Seeing The People Around Us

April 22, 2012
Mission Letter


Monday evening our social group (the missionaries that came into the mission March 4th and went through the training zone together) met to share a potluck dinner and choose a name for the group. They chose the “March Forths” and then played a game. Everyone wrote on a piece of paper something about themselves no one in the group would know (except spouses who were forbidden to give it away) and put the paper in a bowl. Our social director and moderator, Elder Morton, drew one piece of paper out of the bowl at a time and read it. Then everyone had to come to a consensus about who it described and that person was handed the paper. When everyone playing had a paper, we found out when we guessed right and when we guessed wrong. Amid much laughter we found out who spent a month on the road on a motorcycle (Sister Calandra), who took the Polar Bear challenge and dived into below zero water (Elder Sessions), etc. What does this have to do with serving a mission? It has everything to do with it, because ultimately we’re here on this earth to learn to love as Jesus loves. We have to lift our heads from our work now and again and see the people around us. And love them.


Tuesday I obtained permission to take Sister Munger to the dentist in the morning. She had asked for a blessing the night before because she was having a tooth extracted. I was the one person who had someone to cover for them at work because Sister Shelley is still coming in half days. It was a good thing I went with her. She was planning to be awake for the procedure, drive herself home, and return to work in the afternoon. As it turned out, the tooth crumbled, the procedure became more invasive, and she was really glad to be put to sleep. She was much too groggy to drive and took the rest of the day off. The next day she looked bruised and swollen, like someone had punched her in the jaw. The prompting to offer to take her was one of those tender mercies we talk about. The Lord loves Sister Munger. Tuesday night I went to dinner at Little America with Sister Shelley, Sister Bottoms, and Sister Wirth. Little America because President Monson likes to eat there so it must be good, and that group of sisters because everyone wants to take Sister Shelley out to dinner this week. April 27th is her release date. Our office is losing several people at once that day so there are lots of good-byes and a few tears. Before and after dinner I got started on the staff meeting minutes.


Wednesday was Bountiful Temple day! All the mission office staff (including me) was invited to accompany 66 young missionaries to that beautiful temple. After the session, we went to the little chapel (There is a big chapel) and were taught by the temple president, President Callister who is also an emeritus member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. I wish everyone who goes to the temple could have that talk. Then the young missionaries and most of the staff ate lunch in the temple cafeteria. Sister Bottoms, Sister Shelley, and I went to lunch at Kneader's Bakery and Cafe on the way home. We all got back to the office with about an hour before end of the day. I went home and did laundry, went to the grocery store, and worked on staff meeting minutes some more.


Thursday was a half day for Sister Shelley and I had plenty to do to keep me busy all day. This is as good a place as any to talk about our prayer meeting. We start at 7:45 a.m., sing a hymn (usually accompanied by Elder Lyon or Sister Piñon on a keyboard) and then someone gives a spiritual thought.
These spiritual thoughts are really a wonderful way to know the person who speaks as they share their testimony with us on any topic they choose. They give some really inspiring thoughts. Then we have a closing prayer that also helps us know the person who prays and we start our day on a high note. Can you see why the staff grows so close? I can’t help thinking about how it does the same thing for families. We probably should have more of a short discussion of a scripture as a family each day, rather than just read a certain amount of time or verses. And take turns acting as voice because the teacher learns the most. There was a movie where the old chief said, “This is a good day to die.” Here in Zion often I think, “This is a good day.” I spent more time on staff meeting minutes in the evening.


Friday Sister Shelley took a load of roof tiles home where her family was gathered to help reroof her house, so she didn’t come in that day. That was my first day to open, operate, and close the office myself. I stayed an hour later, trying to keep up with all the work so I wouldn’t have it spill over into the next week. That could be why I walked all the way home wearing the phone headpiece and didn’t even feel it. I worked at home that night on the staff meeting minutes.


Saturday I finished condensing eight pages of staff meeting minutes down to three pages! Hurray! I just can’t put earphones in and type minutes at work with so many interruptions. I need to wear the phone headpiece while I am working and I need some uninterrupted time to think while I condense the minutes. I hope I look back on this someday and see that it got much easier with time and practice. Like most things. I also cleaned my apartment, took out the trash, and did some laundry. I planned to also go shopping but finishing the minutes took too long. Doing physical labor like house work is a nice change of pace from sitting in front of the computer.


Sunday, today, Sister Munger and I went to Music and the Spoken Word. It was excellent, as always. I guess everyone goes home in April up here. They had 25 choir members and 9 temple square sister missionaries stand who were going home this week. Choir members serve 20 years or until they turn 60. President and Sister Monson were present again today. I wonder if they came to honor the choir members going home? I remember President Monson saying in a talk that he kept the Mormon Tabernacle Choir assignment for himself. The weather is so fine today. I enjoyed the rain earlier this week, too.