Music in the Mail

Music can have a great influence on us. It can make our days better, bring the spirit and give us strength.

 Many missionaries are allowed to listen to music from an approved list often made by their mission presidents. A great gift and pick me up for our sisters and elders out there is the gift of music. Good music that fits into the requirements set by the mission office can be a great gift and can be easy sent in the mail.

This great gift can really help bring a feeling of peace and love to those missionaries that need to be lifted from time to time.

I Will Be Found of You

Dear Mom,

I chose to share this talk with you today because it was extremely helpful to me just a few minutes ago. I'm going to sound like a broken record when I tell you that there has been a lot on my mind recently. These personal things have caused me more grief than they should. They have brought me to my knees seeking an answer to several questions, seeking closeness to the Lord. This talk was given to me to read by a friend and turned to be all the inspiration I needed. Hope it'll do the same for you.

“I Will Be Found of You”

At the conclusion of our Sunday School lesson, Sister Hart asked us to turn to Jeremiah 29. She said she would read verses 12–14 aloud, and she asked us to ponder the meaning of the words.

“Then shall ye call upon me,” she read, “and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

“And I will be found of you, saith the Lord …”

Sister Hart went on, finishing verse 14, but my thoughts lingered happily behind, savoring the promise “I will be found of you.” I was reminded of the times when my wife, Emma, and I played hide-and-seek with our young children. When it was our turn to hide and their turn to seek, we always made ourselves easy to find. Sometimes we made noises or left a foot in plain view so they would find us quickly. Sometimes we hid in the same place repeatedly. We wanted the children to search for us, but we also wanted them to find us. We looked forward to their hugs and their joyful, unrestrained giggles of triumph.

This memory deepened my understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love for us. He wants us to search for Him, but He also wants us to find Him—He knows how happy we will be when we do. He does not try to trick us. Rather, He does all He can to help us know where and how to search: He gives us the scriptures, calls prophets, listens to our prayers, guides us by the power of the Holy Ghost, blesses us with temples and priesthood ordinances and family and friends. And if we have found Him somewhere once, we are sure to find Him there again if we are willing to renew our search.

“I will be found of you, saith the Lord.” What a comforting promise! In a world where trouble and temptations seem to find us so easily, it is reassuring to know that our greatest source of strength is so easy to find.
Aaron L. West.
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2010/01/i-will-be-found-of-you

Sincerely,
Chris

Sacrifices and Blessings

We can learn a great many things from the sacrifices of others. The faith and perseverence of those who should never have been able to accomplish the things they did, serve as inspiration and courage for those of us who struggle with similarly difficult tasks. Thomas S. Monson told the following story in a talk entitled "The Holy Temple—A Beacon to the World" in the April 2011 General Conference:

"One of the temples currently under construction is in Manaus, Brazil. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received."

In a place so poor, this people gave up things that are precious to them to go to the temple. These are the things they need to survive: time and money. I served a mission in the Philippines. While there I learned that a lot of families in third world countries (or third world-esque financial situations) subsist from daily salaries. At quitting time, they take home the money they earned and use it on their family's needs for the day. Mostly it is barely enough for everything they need, but rarely is it enough to pursue their wants. If a family misses a day of work, the family has to subsist on what they have. The Manaus Brazilians travelled for about 23 days without working on what must have been mere scraps of a savings account. They took a huge risk that could have endangered their livlihood, but they did it anyways because they knew the importance of what they were doing. They saw the end result and did what was needed to reach their goal. They gave their all, trusted in God, and walked forward with faith every step of the way.

Mothers that sends off missionaries can be likened to these families. Although they are not often asked to give all their money and time to the cause, their emotional sacrifice of giving their son or daughter can sometimes feel just as great. It's a legitimate sacrifice for these mothers. It is not easy to see your beloved son or daughter leave to serve a here-to-fore unknown people who won't appreciate him or her like you do. Imagine all the grief they'll be put through. Will the people treat her with the respect she deserves? Will $100 a month be enough for him to live off of, or should he get more? Will she be safe? The prospect is frightening. These and many more worries crop up from time to time.

But like the people of Manaus, mothers can make a major sacrifice with an eye of faith. They can hold on to hope that it will be worth it in the end. Your missionary embarks in the service of God. He will have the opportunity to change the lives of entire nations to come. Even if he gives his all every day, but only manages to plant one small seed. That seed will grow and the work will have been worth it. Multitudes will be grateful for his service and thank him in the eternities. Mothers and missionaries alike can look toward the end result in faith that the next two years will bring blessings of an eternal nature to both those who serve, and those who stay home and wave their banners of support from home.

MTC mail

After talking to a few different returned missionaries about their missions I have gathered that the first week in the MTC can be one of the hardest weeks on the mission. 

A great way to help ease the transition into the mission field is to send a little love to your missionary before they even get there. Having a package waiting for your missionary at the MTC is a great way to help them feel the love of their friends and family as well as their support. 

Good ideas for these kinds of packages are foods that you know they love, things you know they will forget, photos and notes of support. 

There is a lot to learn in the MTC and it is a very different world then most new missionaries have experienced up to that point in their lives. It is a great help to remember that out there in the world there are people that know what they are doing and love them.

   

Temple

I was in the temple today when I ran into a dear friend of mine. He just went into the MTC this last week. He was so happy and wanted so much to be there. As I saw him there I though about the importance to getting our friend and family ready to go to the temple, not just on missions.

I found this amazing talk by Carol B Thomas about getting ready to go to the temple.

It is amazing the blessings that can come into our lives as we get ready to and go to the temple.

Preparing Our Families for the Temple

Brothers and sisters, I think I am happy to be here today. My assignment with the Young Women presidency puts me in many happy situations. One month ago a training assignment took me to Guayaquil, Ecuador. I arrived at the hotel after dark. The next morning I opened my curtains, and there across the valley was a beautiful granite building standing majestically on the Santa Ana Hills. Its stunning beauty was evident, but it wasn’t until I saw the angel Moroni on top that I, with tears in my eyes, realized that here was a temple, a symbol of the glorious blessings that will come to the members of the Church in that part of the world.

“Temples are unique among all buildings. … They are places of covenants and promises. At their altars we kneel before God our Creator and are given promise of his everlasting blessings” (Gordon B. Hinckley,Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 632–33). Wherever we went, we found that temples are being built, temples that will lift the Saints of God and change the face of countries, whether in South America or throughout the world.

Has it only been one year since our beloved prophet announced the building of 32 more temples? President Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “This is the greatest era of temple building in all the history of the world” (Teachings, 629).

Our youngest son, Spencer, now serving a mission in Mongolia, wrote that his mission president was addressing the missionaries and members concerning their duty in building up the Church there. “As President Cox opened the discussion for questions, the first response was, ‘When is Mongolia going to have a temple?’ These people,” Spencer said, “are hungering for the gospel to play a greater part in their lives. They don’t even have a Book of Mormon yet, and they want a temple.”

Why all this fuss about temples? Simply put, the purpose of temples “is to redeem all mankind who are obedient to the laws and commandments of God. The gospel in its fulness was revealed to Adam. … [And] Saints of all ages have had temples in one form or another” (David B. Haight, “Personal Temple Worship,” Ensign, May 1993, 23–24).

Joseph Smith said, “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead” (History of the Church, 6:313). If this is true, then as parents and family members our greatest challenge is to prepare our families for the temple. Parents have the primary responsibility, but grandparents, aunts and uncles, even brothers and sisters all may teach the family.

When my husband and I were married in the temple, we understood the importance of never discussing the temple outside the temple, not because the ceremonies were secret but because they were sacred. “They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared” (Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple [booklet, 1982], 2). But in a family setting, there are many precious truths that, with sensitivity and common sense, will help prepare our children for the temple.

Consider:

• The sacred nature of the temple clothing. In the temples all are dressed in white. White is the symbol of purity.
• The temple is the Lord’s classroom. President Hinckley has said, “[The temple] becomes a school of instruction in the sweet and sacred things of God” (Teachings, 635).
• What it means to be worthy for the temple. Can we teach our children that receiving one’s endowment and the wearing of the sacred garment will not require a change of wardrobe or lifestyle if the principles of temple worthiness are understood and lived in their earlier years? A young woman who wears knee-length skirts will not have to buy a new wardrobe after she receives her endowment in the temple. A young man who anticipates going to the temple will respect the Church’s moral standards in his social behavior.
• Understanding gospel language. What do the words endowment, ordinances, sealings, and keys really mean? The story is told of a little boy who overheard his parents discussing doing temple sealings. He asked, “Are you going to do the walls next week?”

Where may we teach our children? Family home evening is the formal setting, but there are so many more places where we may talk about our spiritual feelings for the temple. One of my favorite times was when my children were in bed at night. Occasionally I would lie on their bed and tell them of spiritual things. There in the peace and the quiet, the sweet Spirit can bear testimony to their heart and soul that the things you are saying are true.

We may assume that Joseph and Mary taught their family about the temple. As Elder Perry has discussed, when the Savior was a 12-year-old boy, His parents took Him to the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. When Jesus was left behind, He was not found in places or entertainments for a boy His age. His parents found Him in the temple. Perhaps when Mary tucked Him in bed at night, she shared her testimony of these sacred and precious truths.

My first memory of temples was when I was a little girl. I knew the temple must be a pretty wonderful place because my parents faithfully attended, and they always came home together in such a good mood. I understood the sacred nature of the temple clothing by the way my mother spoke about it with love and respect.

President Howard W. Hunter has said: “Let us share with our children the spiritual feelings we have in the temple. And let us teach them more earnestly and more comfortably the things we can appropriately say. … Keep a picture of a temple in your home that your children may see it” (“A Temple-Motivated People,” Ensign, Feb. 1995, 5). I noticed every home I visited in Africa had a picture of a temple hung simply and beautifully on the wall.

New understanding comes as we prepare our families for the temple. May I share a few things I have learned:

1. 1. Going to the temple often provides balance in our lives. After returning home, we have an increased sense of well-being; the influence of the Spirit can shield us from the frustrations of the world. Listen to this promise by President Hinckley: “If there were more temple work done in the Church, there would be less … selfishness, less … contention, less … demeaning [of] others. The whole Church would increasingly be lifted to greater heights of spirituality, love for one another, and obedience to the commandments of God” (Teachings,622).
2. 2. The spiritual atmosphere of the temple curbs our appetite for worldly things. When we attend frequently, we no longer have such a need to wear the latest fashion, and we are not so easily drawn to the entertainment of the world.
3. 3.The temple is a place of revelation. Many years ago I was walking into the temple and in my mind I heard the words, Learn public speaking. I thought to myself, When will I ever have need for public speaking? Over several months’ period of time I tried very inadequately to conjure up some enthusiasm to obey the prompting I had received. I even checked out a tape from the local library by a public speaker who admitted that his goal was to someday speak in the Mormon Tabernacle. I thought at the time, I’ll never be speaking in the Tabernacle!
   Elder John A. Widtsoe has said, “At the most unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to [us], as a revelation, the solution of the problems that vex [our lives]. … It is a place where revelations may be expected” (“Temple Worship,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, 63–64).
4. 4.One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that Satan will try to keep us from going to the temple. During a discussion with friends once, they shared with me that whenever they attend, they don’t tell anybody they are going. They just jump into their cars and go, because if they don’t something is sure to happen to keep them away.
   I remember reading of a warning given by the president of the Logan Temple that Satan and his followers will “whisper in the ears of the people persuading them not to go to the Temple” (“Genealogical Department,” Church News, 12 Dec. 1936, 8). “Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign, Feb. 1995, 36).
5. 5.The Spirit of Elijah is brooding in the land. As we work with youth of the Church, we see they are being drawn to their temples.
   In Nicaragua, Central America, a group of 49 young women and their leaders took 2,000 names to the Guatemala City Temple. It took each girl a year to save enough money to go. These faithful young women rode a bus almost two days’ journey through three country borders and spent two or three days at the temple before returning home.
   In another ward, young people have located the names of 10,000 ancestors as they have turned their hearts to their families. Where temples are available, we see youth doing baptisms for the dead, sometimes on an individual weekly basis.
6. 6. In the temple the Spirit of the Lord provides comfort and peace, especially during moments of despair. Recently I met a 35-year-old woman in the temple. As we visited, I asked if her husband was with her. With a look of tenderness in her eyes, she shared with me that he had died of a brain tumor three months ago. The temple is her anchor; the Spirit found in the temple gives her comfort and peace, and perhaps her husband was there.

Each of us may ask ourselves, “How often should I attend the temple?” Our leaders will never tell us how often we should attend, because it is different for every person. Many women of various ages who live close to a temple try to go once a week. When one of my friends worked full time, she spent one day a month in the temple, attending several sessions. These women are obedient, but they also understand the strength of priesthood power that comes into their lives.

For young parents, attending the temple may be a once-a-month date. President Packer has said: “Perhaps you will understand … we are trying to establish family history as … a ‘cottage industry.’ … Couples raising little children should not feel inadequate or guilty … if they cannot afford the time or money to attend a distant temple frequently. Mother makes a contribution by noting important events, collecting pictures, bits of memorabilia, … all as it fits into the schedule of a busy mother” (“A Plea to Stake Presidents,” leadership training meeting, 1 Apr. 1988).

My own mother didn’t do scrapbooks, but she gave me a love for my heritage. She told me story after story about my ancestors as she taught me to love them.

President Packer continues: “Father and mother can speak of ordinances and covenants. By the inflection of their voices, they can italicize the word ‘temple’ every time they say it. … In proper season, family obligations will be a bit less and income a bit more. Then members can and should give more to this sacred [temple] work” (“A Plea to Stake Presidents”).

We plead with you mothers and fathers to teach your sons and daughters the meaning of the temple covenants. Teach them that “wearing the garment is a sacred privilege. … [It] is an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ” (First Presidency letter, 5 Nov. 1996).

Brothers and sisters, as servants of the living God, we shall press forward in this sacred temple work. May we teach our children that as they spiritually prepare themselves for the temple, they may stand in the presence of the Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Pep Talk Tuesday: Fathers and Sons

Dear Mothers,

Grab your husbands for this one. In honor of Father's day last Sunday, I wanted to post one of my favorite talks, Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship by M. Russell Ballard for you to reread. If you are the mother of a daughter serving, you should check out M. Russell Ballard's sister's equavelent talk entitled Mothers and Daughters. You'll find the same blessings as those promised in this fathers and sons talk.

The words of this talk are heaven sent and the promised blessings are true. After reading this talk and following the three steps given, I noticed an immediate change in my relationship with my own father. I find myself seeking his advice more often in the difficult decisions I face. I find in him a strong man. A man who has not only been through what I've been through, but one who offers me some of the best advice available to help me make these decisions. I am so thankful for my relationship with my father and appreciate it better because of the steps that I took to get to know him better.

That being said, I want to direct you fathers to read the three step that Elder Ballard suggested for you. After that, I want you to promise to try and emulate one of these steps in every letter you send to your son. Now, I understand that some of these are harder to do than others because of distance, but I promise you'll see a change in your relationship with your son, and he will too.

I have relisted the steps and some of their finer points here:

1) Fathers, listen to your sons—really listen to them. Ask the right kind of questions, and listen to what your sons have to say...Don't assume that you know how he feels just because you were young once. Your sons live in a very different world from the one in which you grew up. Listen very carefully and without being judgmental....Don't think you have to try to fix everything or solve everything during these visits (in this case, their letters). Most of the time, the best thing you can do is just listen.

2) Pray with your sons. This one is a bit harder to do since he lives so far away, but you can still pray with him about things that are important to him. Ask him for specific things to pray for. If he doesn't give you things, pay careful attention to the emails he sends home. They are often a vehicle from which you can divine the things he cares about most. Pray over specific people he mentions who are struggling or progressing. Pray they will be able to overcome any temptations or misgivings that may come their way. There are many ways you can pray together, without actually being together.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but I feel it is important: I am mindful that many of you fathers suffer heartache over sons who have strayed and are being captured by the world, just as Alma and Mosiah worried about their sons. Continue to do all you can to maintain strong family relationships. Never give up, even when fervent prayer in their behalf is all you can do. These precious sons of yours are your sons forever! Fathers, pray with and bless your sons.

3) Dare to have the "big talks" with your sons. Elder Ballard goes on to discuss having the important conversations about drugs, drinking, immorality, etc. These talks are much harder to have over email or through letters, but I would encourage you to pray for guidance on how you can have some of these "heavier" talks from such a long distance. Most missionaries might tell you they don't need these things, but they really do. They can be tempted there just as much as they are tempted here and they could use your supportive guidance when tough times come. So dare to have the big talks, even if they may feel awkward from a distance. Please don't shy away from them. If you don't have them, who will?

In closing, I would like to echo the words of Elder Ballard. I pray now that our Heavenly Father will bless all of us as fathers and sons that we will honor our priesthood and that we will love one another by making relationships with each other one of the great, eternal priorities of our lives.

For the full talk, please check the talk out at this link: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/mothers-and-daughters?lang=eng

Sincerely,
Chris

Wednesday Family Blessings - Guest Blog: Cutting the Ties by Tracy

Dearest Mothers,

In our more recent bouts on the web, we discovered an awesome blogger who seeks to do her part to "help demystify the Church" to the world by talking about missionary work. Her name is Tracy and she is the owner and curator of Missionary Mum's Meeting Place. She has had a missionary in the field herself and although she can be easily coaxed into a discussion about her missionary, she loves to hear insights and stories from other mothers about their own missionaries. Some of her goals include answering the questions of "How can I support my missionary when he/she is discouraged and what would other missionary mum's do in this particular situation?" Missionary Mum's Meeting Place is the place to discuss these kinds of issues.

Tracy recently wrote a blog about Susan Bever, a missionary mom from Indiana, who has been immensely blessed by her son's service. The Lord inspired her to expound upon a hobby and make it into a business. She has been successfully supporting her son on his mission ever since! Tracy and Susan have been gracious enough to allow us to re-post this blog. Enjoy.   - Chris

Cutting the Ties

by Tracy 

As Elder ‘T’ stood to give his farewell talk just before entering the MTC, you would have been forgiven for thinking that he brought with him his own personal cheer squad. Sitting in the congregation were four of his friends, all sporting the same colour tie as him. These were just five of the 13 ties that Elder ‘T’s’ mum had made he and his friends while he was studying at BYU-I.

But this was not just a quirky display of solidarity for a newly called missionary.  For Susan Bever, it was the only way she could think to support her missionary son as he dedicated the next two years of his life to the Lord.

After losing her job, and with no means of a steady income, Susan determined to find a creative way to help support him. When discussing her situation with her sister one day, and knowing that her son was about to submit his mission papers, it was suggested that she give tie-making a go.

Having been a seamstress for much of her life, Susan felt confident that this could be the opportunity she was looking for. She declared, “I couldn’t make a financial commitment, because I didn’t have the income to make it… the purchase of a piece of fabric was about all I could do.”

Elder "T," sporting a new tie, and ready
to serve.

The term cutting the ties took on new meaning for Susan as she bid her son farewell. Since August 2010, when her son entered the Provo MTC, she has cut, sewn, and sent him at least 3 ties per month; and estimates that by the end of his mission he will have received close to 200 ties.

Not all of them end up around his neck tho’. Elder ‘T’ generously shares some with fellow missionaries, and many of his investigators. When this happens, Susan simply gets back to cutting and sewing some more.

But this is not the extent of her commitment. Susan is determined to share her tie-making talents both at home, and across the globe. She makes ties for many of the missionaries serving around the world from her own ward, as well as sharing them with missionaries serving near to where she lives. It is her way of showing support for not only her missionary son, but for dozens of other ‘s as they spread the gospel.

Recently, through the LDS Missionary Mom’s Email group, Susan offered to trace, cut out, and mail several tie patterns for any of the missionary mum’s who might like to sew a tie for their serving missionary. Each pattern was traced by hand, tailored to measure the individual missionary, and mailed at her own expense (in my case, sent half way around the world to New Zealand).

Since making those first few ties for her son and his friends, she, and her sister Lois, have started up an online tie making business.  “All Tyed Up” gives you an idea of  the extent of her tie-making skills. Susan also suggests that if the tie you are looking for is not there, then it is only a phone-call or email away.

Elder "T" shares one of his
favorite tie's - 8
inches wide!

If you are interested in purchasing a tie from All Tyed Up, then pop on over to Susan’s website and scroll through the huge range she has displayed there. Orders cannot be made through the website, but if you email Susan with your order or questions, she can make arrangements from there.

Some interesting facts about ties:

1. Not all men are the same size and therefore can’t wear the same size tie – you have to make adjustments for both taller and shorter men. Susan has made a tie small enough for a child – a tiny 42” long, as well as a tie for a 7’7’’ tall man – a huge 78”.
2. Ties can come in different widths, according to your preference.  Susan makes ties to order, anything from 1 ½ “ wide through to 4 ½” wide.
3. Ties can be made with many types of fabrics including cotton, cotton-polyester blends, silk, satin, satin brocades, ultra suede, and denim – just about any material can be used.
4. The only type of tie she would encourage missionaries not to wear are character ties – Spiderman, Pokemon, Little Mermaid etc. But as for which colours not to wear, according to her missionary son, “If she makes it, I will wear it”.

Thank you Susan for allowing me to share your inspiring story. We wish you and your son all the best as he prepares to return home in August.

There is an assortment of ways that we can be missionaries or, at least, support the missionary effort. We are all blessed with different talents and abilities, and it is up to us to find those talents and use them in the unique way that only we can.  Susan found her unique way.

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Phil Ford Chooses To Serve A Mission Over Football

Phil Ford, a promising 6'6" offensive line prospect that has been in contact with BYU about joining their football team, made his decision to serve a mission as soon as he can! Click here to link to a recent article about his decision.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the spotlight often find themselves facing a very real and sometimes daunting decision:  to serve a mission or to forgo it for the opportunity to influence people while in the public eye? I've heard the argument that BYU football holds immense opportunity for missionary work. The better it does, the better chance it has to draw the eye of non-members, and hence, inspiring people to find out more about the church. It can be especially hard for athletes, as they fear losing their much needed strength and agility to compete at the college level if they take 2 years away from training. How can they be an influence later if they can't make it through the college years?

For those of us who have never tasted fame, how can we truly judge if this or other arguments are good or bad? One of my teacher's quorum advisers told me a story of how, when the time came for him to serve and he prayed about it, he received the answer that he should not serve a mission. Instead of a mission, he ended up in the army where he found himself able to influence and convert those serving alongside him in the military. And who's to argue with him that that wasn't his purpose at that time? These decisions are often so personal and proper judgment can only be made by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ at the last day.

I think Phil Ford is setting a great example by choosing to serve a mission. I would love to see every LDS athlete do the same, but do not hesitate to accept those who decide not to. Other LDS members in the lime light who have made similar decisions include famous pop-star David Archuleta (video of his announcement below), the up and coming basketball star Jabari Parker, and this list of athletes who have served.

If you know a pre-missionary athlete who is struggling making this decision, it might be helpful to show them this list, as well as give the gentle guidance from a prophet that every worthy young man should fill a mission. The benefits they will gain from it will be so much greater than if they had stayed. But don't hesitate to allow them to make their decision, and trust that they are doing what they know to be right.

I got a package!

Enjoy this story from one of our missionaries:

When I was in Rapid City my companion was Elder Young. He was a dwarf. We were living in the same apartment as the AP’s and in the same apartment complex as the sister missionaries. (They lived downstairs from us.) One night we were talking in our apartment and one of the AP’s got the idea to prank the sister missionaries by putting Elder Young in a box and “mail” him to the sisters. We were all having a good laugh and I thought it would be something we just talked about but never did. However the next morning Elder Young and I walked into the office and the AP’s had a big box. They were like, “Elder Young can you fit in this box??!” Elder Young looked at the box and said he could.

After we left, the AP’s found an excuse to talk to the sisters. He was talking to Sister Wendell and was all like, “we should totally hang out after our missions! What’s your home address?” She gave it to him. Then he nonchalantly asked her about her mom and found out the name and spelling of her mother. Then, using some clever copying/computer skills, the AP’s created a FedEx label addressed to Ashley Wendell from Teresa Wendell from her home address. We came back to the apartment that night around 9:00 P.M. and they were all ready. They had a member with them who was going to deliver the package. They had elder young climb in the box and they taped it up. We knew there were a million things that could go wrong. Elder Young asked what he should do if she opened the box with a knife. We suggested that he make his back as low as possible. (Not the greatest suggestion.) We wondered if she would open the package tonight or wait until the morning. We were pretty confident she wouldn’t wait around (missionaries love packages) but just in case, we gave elder young a cell phone so he could let us know so we could find some way to rescue him. After assessing any other risks we could think of, we quietly carried him downstairs to the mouth of the lion’s den. We really thought this was going to work, and guess what? It worked PERFECTLY!!!!! We all hid around the corner with cameras and Joe knocked on the door. Sister Wendell answered. He asked if she was Ashley Wendell and when she responded in the affirmative he went on to explain that he lived just down the hall and the FedEx man had accidentally delivered the package to the wrong door and asked if he could drop it by for him. She looked at the label in unbelief for probably a full 30 seconds. It passed the test. Joe offered to help her move the package into her apartment since it was 160 Lbs. she graciously accepted his offer. He pushed the package into her apartment and then said goodnight. We could hear Sister Wendell inside telling her companion excitedly, “I got a package! It’s from my mom!” We all held our breath and counted to sixty. Then we heard the long awaited scream and elder young came running out. We all roared with laughter and ran back upstairs congratulating each other on our victory. Sister Wendell called about a minute later and with her voice shaking she said, “Are. You. Trying. To. Give. Me. A. Heart attack?” We all laughed again and Elder Krupa (the AP) said “I bet you never got a man in box before!” Hearing all the laughter she asked, “who’s up there?” “Oh just six geniuses. Well 5 and ½ actually! This is going to look great on youtube.” “How did you get recording of it?” “Sister Wendell, we just sent you a man in a box. I’m pretty sure we can do whatever the heck we want!” I’m going to get you back for this!” “Sister Wendell, we just sent you a man in a box! How can you top that?”

Family Blessings: Forgiveness

Dear Missionary Mothers,

The Lord spreads the wealth of blessings from missionary service. He is particularly generous to those family members that are left behind. He grants physical, financial, and spiritual blessings as they are needed. These blessings are truly wondrous and tailor-made for the family, depending upon their needs and desires. There is one blessing in particular that I want to mention today, and it has more to do with the missionary than the family, although it might be a blessing of comfort to mothers. This a gift offered to all that serve Him: the blessing of forgiveness.

How do you receive forgiveness of sins? My first thought is to follow the 5 or 6 R’s of repentance and then take the sacrament. More simply, say you’re sorry, promise to never do it again, and take part in the baptismal covenant. This is how you gain the blessing of forgiveness from the Atonement. Although this is the primary way we can receive forgiveness for our sins, it is not the only way. Missionary work is actually a way to receive forgiveness of your sins. This is where it gets cool.

Elder George G. Richards, a modern Apostle, promised: “In the name of the Lord I want to promise you that in the acceptance of the mission call and the dedication of yourself to the work, the Lord will forgive you of past transgressions, and you can start out life with an absolutely clean sheet.” This means that every missionary who accepts the call to serve, and strives to fulfill his or her calling, can be at peace with their relationship with their Savior. Their slates are whipped clean again, and they are ready to serve side-by-side with the Lord’s Spirit every day.

I can tell you that as a returned missionary, these words speak peace to my soul. Although my mission is complete, it is comforting to know that while I was serving, I was worthy of the guiding power of the Spirit from day one. My companions and I had to put our trust in God every day that He would work through us to touch someone’s life. Knowing that He had a disposition to forgive us because of our service gives me confidence in the converting power that missionaries have. It seems like Heavenly Father sits on the edge of his seat, ready and willing to forgive His missionaries and send them on their way again, rejoicing. I love this imagery of God. He is benevolent, kind, and most importantly, merciful to His missionaries. He sits ready to move impossible obstacles out of the way, so that He can be with His children again.

I know, you might argue that your missionary’s call home for Mother’s Day is the greatest blessing of missionary service, but I think there is one better, if only slightly. The blessing is that of forgiveness. It will do more for the salvation of your missionary’s and those he/she serves than even a pep talk from mom, although this is more appreciated than you know.

Sincerely,

Chris

New 4x6 Cards

Dearest Readers!

Recently, I've been working on designs for 4x6 advertisements for A Marvelous Work and I wanted to share a few of them with you here. These are my top 3 favorites. If you have a thing for photography, check out how these photographers took advantage of color.

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Greens, blues, browns and oranges abound in this photo. They all stick out in their own way and yet they are harmonious. They're great photos to be sure and they were taken in the photographers' back yard.

There's truth to the song "There is Beauty All Around." On my mission, I would often just take pictures of things that struck me as beautiful. Like this one:

This photo has so much meaning to me. I took it because at that moment, I was thinking that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to live in the Philippines and I needed to treasure it. I remember the day, I remember the people, and I remember the place. Oh, and I remember getting rained on shortly thereafter. Looking at it is nostalgic for me.

Have your missionary look around them and take pictures of the beautiful things they want to remember. They will never have an experience quite like it again. Serving a couples mission later in life is great, but it just won't be the same as this one. Encourage them to take pictures, and then send them on to us and we'll save you the work of printing, formatting, and compiling them yourself. AMarvelousWork.com.

Sincerely,

Chris

p.s. If you are interested in learning more about taking good photos, check out national geographic's site. They have great photographers and offer some tips of their own. http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/

A message in a bottle

This shipping idea comes from a friend of mine who served her mission in New York City a few years back.

She always loved getting mail while on her mission and loved keeping in touch with other sisters from her areas. After a while just sending letters got to be old hat so the girls started coming up with better ways to send mail. This was the birth of the message in a bottle.

The girls found that USPS would send empty and dry water bottles through the postal system.  This works best for domestic mail within the United States. The first step is to find a dry water bottle that can be sealed tight. Fill this water bottle full of anything small enough to fit through the opening, if you want to mail something that can’t fit cut a hole in the bottle but be sure to tap it back up. Fun things that might fit are letters, candy, small toys, and socks.  Once the bottle is full place a new label over the bottle’s original label and take to the nearest post office.   

The shipping cost will be more than a paper envelope but your missionary is sure to love this creative idea!

Why We Do What We Do!

Among book lovers, there is a fairly common sentiment, and it goes something like this: "No one is ever going to say, 'Look! There's the kindle Grandpa used during the war!'"

Ebooks are great and convenient; when it comes to preservation, nothing beats digital. Now, more than ever before, our communication is recorded and stored. Many people communicate digitally far more than in any other medium, especially when you have a missionary in the field. All of this correspondence is saved, and to make things better, our communication is often enhanced by photos, attachments, etc.

The problem is, all of this preserved correspondence is inaccessible to anyone other than the person with the login name and password. Inboxes are messy and even the most organized among us forgets.

A Marvelous Work was started to help you take the step from preservation to heirloom. We help you compile correspondence, photos, announcements, letters from the mission home, and all of the other moments into a priceless volume for the coming generations. We believe that your experience is a blessing not only to the missionary, but also to the family. These faith promoting stories and experiences need to be shared to strengthen in the years to come.

We started A Marvelous Work because we believe that these 2 years are among the most important for now and forever. Thank you for your decision to serve, we are excited to be a part of it.

Kelcie Beck

Co-founder and Owner

A Marvelous Work

Cast not away therefore your confidence

Several years ago, a friend sent me this quote and it has stuck with me ever since:

"Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now."

The quote comes from a devotional address by Elder Holland entitled "Cast Now Away Therefore Your Confidence". For some reason, it never occurred to me to read the full address until recently. I highly recommend it for anyone, especially those preparing to take a leap of faith.

Elder Holland discusses the opposition faced after revelation is received and specifically addresses the teaching process that missionaries go through with their new contacts. He likens it to the experience of Paul pleading with the new members of the church in his letter to the Hebrews.:

"Paul says to those who thought a new testimony, a personal conversion, a spiritual baptismal experience would put them beyond trouble—to these he says, 'Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.' Then this tremendous counsel, which is at the heart of my counsel to you: 'Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.'

I suppose every returned missionary and probably every convert reading these words knows exactly what I am talking about. Appointments for discussions canceled, the Book of Mormon in a plastic bag hanging from a front doorknob, baptismal dates not met. And so it goes through the teaching period, through the commitments and the baptism, through the first weeks and months in the Church, and more or less forever—at least, the adversary would pursue it forever if he thought he could see any weakening of your resolve, any chink in your armor."

For those of you supporting missionaries, I commend you. What a sacrifice for a family to make. In our culture it seems to be assumed that families will do this without a second thought, but it seems that the Lord is aware of our individual sacrifices and the struggle that this can be for families. Elder Holland offers these words that can bring comfort in any stage of life:

"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

~Kelcie

Steal the Hearts of the Children Package.

Here is a fun package idea from one of our return missionary friends!

Consider sending your missionary a bunch of little trinkets to give to kids. In 3rd world countries, kids can be the best way to get to the hearts of their parents. Some people soften their hearts when they see missionaries being kind to their children, especially when missionaries give their kids things that are either 1) not available for purchase, or 2) out of reach financially for their family.

These trinkets include: those cheap green ctr rings, scripture marking crayons, pocket sized children hymn books, etc. They can be handmade crafts: like scripture markers or a collection of small pictures of favorite Book of Mormon characters. If you’re looking for more inspiration, think about what you bought for your kids to uplift and inspire them when they were young.

Once you’ve decided what to buy or make, consider buying or making ten to fifteen of them. Trust me, your son or daughter will find a good home for them. You’ll be indirectly improving the lives of children around the world, and helping your missionary in his or her all important work of changing lives.

Send these packages with your missionary’s favorite candy every 3-6 months and you’ll make a difference in the lives of your missionary and those he or she serves.

Our Friend Chris

I asked our friend Chris if he could tell us all a little more about how he got into the business side of A Marvelous Work. Here it is in his own words!

"For me, the idea behind A Marvelous Work comes from a desire to remember my stories. I was an inexperienced, 6' white male from Vegas assigned to serve in the tropical Philippines Bacolod Mission riddled with rumors of eating dog and hacking through forests to get to appointments. I figured there was a good chance I'd get a few exciting tales to tell my grandchildren. Upon completing my mission, I found that I not only had a few crazy tales to tell, but also countless testimony building experiences that strengthened my spiritual foundation and set me on the path of lifetime discipleship.

"I'd like to say that I wrote faithfully in my journal throughout my mission. I can't though. After about a year, entries diminished to about once a month. I want my children and grandchildren to experience my experiences through my eyes, and now the only continuous record I have is recorded in the emails I sent to my family. This spurred me on to create a mini-version of A Marvelous Work for an assignment and later, talk to Kelcie about making it a product that people could use to preserve their own memories for future generations."

Our Marvelous Workers

An amazing service that A Marvelous Work is starting to offer is the creation of handmade mission books. These books are made up of letters, photos and emails sent home by missionaries. This effort came from the passion of two hard working friends of mine. Here is a little more about what motivates them,

Kelcie and Chris believe the family to be the most important social unit of our time. We encourage the strengthening of families and strive to provide resources that will help individuals pass on their memories and examples to their posterity. A Marvelous Work was inspired by a responsibility and a fear.

A Responsibility

We believe that we have a responsibility to teach our children to serve the Lord. Elder Holland said in a talk entitled We Are All Enlisted, "What greater gift could grandparents give their posterity than to say by deed as well as word, 'In this family we serve missions!'" This same same counsel can and does apply to parents. Parents have a greater responsibility to teach their children b y example what to do. Children that grow up hearing their parents' mission stories tend to want to serve missions themselves.

A Fear

We fear losing the precious memories of our loved ones. Memories are preserved in the things we write to each other.

On pdays, missionaries are careful to write as much in an email as they can. They yearn to report a week’s worth of time in about half an hour. Consequently, they often misspell or skip over some important details in their haste. They get their point across in the end and record three important things.

1) Personality. A missionary’s personality bleeds through their letters. The way in which they word their experiences gives them away.

2) Personal Growth. Even though grammar skills may begin to falter, there is no mistaking the spiritual and mature growth that shines through their experiences. You can see a missionary change by comparing their first month’s letters to their last.

3) Memories. These are precious. Our experiences are pearls to our posterity. They yearn to hear and retell our stories and cherish the family heirlooms, like journals, that we leave them.

Many proclaim that the art of letter writing is dead. We beg to differ. The art of letter writing is more prominent than ever before. It has simply evolved. Not too long ago, we painstaking wrote letters by hand. Now we type them into emails and messages. We write far more words per day and respond faster than ever. We want these memories to be preserved in books, for we fear losing them forever to age and faulty internet sites.