Photo of Sister Kearns MRI. Posted with her permission. The golf ball looking circle in the middle, is her brain tumor. We feel so grateful that it was found as quickly as it was.  She is still working 7 days a week to catch up with her work before she goes in for surgery. 

Our grandson is serving a mission. Today the primary children had the opportunity to decorate the missionaries as if they were a Christmas tree. A local member took the picture and sent it to our daughter.

Floor to ceiling boxes throughout President Sommerfeldt's office. Sister Perry has done a great job of figuring out which missionaries don't have any packages yet.

This is just 1/3 of the boxes. There are two more walls covered with boxes. The missionaries don't know that they are hidden in here.

We visited the historical Bingham-Waggoner Mansion estate on Friday evening. It is only a few blocks from our office. Despite the fact that I (Eileen) received 3 calls during our tour, it was lovely to see and hear about the history of this beautiful building. 

The Youngs are good missionary friends of ours. Unfortunately for us, they leave to return home in a few weeks. They made this cutting board with an engraved logo of the Missouri Independence Mission. I told them this will never be used as a cutting board. It will be a memento of them and our time here in Missouri.

This is a photo of some of the Healy family getting together this past week. The Healys do not normally take photos, but I was grateful that they got this photo and it was shared with us. 

THE TRIVIAL AND THE TRULY TRAGIC

Yesterday afternoon we came out of the temple to find Eileen’s phone going off over her not being available to address a missionary’s inflamed fingernail.  The young missionary had bitten off a hangnail and it got infected.  Eileen had talked to the missionary the night before and told her to soak it in Epson salts.  When the missionary asked to go to an urgent care clinic yesterday morning, Eileen gave her the addresses for four.  Unfortunately, when the missionary went, she could not locate her insurance card and was frustrated because the clinics would not see her without it.  So, she had her companion call the Sommerfeldts, who called Eileen while we were in the temple.  Eileen was on the phone trying to deal with that, while the six single senior sisters and five senior couples who had attended the temple together were going into dinner.  Between that and the young elders who had called me while were in the temple, saying that part of the undercarriage of their car was dragging, the wonderful experience of going to the temple was diminished a bit.  After a couple of calls and exchanging numerous text messages last night and today, I learned that the elders’ car’s issue stemmed from a mishap two weeks ago following a snowstorm and sliding off the road.  Why tell the vehicle coordinator that something happened when you can wait until the bottom falls off your car to tell him?

Part of what had made the temple visit so special was the circumstances surrounding one of the senior sister missionaries who was with us.  She had been recently diagnosed as having a brain tumor and was told on Thursday that she would need to have surgery soon.  Despite the medical challenges facing her, she has kept up with her mission office duties and was in the office on Friday working a full day.  The contrast between how the two sister missionaries delt with their medical challenges was stark.

 

Today we had the pleasure of listening to one of our recently returned missionary’s homecoming talk.  Sister Caelen Jones sent Eileen the link to her sacrament meeting.  Listening to her reminded me (Russell) that I do get the opportunity to serve with some great young men and women.

 

Earlier this week, Church Travel called asking that we immediately send new passport photos and signed visa papers for a missionary who is waiting to go to Mexico.  The missionary was out in the far northeast part of our mission.  It took me six hours and I’m glad I took the truck.  One half-hour stretch between where I picked up the young elder and where we could get a passport photo was on a dirt road.  I am reconsidering our need for trucks in the outlying areas.  I wouldn’t drive my car there.

 

This past week I (Eileen) had a birthday and turned 65. I have now given up the great insurance we had with Huntsman and will now be on Medicare.  I guess that officially makes me a senior citizen. I heard from all my siblings, most of my children and many friends at home and from around the world. The beauty of Facebook is that it allows you to keep in touch with people that you don’t normally see in person.

 

It was fun to hear from members of our ward in Centerville.  One sister who I spent a lot of years both biking and skiing with, said this to me.  “Did you hear that I am a service missionary with Family Search?  Who would have thought when you invited me to church all those years ago, I would now be a missionary?” It really made me happy to hear that someone I “ministered” to years ago is now serving as a missionary.

 

I have been thinking about how grateful I am to have overcome some of the health challenges I have had in previous years, especially related to my bike accident. On my birthday I had three stark reminders of how quickly our lives can change: 1) a former missionary colleague recently was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer and had a mastectomy in the past week; 2) a young missionary had a totally surprising diagnosis which could very well be life impacting; and  3) a missionary colleague is working hard to finish up her work before she has upcoming brain surgery for a tumor.  In each of these instances, my friends have positive attitudes and are finding peace through their faith in Jesus Christ, and in knowing they have a loving Heavenly Father who knows them personally and is aware of each of our needs.

 

Friday, I heard the news that Elder Patrick Kearon has been called as the newest apostle for our church, filling the vacancy created by the death of Elder M. Russell Ballard.  I was ecstatic.  I have a great deal of admiration for Elder Kearon. He was our Area President when we lived in Germany and came to our ward in Frankfurt when he wasn’t traveling. I remember distinctly the feeling I had whenever I talked with Elder Kearon and likewise when I spoke with his wife. It was like there wasn’t another soul in the room, they were so focused on the conversation we were having.  He is one of the most Christ like people I know, kind, compassionate, understanding and has an extremely cheerful countenance. 

 

We have beautiful sunsets here.  This was taken on my birthday. The curlycue building is the top of the Church of Christ building. 

Cookies made by Sister Hunsaker for my birthday.

I guess Russell  liked the variety of donuts Sister Perry bought for me.

This note from my 6 year old grandson was a heart warmer

This is the president's office/lunchroom/area to store Christmas packages for missionaries. 

Our stake presidency and high council put on a lovely dinner for all the missionaries.

Selfie of some of the seniors after the temple.

Dinner after the temple with some of the senior missionaries.

                                                         Undercarriage of damaged car.

                                     The damaged piece which was dragging along the ground.

                                    Driving on a dirt road to get passport photos for an elder. 

This car is only 2 weeks old. It is pretty much a mess. Maybe we need trucks. 

CHRSTMASTIME IN MISSOURI

 As I (Russell) look back at this last week, nothing stands out to me to write about.  We both have been very busy, but just with the usual medical and vehicle related issues.  I guess I should be grateful that nothing has gone wrong.  A few weeks ago, a member of our home ward was preparing to give a talk in sacrament meeting about senior missionaries.  He was asked to address Elder Rasband’s most recent conference talk.  In preparation for his talk, he asked us and other returned senior missionaries for our thoughts on serving missions.  We were able to listen to the meeting over Zoom, and he used parts of what we had sent him.  Below are the letters we provided him.

Jorge,

 

Congratulations on having a difficult subject to speak on but a great audience to speak to.  We have a number of wonderful people in the ward, some of whom we have already reached out to, to see if they would like to join us here serving in Independence.  

 

You have asked for “words of encouragement for those thinking about serving a mission, and what it has meant to [me].”  I’m not sure this is what you will want to share, but I will try.

 

Elder Rasband told of his parent’s experience serving and the family they helped come into the Church.  That was and is very inspiring, an experience that would make the entire time serving worth every minute of the time sacrificed that it took to accomplish.  I have had a similar experience in the Philippines, and I don’t have the words to describe how wonderful it was.  But what people often don’t understand is that the time actually working with those individuals that join the Church are only a small portion of the total time spent on a mission.  For me it was only on my fourth full-time mission as a senior that I had that experience.  Many (most?) senior missionaries don’t get the experience of baptizing someone.

 

I have heard many say that your family will be blessed for your service as a missionary.  While I know that is true (having the benefit of years of hindsight), I also know that hard/challenging things happen to family members while we are away.  I believe the greatest blessing for your family members of you being on a mission is the example you set that perhaps they may follow.

 

I have also heard, even over the pulpit, that you can choose your mission, that you can get do something you may deem fun, interesting, fulfilling, or go someplace exciting.  The truth is, that may happen, and it may not.  If we are going to do what we want then we may end up disappointed.  If we go because we are submitting our will to that of our Father in Heaven, then we should be ready to be surprised by what He thinks is best. The song, I’ll go where you want me to go, is a lot easier to sing than it is to go, say or be what the Lord would have us do.

 

Serving missions with Eileen has made my love for her grow stronger than it would have otherwise.  The best part of my day is when I am serving with her.  And while I can be with her at home, serving full-time with her has just brought us closer as we strive full-time in a shared purpose.  We are working together on an eternal goal of serving our Lord.

 

However, for me, the reason I serve is that I love my Father in Heaven and I want to be a good son.  I want to please him.  I have covenanted to consecrate my time, talents, etc. to the building up of the kingdom of God on earth.  Serving missions seems like a reasonable way for me to try and keep that covenant.  I know I fail often in my efforts to follow my Savior and do God’s will.  I am grateful He keeps giving me the chance to try to do better.

 

Sincerely,

 

Elder Healy

Hi Jorge,

So nice of you  to think of us.  

Russell and I feel like there are two reasons why we serve. 1) We have been blessed with so much, we will never be able to repay Heavenly Father for all he has done for us.  2)  We have made a covenant in the temple to dedicate our time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed us to the building up of Jesus Christ’s church on earth. For us personally, that means serving multiple missions. 

Missions can be very hard. A mission can stretch you to do things you didn’t think you are capable of. Likewise, a mission can be extremely rewarding.  I feel great joy as I help the missionaries with their health issues and know that I am helping them so they can further the work here in the Independence Mission.

Miracles come on a regular basis in my nursing position. Doors have opened up to get the missionaries into the right doctor expeditiously, when I thought it might take months to get an appointment. I have been inspired to seek certain care for missionaries, that I know didn’t come just from my own thoughts. 

Advice I would give to others,  leave your grandkids, your home, your pets and go serve. The Lord will watch over your family.  I would say that the Lord can certainly take care of your family better than you could if you were home.  Trust in Him.  

We have made associations in the mission field with both young missionaries and also other senior missionaries which will last a lifetime.  As we serve in the Independence area and know of the sacrifices the early saints made to make it possible for me to have the gospel in my life today, I would say the effort I am giving is small in comparison.

If any of the seniors in our ward want to serve here, we have needs in our mission. Currently we have a critical need for a Spanish speaking couple and a couple to serve the young single adults. You are needed. We want you here!

With kind regards,
Sister Eileen Healy

Our one Christmas decoration in our apartment. It makes me happy every time I see it. 

The computer I bought last week would not work with a double monitor so I had to return it and 

purchase another one. Thankfully, the area looked pretty where the computer store was located and we were able to enjoy the Christmas lights.

My daughter knows I love amaryllis. The three bulbs in the red wax grow without water, it is pretty amazing. I will spend a lot of time watching these grow while talking with missionaries on the phone. 

This is the courthouse in Independence. It reminds me of the courthouse on "Back to the Future".

This Gilbert and Whitney store was originally owned by Elder Gilbert and Newell Whitney.  It has been restored. One of the original walls still exists.

We went to the Living Windows in Independence. The stores had all sorts of Christmas type activities going on in the windows. This young woman was singing Christmas songs and it was broadcast outside. We both enjoyed the evening walking through downtown Independence. We both decided that Independence is growing on us. 

                    The Grinch was making different faces at me while I was taking the photo.