Week 3

Saturday, January 28, 2017

 

It was a good day to settle in.  I continued unpacking everything and about noon I headed out to Wal-Mart to buy groceries and other misc. items like bathroom scale, laundry cart, and so forth.

In the evening, I attended Stake Conference.  I am a member of the 6^th Ward in the Highland Stake.  I happened to sit down next to the 4^th Ward’s Mission Leader, Barry Smith.  He indicated the missionaries in his Ward are Elder Mauu and Elder Frizzle.  He hoped I could teach with them at some point in time.

Sister DeWitt was in the meeting also and I was able to talk to her afterward.  I also met Sister Loring who is from the Reservation in Arizona.  She went to Lehi Elementary School.  She said the school secretary was a Mrs. Shill.

The meeting was centered on Missionary Work. A young woman spoke who is currently working to get her mission papers in. She spoke about the power of example.  She told an experience of keeping Church standards at a friend’s party, where one of the girls approached her and asked her how she was so strong in the face of temptations.  They became friends and the girl has since met with her bishop and is transferring to BYU Idaho.

A woman who has just returned from serving a Temple Mission in London.  She told of meeting souls she was sure she had known in the pre-existence. They met people who had come for their temple blessings from Burma, Saudi, Dubai, and many other distant places around the world.

The second counselor in the Stake Presidency spoke on member missionary work. “It is God’s work – when he says that people are prepared to hear the gospel it is our responsibility to open our mouths.  There are not good or bad missionaries as long as we do the work.”

How to invite others to Christ

1. Pray seeking missionary experiences.

2. Serve others so they can see the light of Christ in you.

3. Make home a sacred place with pictures of the temple, Savior, and family. Then invite others to your home to feel the spirit there.

4. Open your mouth about your activities, things you read, FHE, how our lives are centered on Christ.

The first counselor compared the Jaredite trip to the new land with Lehi’s family’s voyage.  The Jaredites were of one heart and trusted in the Lord. The Lord was able to lead them to the seashore in a pillar of fire. Contention caused problems for Lehi’s family that struggled in the wilderness.

The Stake President, Scott Barfus, spoke on the matchless Character of Christ. He wants us to become what he has always been. Repentance releases the good in us. The Holy Ghost will refine us line upon line. Attributes of Christ are faith, mercy, charity, love, hope, obedience, patience.  Like the Savior, we should be more observant to know when we should lay aside our agenda to show love to someone in need. Love your enemies, avoid contention, be kind. Identify the quality you most need and pray for it.

 

Last Sunday was our Stake Conference.  Sister DeWitt spoke and encouraged other seniors to serve missions.  Another Couple got up and spoke together about teaching their family to do Family History.  They took their family on a Marathon temple trip. They started in Payson and visited all the temples up to Idaho Falls, but they took 48 hours instead of the Linford's single day.

 

Monday I helped Sister DeWitt send the mission newsletter, she taught me how to forward mail. Tuesday,  she  trained me in keeping baptismal records and referrals. I was late getting to the office on Tuesday because of the enormous snow storm in the night. It isn't often that they close schools here in Idaho, but they did Tues and Wed. Even the snowplow got stuck in front of my apartment and I had to wait for another plow to come pull the first snow plow out of his predicament.  I am so glad you talked me into snow tires.  I have really needed them since I arrived.

 

Wed. Sister DeWitt got the flu and couldn't come to the office again before she left for Arizona on Friday.  I hope I can figure out what I am supposed to do tomorrow. 

I went to a Stake Center on Wed for a World wide Missionary Broadcast from Salt Lake.  The missionary committee with Elder Oaks, Bednar, Nielson of the Seventy, Sister Oscarson taught wonderful principles of missionary work.  Unfortunately, our connection to Salt Lake broke off and so we didn't get the last part until we got back to the office.  The assistants showed me how to get it on the Church site. It told of the new changes in missionary schedules so they are flexible to meet needs in other cultures.  They also simplified the key indicators.

Thursday was slow in the office.  Some of the other Senior missionaries still can't get in because the snow plows keep shoving snow back in their driveways.

Friday was MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) held in the same building as our office.  I was able to help in the kitchen and eat with President and Sister Hancock during their lunch break.

Saturday my key to the apartment laundry room didn't work.  I wanted to get my wash done early so I just drove to a laundromat and did my wash all at once. 

In the afternoon, Karen Miner, her husband, and Cherie drove up to Pocatello and brought me Sarah's quilt plus some things I wanted from home. I had made some Taco soup for the Elders and there was plenty to serve them a late lunch.  It was fun to visit with them and Sarah's quilt is amazing.  Karen was trying out all the patterns in her new computerized quilting machine. Wow!  I will get it in the mail tomorrow if the day goes all right.  Please pray I can get the newsletter out by 10 a.m.

Today, was my first Sunday in my own Ward.  I like my Bishop - he is a big jolly man.  I have a great R.S. Presidency.  They are young and enthusiastic.  I met two senior women who have served missions. And a lot of very young women complaining about sending their sons off on missions.  Its not that they don't want them to go, it is just every time they sit down to the computer to work on their papers they start to cry.

Well that is about it for me tonight.  I love you all and wish you were with me to feel the amazing spirit that accompanies missionary work.  This is Christ's church and he is at the head. President Monson is his prophet for our day.  Hope you all are reading in your Book of Mormon.  The theme for this stake this year is Come Unto Christ through Daily Study of the Book Of Mormon. Good goal for all of us.

 

I love you all tons

Love and Hugs Grammie 

MTC and Arriving in Pocatello

Dear Family,

This letter is long overdue. I just read through my journal from the first week of the MTC and realized the thing that has stayed with me the most was not mentioned at all.  I will write on Sundays so I can see the week in perspective and try to share the most meaningful things.

 

Let me go back to the first day in the MTC which is a sacred place.  You can feel the spirit there in rich abundance, but I had a specific instance that has stayed with me every day.  I came out of the Ladies room into an empty hall just as a classroom door flew open and a large group of missionaries came out into the hall and passed by me.  I was overwhelmed with their priesthood power, their enthusiasm, and I said to myself, “This is God’s army going out to gather in those the Lord has prepared for the gospel.” In Star Wars’ language, the “Force was strong with them!” They are as the army of Helaman.  I feel so privileged to be a part of their support team.  I am so grateful to those of you who have served the Lord and look forward to others of you joining in this work.

Danae has offered to make a blog for me, so I have sent her the journal pages from my first week in the MTC.  The second week I was sitting at a computer from 8:30 am to 5:00 p.m. except for breaks and lunch.  By the time, I got back to my room, I couldn’t face my computer again.  I do have some things I want to tell you about the people I worked with during that second week, but today I want to tell you about this week, my first in my mission.
 

Journal entry for Friday, January 20, 2017:

It took me longer to get away from home than I had planned.  I needed to take my shoes out of my big suitcase and start packing all over again, in order to get in the clothes I had taken to the MTC. I was constantly distracted from my packing job by the Inauguration going on the T.V.  I love seeing the pictures of Washington, D.C., but I can’t believe that Donald J. Trump is our President. I am so thankful that Hillary Clinton is not! I will pray for Trump.

 The Balls (that is Brother and Sister Balls that are the Housing Coordinators) met me at my apartment.  I was delighted to find that they had put in new furniture and Kitchen items like a toaster, microwave, and blender.

In the afternoon, the missionaries came by that live in this same apartment complex.  They are Elder Horne from Florida (I think), Elder Benavides from Dallas, and Elder Moonsarn from Thailand. It seemed very unnatural not to invite them in, but I know the mission rules.  So I stood in the doorway and visited.

In the evening, Jennifer Finlinson and her daughter, Julia, came by after their trip to Costco.  They brought me a full array of Melaluca cleaning products.  A great start for my mission.

 

MTC Week 1

January 9, 2017
 

The long- awaited day arrived.  Sally had come to Wellsville last night for my setting-apart by Stake President, Scott Evans.  She stayed the night so we could travel out of Cache Valley together.  We left Wellsville at 7:30 am amazed at the tender mercies of the Lord.  My deck is covered with snow nearly to the top of the railing. Friday night was the coldest night in a decade (the paper said Wellsville temperature at 5:30 p.m. was -32.) All Sunday night the snow turned to rain and the temperature warmed to +39 degrees.  The highway was wet but not slippery like the previous nights.  Sally and I drove over the canyon without any difficulty.  What a blessing for that hour of the day!

Sally left me at Ogden she had somethings to return to a friend.  I drove on to Provo.  I stopped in Orem and found a side door unlocked  at Liz’s house where Westin is living in the basement and left him a Birthday card with a little cash.  I then drove on toward the MTC.  I had a call from David Mella that he was waiting to give me a hug at the Provo Temple parking lot. It was wonderful to have him there!

The day has been busy, but the MTC is a sacred place with beautiful paintings of the Savior everywhere.  I especially like a painting of Liz Lemon’s depicting the Savior’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  Most of the day was devoted to explaining what we will be doing all week.  I have met some amazing couples serving like Dad and I did as Mission Medical.  One couple is going to Brazil and one couple going to North Asia Area.  It made me miss Dad, but also grateful for the opportunity we had to serve together.

I have two companions Sister Virginia Goff from Florida is a nurse going to Macon Georgia and Sister Tanya Lee Beckstrand who finished a mission at the Family History Center in May and is now on her way to the Polynesian Center in Hawaii.  I have also met a lovely sister from Pocatello.

I was looking forward to heading to the Salad Bar for lunch, but heard someone say that there was beef teriyaki, so I went to the opposite side of the cafeteria got some teriyaki and sat down by a near-by group of young sister missionaries. Imagine my surprise when I asked them where they were going and they said California, San Jose.  They will each be speaking a different language. The sister from Samoa will be speaking Samoan, the sister from Peru will speak Spanish and the sister from Tonga with naturally speak Tongan.  The sister from Peru has been in Provo for four years.  She knows the man that will replace Glen and someone who knows Nathan. We got someone to take our picture together.  (Divine Choreography – of all the seats in the enormous Cafeteria I sat down by San Jose missionaries)

This evening we saw a speech by Elder Bednar given a few years ago on Christmas Day on the Character of Christ.  It was fabulous! He encouraged us to buy cheap Book of Mormons and search for different traits.  I think I will contrast Pride with the Savior’s humility.  That should be a great study goal.

 

January 10, 2017

 

This has been a very busy day today.  We have been divided into Small Group Study sessions on how to begin teaching, identifying needs and meeting needs with doctrine, and the role of the Book of Mormon in Conversion.  We worked on inviting others to come unto Christ.

In the evening, we attended a MTC Devotional in the Lorenzo Snow Auditorium.  The choir of young missionaries brought tears to my eyes and we had the privilege of[NS1]  listening to an apostle, Neil L. Andersen.  I found I was sitting in about the same part of the auditorium that I had sat in when Dad and I were here.  I felt him close.
 

January 11, 2017
 

Today we again spent most of our time in small Study group study.  In the morning, Sister Anderson is our teacher.  She served her mission in South Africa and she had us imagine that we were on the bus with one of her real investigators and discuss how to approach her.  She also taught us about the role of the Holy Ghost in conversion.

After lunch, Elder Larson, who served his mission Hondurus, taught us about using gospel apps when we teach.  We learned how to tag scriptures and make files for our use later. We also learned about lesson 2 Plan of Salvation.
 

January 12, 2017
 

It has been a very busy week but I am learning so much from these young former missionaries that teach us. Sister Andersen taught us about working with Less Actives.  How to listen effectively. We had the opportunity to role play with missionaries from another district.  Sister Goff and I got to work with the Whytes, a couple that live in Goochland, Virginia and know the Lansings from Richmond.  They are having dinner with Doris and Ted’s son Chris and his family this weekend.  They even knew the role my cousin Barbara and her husband Don Ostler played in the conversion of the Lansings when they were newly-weds living in Richmond. What a small world in the church!

In the afternoon, we had more work with technology.  We learned how to tag and use videos.  We role-played initial street contacting.

 

Friday 13, 2017

 

We had our last class with Sister Andersen in the morning. Instead of role-playing we met with real church members.  We visited and learned all we could about them and then they were taken somewhere else while each companionship prepared to teach them something appropriate for their stage of life.  Sister Goff and I met with an enthusiastic bubbly newlywed of just a few weeks.

After lunch, we took pictures and then had a large meeting of all of the senior couples.  We had a great lesson on using whatever talents we have to help build the kingdom taught by former senior missionary couple.

After class I got to meet the Brother McCleary who served in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission.  He knew Braden and had many good things to say about him.

I bought a new laundry bag and packed up my dirty clothes. My granddaughter, Nancy Linford, invited me to come eat dinner with her and her boyfriend at her apartment.  While there I had a call from Sister Balls, Housing Coordinator, for my mission.  She explained that they had purchased a new full size mattress for my apartment.  I was thrilled that I can take my own bedding. I will enjoy my heated mattress pad during cold Idaho nights.

After dinner, I went to the Provo Temple and did Initiatory and afterward stopped at Penney’s for new sheets before driving to Draper to stay with Sally and her family.

 

January 14, 2017

 

After I went to bed, Sally and David took down their Christmas tree.  They must have been up very late in the night. In the morning, Sally left for James Christensen’s funeral as his wife is a member of her book club and a dear friend. I am always amazed at how much work the Linfords can accomplish when the need arises.  Today the need was to have everything ready for Daisy’s harp recital.  The girls all worked hard to take wedding things to the basement, clean up pine needles, and set up refreshments for the recital.  They are amazing!! When Sally got home, things were in good order.  Talmage’s family came, the Linford college kids and a family in the ward whose daughter is beginning harp lessons.  I was happy to meet Daisy’s teacher and thank her for the wonderful job she is doing.  I always enjoy visiting with David’s parents.  Daisy did an amazing job and looked like an angel.  Lizzie joined her for “Londonderry Air”.  They gave us a preview of the Mozart Concerto for flute and harp by playing the very short first measure.  We all had a good laugh and they promised to continue working on it.

After the recital, I picked up Emily Dyer Barker, my niece, and we went looking for Aunt Paloma’s house in Midvale.  I felt like I had seen it not long ago, but couldn’t get my bearings.  Emily called one of the older members of her ward and asked about the location of the oldest church buildings in Midvale.  He told us that there had been one that was torn down on the site of the current Sugar House Awning Company.  We drove to the spot but couldn’t see a house that looked like Aunt Paloma’s.  When it started to get dark, we decided to do computer work.  If we could find a death certificate for Aunt Paloma we would have her address and be able to drive to it on Sunday.

After I returned to Sally’s, David helped me search for records.  Aunt Paloma’s death certificate wasn’t on Family Search, but my Grandfather, James Wesley Dyer and Aunt Edna Coray Dyer’s death certificate listed their address as 35W 7500 South. That seemed to be where there is no longer a house.  David searched the tax records for land parcels and we could see the parcel that contained the church that was taken down but also the adjacent parcel that contained a picture of the house that was torn down.  I could tell it was Aunt Paloma’s because of the large windows on the side of the house.  Uncle Reid had an addition to the house made that had large windows and they called it the Sun Room.  When Aunt Ruth’s family was also visiting, I remember we ate at a long table in that room. Someone had added some thin wood things in front that were not there when I was a child, but I was certain it was the house.  We were sad that it was taken down, but glad to have the mystery solved.  I enjoyed the afternoon with Emily despite our lack of success.