HOME, OR GOING HOME?

With two missionaries going home early each of the last two weeks, I (Russell) really didn’t think things could get more eventful this week; but they did.  In addition to having three days of zone conferences this week, during which I and some of the senior missionaries dealt with cars in the pouring rain, we once again had two more missionaries return home early.  The first of the two, we were asked to escort to SLC where the missionary was met by parents and other family members.  We had only to wait a few hours after dropping off this missionary before Eileen received a call from Missouri, forecasting the first of this coming week’s challenges.

 

The sister missionary we accompanied home had been taken by ambulance to the hospital just a week before.  Others, far above our paygrade, decided it best that she return home, where she could better access the medical help she required.  Normally, only Eileen would have accompanied the sister missionary.  But since Eileen is having problems with her foot and in a boot, and the sister needed to have someone push her in a wheelchair, I got to go along. Although disappointed at having to go home early, the sister was delightful. By the time we got to SLC she was asking Eileen to come to her wedding someday (no current boyfriend).  As we approached the place where she would meet her family, I asked her if she wanted to continue in the wheelchair or be walking when her parents would first see her.  She said she wanted to try and walk.  Eileen helped her stand up and then the sister locked arms with Eileen, wanting her to be right by her side until she got to her parents.  After hugging her father, the sister sat back down in the wheelchair.

 

The second missionary that went home this week was an elder that we have both grown to greatly respect.  He had been diagnosed several weeks ago with a problem that could require him to go home.  The doctor here felt the problem needed to be addressed soon, while our Area Medical Advisor and another doctor in the Missionary Department thought it could wait until after the elder’s mission was finished.  The decision was made to try and see another local doctor for second opinion.  When we went with the elder for the second opinion appointment, the office couldn’t find his appointment that Eileen had made.  As the elder and his companion had driven an hour and a half to get there, Eileen was not happy.  The office suggested that we see a different doctor the following week at a location in Kansas.  While Eileen was frustrated, the elder said that he felt after praying about it, that he was going to have to go home, and so he was not as much frustrated as resigned to that expected result.  The next week, we and the missionaries made the long trip to the appointment on the other side of town. We were seeking the second opinion from a partner of the doctor who gave the first opinion.  This doctor had a unique specality directly applicable to this Elder’s situation.  He told the elder and Eileen that he disagreed with his partner, that the situation was actually more serious than first diagnosed, and that it did need to be addressed as soon as possible.  The doctor knew that this was a second opinion, and when told where the elder was from said something to the effect of, I know of a doctor at the University of Utah who specializes in this.  With his referral, the elder’s parents have been able to arrange to get the elder in quickly following his return home.  Eileen was commenting how she felt the Lord had led them to the second doctor, which would have only occurred if the first scheduled second opinion appointment had not taken place.  It was as if God was saying, “Good job Eileen in seeking a second opinion, you’re just not seeking it from the right doctor, let me help.”

 

As we were driving away from the SLC airport Thursday evening, Eileen asked me, “Does it feel to you like we are coming home or leaving home (in Independence)?”  It was strange that both of us felt like home was in Missouri.  Even after sleeping in my own bed for a night, I felt like I needed to get back home to deal with problems there.  Yes, there are problems ahead, and no, I still don’t love cars; but it is the concept of “back home” that pleasantly surprises me.

 

We did get to see our son Jon for a few minutes.  He is doing a great job of taking care of the house, for which we are very grateful.   

For our Monday Senior Missionary FHE, we went to the Midwest Genealogy Center. I was told it is the largest public genealogy library in the world. There are mounds of documents and microfiche there. I (Eileen) found it quite fascinating. Russell was not able to attend due to work.

I found this 1955 phone book from Boulder, Colorado. I lived in Boulder from 1964 until marriage

This book is over 100 years old and is one of the books our records preservation missionaries are scanning.

Elder Christiansen, who is one of our missionaries working in this library, showing other senior missionaries a book from 1914.   Elder Christiansen served as a young missionary in Indonesia about the same time that Russell did.

When we first got here, I was dismayed at how many missionaries did not respond to my requests regarding their health. I figured instead of being negative, I would label certain missionaries gold star missionaries. Russell thinks it is like being in primary, but indeed our missionaries are only 6 years out of primary.  When they truly take the effort to be diligent about their health and report back to me when requested, they become a gold star missionary for that transfer period.  I write them a customized note praising their effort and they get to pick out something out of my gold star box.  One missionary grabbed the bottle of Tylenol PM in the box and said excitedly, "I need this so badly."

                                         Our young missionary returning home. 

 

 

TWO EARLY RELEASES AND DOG FLEA BITES

Yesterday morning as we were cleaning the apartment, Eileen asked me if I had any ideas for the blog this week.  At that point the week had looked a lot like the prior week.  We had two more missionaries return home early and a visit to the emergency room.  We now have had 25 percent of the missionaries from the group that arrived shortly after we did go home early due to health reasons.  

 

On Thursday evening, we had just gotten back from the gym when Eileen got a phone call from a distressed sister missionary. She was justifiably concerned about her companion’s health and Eileen recommended that she call an ambulance (how was that for my being non-descriptively discreet?).  After getting cleaned up quickly, we headed out for the hospital, arriving just as the ambulance did. While Eileen was in the room with the sister, I was out in the waiting room with her companion.  After talking for quite some time with her, I realized that the two young sisters had, one now and the other previously, the same rather rare health issue.  Both Eileen and I were rather amazed thinking, what is the chance that these two sisters would be assigned to serve together?  As Eileen wrote to our mission president, “I don’t think that it was just a coincidence that these two sisters are companions.”  And what she didn’t say to our mission president, or the young sisters was, and what is the chance that those two sisters would have a nurse that also had experience with that same health issue.My role here with the vehicles is not one that lends itself to a lot of spiritual experiences.  However, Thursday night, in an emergency room, I had one; clearly seeing God’s hand in taking care of His missionaries.

 

I (Russell) decided that I wanted to go see where the missionaries are living outside of the Greater Kansas City area.  I also wanted to see what driving conditions were like out in the country. Driving a truck with an Orbcomm device (aka TIWI) in it, would let me experience what they are going through every day. Eileen was interested in seeing what the health care was like out there, so I drew up six one-day trips that we will take over the next few weeks. Our housing coordinator is also new and wanted to join.  On Friday we took our first trip to Atchison and Leavenworth, both in Kansas.The trip was both informative and fun as we took the missionaries out to lunch.  Eileen and Sister Hunsaker (housing) were quite surprised when making a turn at 5 miles per hour, the Orbcomm device’s woman’s voice shouted out at me, “Watch your speed!”  I really don’t like that lady.

 

Once a month we go with the other senior missionaries to an afternoon temple session.  It was great to both not have my phone tethered to me and to experience the wonderful spirit in the temple.  As I was sitting there I thought, maybe I could do like several other senior missionaries and serve as a temple worker, maybe a Saturday evening shift.  Eileen and I have both been told by our predecessors that since we are on call 24/7 that we could never do that.  That thought stayed with me as I left the temple yesterday and persisted for about an hour, at which point I got a call telling me that two of our sister missionaries had been in a car accident.  For the next several hours I dealt with the ramifications of the event which ended with our meeting the tow truck at a body shop where we left the vehicle.  I’ll go on Monday morning and get the repair process started.  I am grateful that neither of the sisters were hurt.  But the apparent message in answer to my pondering of could I serve as a temple worker on Saturday nights was loud and clear – NO!

 

Shortly after we got home about 8:30 last night, Eileen got a call.  It was from the sister missionary who was bitten by a dog last week and had a visit to the emergency room. Turns out she and her companion had been to a new member’s home.  That member also had a dog, not one that likes to bite people, but one that has fleas that like to bite people.  The sister was covered with bites and was calling for medical advice.  After telling the sister how she should deal with the bites, Eileen suggested that the sister best avoid dogs altogether.  

We visited the elders in Atchison, Kansas, birthplace of Amelia Earhart. It seems quite rural, so when I saw a sign for a hospital we decided to check it out. I was excited to see not only a helicopter pad, but a medic-vac helicopter coming in for a landing just as we arrived. 

                      Sister Megan and Sister Anderson are currently serving in Leavenworth.

We have 4 missionaries stationed in Leavenworth, Kansas. As we passed this building I wondered what it was. Turns out it is Leavenworth penitentiary,  The walls are 40 feet high and 40 feet below ground. 

TWO EARLY RETURNS AND A DOG BITE

The past two weeks have been difficult ones for Eileen, our mission president and his wife, and several of the missionaries.  She wanted to talk about one situation last week but I told her she needed to wait a week, until after that young sister had returned home. I (Russell) did not contemplate that we would actually have two return home early in the same week.  I have heard it said that 80 percent of a mission president's problems are due to 20 percent of the missionaries.  From what I see it is more like 90-95 percent due to 5-10 percent as being more accurate.  The vast majority of our young missionaries are happy and hard working, truly striving to do their best.

Last week I said that the medical issues of the missionaries here were about 50 percent physical and 50 percent emotional/mental.  Upon closer review, recently, the physical medical issues are more like just 30 percent.  The emotional toll involved with these cases are not just limited to the individual missionary, but also their companion, the mission president, and my companion.  It is hard to watch all of them struggle with these difficult issues.  While I am not directly involved, I do see and hear a lot. Last week we had two sister missionaries come to our apartment to talk to Eileen.  After they were on their way, Eileen got another call from an elder who had similar serious emotional issues that needed immediate attention.  Since we couldn't be in two places at once, Eileen had to call the mission president and ask him to deal with the second case.  My guess is that I may be writing about that situation next week.

Through out all this, the other senior missionaries have been very supportive.  One couple took the sister who came to our apartment midweek and let her stay with them for 24 hours until transportation home could be arranged.  Another recently released senior sister missionary accompanied the young sister on her flight home the next day.  Normally Eileen, as the mission medical advisor/nurse would have accompanied her home.  But President Sommerfeldt nixed that idea quickly.  We have too many other similarly critical cases/situations right now and he would not consider letting Eileen leave.

Thursday we had a sister get bit by a dog.  They were delivering a book of Mormon that had been requested.  The bite required stitches and involved a lot of emotional angst suffered by the missionary and her companion.  Eileen spent quite a bit of time with helping the sisters and talking to the missionary's parents. After much discussion and review of the situation it was determined that the sister should receive the rabies vaccine, which she is now getting.

This was a very nasty dog bite. Frightening for the sister missionary and her companion. 

             It's amazing how missionaries manage to get flat tires. This was pretty unbelievable. 

             I guess you know rain is a novelty when you have never seen bags to hold wet umbrellas.

Twenty three new missionaries arrived  on Friday. We were supposed to have four more, however the other four were visa waiters and they had their visas arrive before their departure from the MTC.

                                   

                                                       Newly arrived missionaries

Lots of packages were waiting for the missionaries from home. If it does't fit in the suitcase I guess the parents ship it. 

We went to the 200th year celebration of Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith. This photo shows copies of the Book of Mormon in different languages with President Forsyth there to answer questions. He is the president of the historical sites here in Missouri. There were displays and speakers by other denominations who also believe in the Book of Mormon. 

    Books of Mormon were on display from throughout the decades. Also a replica of the golden plates.

Polynesian dancers entertained at the celebration. We are not sure what this had to do with the 200th anniversary, however the dancers were very good. 

PROGRESS

We must be adapting to our work load.  This week we were able to go to the gym four times after work, and then on Saturday morning go to Adam-ondi-Ahman for a few hours.  Now that is not to say all was quiet during those times.  Eileen received a call just as we walked into the gym before she started her workout Thursday. She ended up returning to the apartment and spending the evening working with missionaries. I got a call Saturday morning after being on the road only five minutes. But that is still progress!

Today during sacrament meeting, both our phones rang.  We are supposed to have them with at all times so we can be available to help the young missionaries.  Eileen's call was about a young elder and then a text about a young sister. Both were important.  My call regarding a vehicle was not urgent, but the caller thought it was.  

In the Philippines it seemed like the bulk of Eileen's work revolved around physical ailments of the missionaries, here it seems to be about 50% physical and 50% emotional challenges. While reading the medical histories of the 28 new missionaries we have coming next week, Eileen noted how that many have a history of emotional issues.  That prompted her to look back at the current missionaries we have serving.  It turns out that approximately 40% of our missionaries had something of this nature noted in their pre-mission papers.  Combined with those who have been first diagnosed here in the field, it seems half of our young missionaries have had or are currently experiencing emotional challenges.  We figure that more are sent here because we have access to Church Family Service's counselors next door to our mission office. I believe we are fortunate to live in a time and place where such resources are available.

It was one of the Church Family Service's counselors that called Eileen this morning during church.  Last week that counselor mentioned to Eileen that it used to be that young people first experienced being away from home while away at college or in the military.  Now with young men serving at age 18 and young women at 19, the mission field is where many are first experiencing living away from home and having to deal with its related challenges.  I used to think it was odd that missionaries seemed to have more emotional issues now than when I served decades ago.  It is probably just a result of both missionaries serving at a younger age and emotional issues being better identified and openly addressed than when I was young. 

Sister Louder (L), Eileen, Sister Gillette, these sisters are our sister training leaders. They are awesome!

The area known as Adam-ondi-Ahman is located 70 miles northeast of Independence, Missouri.  It is 

a place of beginnings, departures and returns. This is where Adam and Eve first dwelt when they left the Garden of Eden.  Three years before his death, Adam called his posterity together, blessed them , and the Lord appeared unto them.  It is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient  of Days shall sit as spoken of by Daniel the prophet.  (Taken from the Ensign Peak Foundation website)

Signs are posted on many of the trees warning of poisonous snakes

                                                 

                                                    We saw several deer while at the site.

Down a path from Tower hill there is a very large stone perched on top of another stone.  We don't know if this has any meaning other than being unusual.

Adam - ondi - Ahman is the only mission in the church which is presided over by the prophet. There are several full-time couple missionaries serving here, they are responsible for taking care of the grounds and making sure they always look beautiful.

THE LAST WAGON

We thought this weekend would be the first during our time here when one or both of us didn’t have to go into the office and work.  We actually went to the gym and made it to 10:15 AM before things happened which required Eileen to go into the office.  Fortunately, we were able to pick up what she needed quickly, and she has been working on the ‘project’ most of the day yesterday and today. 

 

We were able to watch General Conference, and yesterday two talks resonated with me (Russell).  Elder Bednar referenced a talk given by Elder J. Ruben Clark in 1947 which centered on those he called “they of the last wagon.”  Elder Clark “praised these anonymous and uncelebrated heroes who, day after day, week after week, and month after month, choked on the dust stirred up by all of the wagons rolling in front of them – and who overcame the relentless obstacles they encountered along the way.”  

 

Perhaps Elder Bednar’s talk resonated with me because over the last six weeks I have thought of myself more like the Street Sweeper character from the cartoon Peabody and Sherman.  It’s funny how I remember things from when I was very young.  The image of this cartoon character following behind the parade, sweeping up the mess the parade made, depicts how I see my current role at times.  However, in the cartoon I don’t remember this character ever saying anything; unlike me who has done more than my share of ‘murmuring’ to my companion and muttering to myself.  I need to repent.

 

Elder Rasband’s talk at the end of the afternoon session yesterday also struck me.  Instances where a General Authority has commented on senior missionaries in General Conference are fairly rare and an Apostle just devoted his whole conference talk to all to it.  The story he recounted of his parents serving a mission and helping to bring a family into the Church was touching. Having had an experience during our last mission of doing something similar, I could relate.  And appropriately, he addressed the fact that most senior missionaries are called to do a wide variety of things, many not directly associated with bringing the gospel to non-members.  Elder Rasband said, “Dedicated service to Jesus Christ will inspire and bless one’s family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”  That promise alone, from an Apostle of Jesus Christ, makes this worth it.

 

I’ve mentioned to Eileen that our roles here in the mission are in someways similar to utilities, which if they work properly nobody notices.  My role being a bit like that of the electric utility, which if it does not work properly is a great annoyance to all and hindrance to the missionary work.  Eileen’s role is more similar to that of a water and sewer utility, which if it doesn’t work correctly is a crisis and mandates a relocation. As I read my grandson Andrew’s letter to his family yesterday, I thought of Friday afternoon when I was taking a car to the shop because some elders had hit a few cones on the highway and I was also dealing with another missionary’s gas card that had fraudulent transactions on it, I found myself hoping there would be someone who would similarly help him as he serves in Wisconsin.

 

                                              Russell feels sometimes like this street sweeper

Twice a month we have a senior missionary FHE with a guest speaker. This month it was Brother and Sister Freestone. They had some very interesting stories about their time as mission leaders in Greece.  The photo below shows the location Moroni in Greece.  Brother and Sister Freestone are now serving in the Kansas City Temple presidency.

I (Eileen) brought work home for the weekend. We have 28 new missionaries coming in on the next transfer. Seven are waiting for visas to other countries. I go through every single missionary recommendation and set up doctor appointments for those who need to have medical management, document any allergies or concerns and then call the parents if I have questions.  Fortunately we have an LDS doctor who has been great to work with and will see the new missionaries and do Telehealth visits when they get transferred. I make the appointments online for the missionaries even before they arrive in the mission field. I definitely don't want a missionary to run out of meds or have a serious medical issue shortly after they get here and not have them set up with a primary care physician. I didn't realize Russell would be taking a photo of my desk as I stepped out of the room, sorry it is such a mess.

FIRST HOSPITAL TRIP

Both of us routinely get numerous calls from missionaries every day.They begin as early as 6:30 AM and some have started as late as 9:30 PM. We are both trying to teach by example that not all communication needs to be done by phone, that email and texting can meet many needs better.  

 

Thursday evening about 8:30 PM Eileen got a call from a distraught young sister missionary wanting to know what she should do.  Her companion had started feeling bad the prior evening, but now, 24 hours later, was having serious problems.  As it turned out, the young sister was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and we were there late that night. Eileen spent much of the next day with the sister in the hospital. 

 

Eileen has spent most of the last week working with this sister missionary and a few young elders who may need minor surgery.  These potential procedures almost always require the missionary to be sent home to get their needed medical care. However, all of these missionaries want to stay, and if required to go home, want to come back as soon as possible.They all seem to love serving as missionaries, their companions and Missouri.  I didn’t see this same attitude with all the missionaries we served with in the Philippines.  

 

This week Eileen and I each had our first opportunity to talk to a non-member about the Church.  Our callings have kept us so busy that we just don’t associate much with anyone other than missionaries. Eileen got her hair done here for the first time and her hairdresser is a member of the Community of Christ (fka Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or RLDS).  I got to spend time with a truck driver who was picking up five of our cars for resale.  He is Baptist and his wife is Catholic. After talking for a half hour, he told me that his son had “joined the Mormon Church” in a nearby state several years ago.  Given the number of cars we have, my guess is that I will be seeing him again. 

 

I (Eileen) remember a time when we were serving in the Philippines, when  our mission president's wife told me that there were times that at night she thought to herself, I am so tired, I can't do this one more day. Yet in the morning she had renewed strength to carry on her responsibilities.  I can totally relate to that feeling. This week I was dealing with some serious issues with several missionaries potentially requiring them to return home. One night as I came back to our apartment I thought, I hope it will be a quiet night as I am so exhausted.  Shortly afterwards the phone rang and we were off to the hospital for an emergency.  As we returned home late that evening, there was a beautiful lightning storm. No rain accompanied the storm, it was rather magnificent to watch. The next morning as I drove back to the hospital, listening to the tabernacle choir singing "Our Savior's Love", I saw a huge flock of birds flying across the sky.  For some reason, perhaps because I was so in need of some reassurance, I felt powerfully of God's love towards me and also the missionaries I am here to serve.  I also was profoundly grateful for my good companion who had shuttled me to several visits with sick missionaries.

Many years ago when I was elementary school aged, I traveled to some church history sites with my family.  One of the places we visited  was Independence, Missouri. We attended fast and testimony meeting on Sunday.  That day, many Samoans bore their testimonies stating they were there to build the temple in preparation for the Savior's second coming. I was pretty confused and asked my father what they were talking about. He explained that this is the area where many great events will occur in the last days. I never dreamed that someday I would be living and serving in this area as a senior missionary.  

We have been in Missouri for 5 weeks now. During three out of the five weeks in sacrament meeting, the topic of the New Jerusalem and building up Zion in preparation for Christ's second coming has been addressed. Today a young man gave his mission farewell. He is Samoan and will be serving in Samoa.  There were a number of Samoans in the congregation. I wondered if perhaps he might be related to any of the individuals I heard bear their testimony nearly 55 years ago. 

I am responsible for paying the bills. I currently have 68 unpaid bills on my desk.  I have spent hours trying to get the missionaries to pay their $10 copay for Dr's visits. I was happy when I was able to find out that 8 bills have now been paid. 

There was a beautiful chapel at the hospital including a stained glass window of the Savior. This display inside the chapel had a songbook with many of the same songs we sing in our church.

Selling off the cars

OBEDIENCE

 

 Zone conferences are a three day event that takes place every six weeks.  However, due to a visit from our area President last month (our first week here), that zone conference was delayed several weeks to accommodate Elder Wong’s schedule. While at that conference, Elder Wong noticed that we had young elders from different zones helping with the car servicing and inspections that I (Russell) am responsible for.  He suggested to President Sommerfeldt that we should not use the young elders time doing that, which direction President Sommerfelt relayed on to me.

 

I was quite distressed at the thought of taking care of over 90 vehicles, about 30 each day for all future zone conferences, by myself.  I knew Eileen would help me, but she needed to be inside the zone conference where the young missionaries could talk to her about their medical problems.

 

Trying to be obedient but also trying to find a way to still accomplish the tasks assigned to me, I approached some of the senior missionaries.  With the help of our Senior Missionary District Leader, we were able to take care of the vehicle servicing and inspections at zone conference this past week.  In fact it went better and faster than when we had the young elders participating.  The senior sisters can be quite effective motivators for the young missionaries to clean the cars both inside and out.  

 

I am very grateful for the senor elders and sisters who helped me out this week.  And I’m grateful for the direction given by Elder Wong.  He was right and I was doubtful, and I’m learning.  In the process I also found a senior elder who knows how to back up a trailer.  Having to back up the trailer during transfers has been keeping me awake at nights.  God was aware of both my needs and provided solutions to them.  I got two blessing out of being obedient once.

 

Twice a month we have our senior missionary family home evening.  A potluck dinner is held and we have a special presentation by a member of the group.  This past Monday President and Sister Sommerfeldt shared a little about their lives and what miracles have occurred to bring them to the point where they are now.  President Sommerfeldt  asked us if anyone remembered the story about the two little girls who President Nelson had operated on as a young cardiac surgeon. Both girls passed away shortly after the surgery and the family was quite bitter towards him and the Church as a result.  

 

The Hatfield family lives in the Sommerfeldt’s stake in Utah and the  Sommerfeldts knew the family quite well. They related the following story.  Several years ago, when President Nelson was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he had a dream where the two young girls came to him saying they were not sealed to anyone and could he please help make it happen.  President Nelson contacted President Sommerfeldt, who was then the Stake President, and requested that either he or the family’s ministering brothers approach the Hatfield family and ask them if they would be willing to meet with Elder Nelson. Previously the family had declined similar offers to meet.  

 

This time they accepted the request, forgiveness and  reconciliation occurred and the family returned to activity in the Church. President and Sister Sommerfeldt had the wonderful opportunity to be present in the Payson Temple when the Hatfield father and a proxy for his deceased wife were sealed to the deceased two daughters. It was a good reminder to me (Eileen) of how forgiveness can bring healing to the soul.

 

This morning we listened remotely to our stake conference in Utah during which Dan Wadley was put in as our new stake president. Dan and Lisa live around the corner from us and we have a great deal of respect for both of them.

 

Dan is an ultramarathon runner, sometimes running races as long as 100 miles long.  In June, he was going for a run while on vacation in Puerto Rico. He went into a full cardiac arrest.  He was defibrillated several times and on life support in the ICU with a very grim prognosis. Our stake had a fast for Dan.  Lisa told me that she was expecting to lose her husband. As our ward knelt in the chapel to offer up a prayer for Dan and his family, Dan started becoming responsive and the breathing tube was removed from him.  It is truly a modern miracle that he is alive after all he has been through. Even more of a miracle that he will be able to function in the very busy role of stake president.  Today in his talk, he thanked our stake members for the prayers offered up for him and vowed to serve the Lord knowing that the fact that he is alive today is truly a miracle from on high. 

Elder Covington is a service missionary who is brilliant with computers. I was so grateful for his help in getting my computer working with my two monitors and the office printer.

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These sisters prepared food for one of our zone conferences. The husband of the sister with the apron cooked 50 pounds of BBQ pork for the missionaries. The missionaries loved it.

Senior missionaries getting ready to do their thing. Sister Dunham and Eileen doublechecked the paperwork in every car as the missionaries rolled in. It gave Eileen an opportunity to meet the missionaries. 

Our new stake president Dan Wadley

AN INSTRUMENT IN GOD'S HANDS

When I (Eileen) was being set apart for my mission our stake president said some very memorable things to me.  He mentioned that I would be given the healer’s art and that I would feel the love of the Savior towards His missionaries. This past week I have felt of those blessings.  We have 180 young missionaries in our mission with 32 senior missionaries. I have been trying to put names with faces when I have an opportunity to meet or get a call from missionaries. When a missionary calls in and I am at my computer, I can pull up their file and look at their picture.  I like to do this while I review their medical history and am trying to determine how best to help them.

Last Sunday I noticed a young missionary signing during the hymns in sacrament meeting. I was touched as I observed certain words of the hymn and the accompanying signs in American Sign Language. Two days later this missionary called me and was quite ill. I referred him to the ER.  I found myself feeling so concerned about him, as if he was my own son or grandson, even though I had only met him once before. My thoughts turned back to my setting apart. Is this what Christlike love feels like?  This missionary had a rough couple of days. I heard this morning that his companion is sick, but I have not yet been able to reach them to find out how they are doing.

 

Friday, I talked with a missionary who was really struggling emotionally. My heart was really drawn towards this missionary.  I was grateful that the Church has procedures in place to help when a missionary is having a difficult time, either physically or emotionally. 

 

A number of Church General Authorities and Officers have spoken in recent years about how sometimes God works through us to bless the lives of others.  In the scriptures we read about numerous examples of willing and eager individuals to do God’s will, such as Paul and Nephi.  We also have a few examples of those who are less willing or reluctant to do so, like Jonah.  This week I (Russell) was taught a lesson on this by a fellow senior missionary and my interaction with two cars.

 

Since I’ve been here we have a car in the lot (a fenced area within the Facility Management (FM) group’s buildings) that has had a dead battery.  Until this last week things have been too busy to deal with it. I had been told that for that particular model, I would have to have it towed to the dealership because jumping the battery from one car to another would negatively affect the other car. While at the lot I ran into a senior missionary, Elder Moses, in FM. He understood my issue and said he could recharge the car without another car being involved, and that he would be happy to do it for me.  I was relieved at not having to spend the time and money to have it towed and then go and retrieve it.  For me, Elder Moses was a great blessing on a difficult day, a good example of a willing tool in God’s hand. 

 

That night I had difficulty sleeping well.  I was concerned about a lot of things regarding the mission cars.  Some guys fondly dream of cars, not me.  By 4:30 AM, after being awake for two hours, I decided to just get up and go into work.  That morning I reconciled all the cars vehicle identification numbers to those in the computer system.  More on that in the next story.  Once the lot was open I went back down to see about moving a white car that was parked next to the trailers we use for going to and from the airport.  During the night I had been concerned about either me or one of the young elders hitting the car with the trailer when we were trying to back the trailer into its parked position.  The car had been parked in the same spot since I first arrived and Elder Hegvik had no idea who owned it.  I found out it was a Church owned car for the LDS Social Services manager that he only used when going out of town.  After speaking to him about moving the car to a better parking spot, he told me where to find the keys and please move it for him.  I could not get the car to start.  It was a hybrid, like mine, but it would not start for me.  Calling the LDS Social Services manager, he was convinced that the battery was not dead and that because it was a hybrid that I just didn’t know how to start it. Frustrated, I concluded that I was just too stupid to start the thing, admitted that to him and he said he would come in from home and move it.  Later that day he called to say that indeed the battery was dead and that getting it recharged had taken him several hours because it was a hybrid.  He also said that for him it was a blessing that he found out.  On Monday he planned to take two colleagues for a week to Saint Louis for work. Had this not happened, the three of them would have shown up tomorrow morning only to find that the car had a dead battery.  Unlike Elder Moses, who had been glad to help me, I was not so happy about my involvement in the event and found the whole thing frustrating.  As I look back on it, my part in the blessing for the LDS Social Services manager was one that I only reluctantly participated in.  Shame on me, I need to do better.

 

On a light note, during my reconciliation of the 96 cars in our mission and the Church Visitor Center (which I manage), I discovered that the new truck we have now had for over a week does not belong to us.  The dealership just saw the name of the Church and assumed that all four new vehicles were ours.  My predecessor liked the new truck since it had running boards and I was just too new to understand that Chevy King Cab Silverado’s don’t just fall from heaven.  

What did you say?  We have been driving a truck which doesn't even belong to our mission?  OOPS!

                                      Elder and Sister Moses, the couple for FM here in the area.

We had the wonderful blessing of attending the Kansas City Temple with several other senior missionaries from our mission on Saturday.  Afterwards we went to a Mexican restaurant as a group.  It was a very nice break to be in the temple again.

I (Eileen) passed this house while going on a walk yesterday morning. I thought it was very unique and unlike what we would typically see in Utah.  As I passed the next house a 3 legged dog tried to attack me.  Thankfully there was a fence between me and the dog.

Our oldest grandson Andrew (middle) had his mission farewell today. While we were sad to not be there with him, we were able to watch the farewell via zoom. His brother Cameron (far right) also spoke. This grandma bawled her eyes out all the way from Missouri.  I am proud of these two young men. 

THE CAR FOB

I (Eileen) have been told that our positions are the two busiest in the mission other than the mission president and his wife. That certainly seems to have been true this past week. Sister Hegvik who was supposed to be training me came down with COVID.  She has been wonderful about helping over the phone and with charting, but it just wasn't the same as being trained in person.  With transfers, missionaries leaving and new missionaries arriving it seems like life has been quite busy for us this week. 

With all of our missions I have never seen a missionary transfer like this one.  It was quite fun to watch. All the missionaries gathered in the gym of the stake center. At exactly 10 AM they were able to look at their phones and see where they would be assigned and who their companion would be.  There were many shouts of joy with hugs and backslapping going on. Certainly there must have been some missionaries that were kind of disappointed, but I didn't see them.  On Saturday after the new missionaries arrived they were assigned their trainers. President Summerfeldt kind of made a game of it, finding something unique about the trainer and new missionary to match them up.  Each missionary seemed happy with the matchups. I hope that excitement continues through the duration of their companionship, as it will make my job as the nurse meeting their emotional needs much easier. 

My (Russell) intent was not to say much this week, and follow my mother's advice about if you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all.  Last Monday morning at our meeting with the mission president he asked how things were going.  I responded that it was okay but that I really didn't know since I didn't yet know what I didn't know.  Tomorrow when he asks at our meeting I now have a better idea of what I don't know and it is a lot!  With transfers and my driving the truck and trailer for three days, I'm struggling to keep up even with working in the office all seven days this week.

While it is usually Eileen that has the phone calls until late into the evening, last night it was my night to have nine calls after we got back home at 4:30 PM from the office (Saturday is supposed to be our preparation day).  One call that started out as particularly distressing turned out to be one of those events that remind you just how involved God is in our lives.  One of our new trainers (who I had just been with earlier in the day) called at 7:45 PM to say that he had lost the key to his car.  He further explained that he actually had not yet seen the key fob to his newly assigned car.  He said the prior elder who had the car told him he had left the key in the car that morning at the church during our meeting.  The elder/trainer explained to me that when he pushed the ignition button, that since the car started that he decided not to worry about finding the key immediately.  And since the car continued to start each time during the day they knew it must be in the car somewhere.  I said, "So you have not been locking the car when you have been leaving it?" To which they stated the obvious, "No."

But now, with it starting to get dark, the car would no longer start and they couldn't find the key anywhere.  They were quite a ways from home with a car they couldn't lock.  I told them to take a few minutes and retrace everywhere they had been since stopping the car, pray and then call me back in 20 minutes if they couldn't find it and I would go get another key for their car at the office and then drive to where they were in Kansas, bringing them another key fob.  I was not happy but trying to be a decent missionary in front of my wife and the elders on the phone, a task I'm not sure I accomplished.  When they called back after ten minutes, they said they had found the key fob!  The departing elder had put it on the windshield under the wiper.  Which means the driver of the car was looking past it every time he drove.  We were all happy and grateful, believing our prayers had been answered.  They could get home, and Eileen and I were spared from our first drive to Kansas and back in the dark.  

While the elders were feeling pretty sheepish about the whole situation, I related to them an experience about how I had done a similar thing several years ago.  While serving in Senior Missionary Services (Missionary Department), one January morning in 2015, after backing the car out of the garage on our way to the Church Office Building, I realized that it was garbage day and I had not taken the trash cans to the street.  I got out of the car, left it running and put my car keys on the hood of the car while I brought the trash cans out.  Then I got back in the car and we drove to Salt Lake.  After parking the car I went to lock it and couldn't find my keys.  Remembering I had set them on the car hood, I looked and there they were, not having moved during the drive in.  I figured there was some divine intervention that day making up for my foolishness.

This morning while getting ready for church, I finally recognized the real miracle and greater blessing that occurred last night.  It was that the car fob did not work!  In spite of the car fob being in the same spot it had been all day, within an arms length of the dashboard, it failed to start the car.  The battery in the car fob was obviously still good since the car started up this morning.  Had the car fob not failed last night, the missionaries would have returned home and probably left the car parked outside overnight, with the car fob on display for anyone to take advantage of and drive off with a less than year old Chevy Equinox.  Last night I had missed seeing the greater extent of God's tender mercy in my life, just because it wasn't what I was praying for.  I was praying for what I wanted (to keep from making a late night trip to Kansas), while God was doing both that and taking care of my greater need that I didn't realize I had (not having to deal with a stolen car).  I am humbled by and grateful for a merciful Father in Heaven that puts up with my short sightedness.  

                                  

                                       Sister Hegvik handing the keys to the office over to Eileen

This painting was found in our office storage , I (Eileen) fell in love with it and was given permission to put it up in our apartment. The painting was done by Liz Lemon Swindle and is entitled while Emma sleeps. It is a reminder of all that Joseph loved and the sacrifices he made as prophet.

Missionaries waiting for new assignments for transfers.

                              

                                  Three departing missionaries excited to see their families soon.

Newly arrived missionaries with Sister Hegvik. She took off her mask just long enough for the photo.

Missionaries were volunteers at Santa Caligon days celebrating those that went west to Santa Fe, California and Oregon. We went there for just a few minutes to support the missionaries. 

The sisters taught crocheting and embroidery, while the elders demonstrated rope making and lassoing.