I wanted to tell about the farewell talks we gave the last Sunday we were in Merced. They asked us that morning to be the speakers in Sacrament meeting. Yes, that's how they do things there. But we knew they might eventually get around to asking us so we had thought about it some ahead of time.
However, when they asked us I was very worried because I had to give the talk in Spanish. Ugh. I prayed fervently and said, "I have been teaching about the Holy Ghost for 18 months now. And he can bring all things to your remembrance and he can give you the gift of tongues and I need that-right now." It was amazing. I stood up and gave a talk for 13 minutes all in Spanish and felt the Spirit so strong the whole time. Afterwards, everyone came up to the stand and filed by to hug and kiss us and talk to us. That's when I realized that I should have also asked for the interpretation of tongues because I didn't know what they were saying to me!
I could certainly feel their love though and what a wonderful experience to know, help, and love these good people. They welcomed us and loved us back. It was a wonderful, wonderful mission!
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Stay on a mission as long as possible!
Ok. It has been two months since we were released from our mission and this is the first time I have had time to finish my mission blog! It is so much easier to be on a mission! Never go home!
Actually, I can see where we are needed here too so I guess we won't be going back out as soon as we had hoped.
On our way home from the mission we stopped at Mesquite and stayed with Edna overnight. For some reason that brought me a great deal of comfort and peace of mind to stay with a familiar person with home cooked food and resting in the pool with her. I knew that life as I had known it for the last 18 months was over and I was about to be hit hard with life at home. I just didn't realize how hard but I was forewarned it was going to be hard.
When we came home we gave our homecoming talks, which went well. Also our grandchildren sang "I hope they call me on a mission" which I absolutely loved! And we got to visit with family and friends which was nice.
The next Sunday we were asked to speak with Bro.Osguthorpe, the high councilman, in another ward. It was funny because I had a talk all prepared and while sitting on the stand through the Sacrament the Lord said I needed to give a different talk. So I sketched out a talk about practical ideas to help them be member/missionaries. It went fine and I could feel the Spirit.
Monday we were the speakers at the Empty Nesters where we felt the spirit so strong that Bro. Cardon came up after and said, "almost thou persuadeth me to go on another mission." That's funny because he has been on many already.
These opportunities to speak were not unexpected or difficult. But the family challenges and responsibilities almost brought us to our knees.
And speaking of knees. I had my knee replaced one month after returning home. While out on my mission I knew I needed to have the surgery and lined up to have it done by someone that had been recommended to me. But I felt uneasy about the choice. So much so that I realized the Spirit was saying to change doctors. I called and cancelled with him and made an appointment with the doctor Jon had had for his hip surgery and I never thought about it again. Complete peace. And I have been so blessed! Five days after the surgery I was able to go to church. I walk without pain or a limp in two and a half weeks. Now if I could just jump up off the toilet ha!
The day Glen came to the hospital to bring me home he had a heart syncopy problem and passed out. We had to stay in the hospital for a few extra hours while he was in the emergency room. The family stress, particularly Jon, is terrible on his heart. But we made it home and two days later he slipped while climbing on the tractor equipment and broke his leg! Amazing. So we try to help each other get around. We share the walker and crutches and compression stockings! Its almost laughable! And we can't stay down like we should because of the family problems that require our immediate attention. But the Lord has really, really blessed us to be able to do what needs to be done even with two wounded legs.
It was so much easier to be able to focus all of our attention, time, and devotion to missionary work. However, since being home I asked who in the ward needed fellowshipping to get them out to church and I have made a great new friend from going over to visit and she is coming out to church regular now, plus another sister that we have visited a lot is going to go to the Relief Society dinner with me next week and I have been assigned as her visiting teacher now so the missionary effort goes on!
Actually, I can see where we are needed here too so I guess we won't be going back out as soon as we had hoped.
On our way home from the mission we stopped at Mesquite and stayed with Edna overnight. For some reason that brought me a great deal of comfort and peace of mind to stay with a familiar person with home cooked food and resting in the pool with her. I knew that life as I had known it for the last 18 months was over and I was about to be hit hard with life at home. I just didn't realize how hard but I was forewarned it was going to be hard.
When we came home we gave our homecoming talks, which went well. Also our grandchildren sang "I hope they call me on a mission" which I absolutely loved! And we got to visit with family and friends which was nice.
The next Sunday we were asked to speak with Bro.Osguthorpe, the high councilman, in another ward. It was funny because I had a talk all prepared and while sitting on the stand through the Sacrament the Lord said I needed to give a different talk. So I sketched out a talk about practical ideas to help them be member/missionaries. It went fine and I could feel the Spirit.
Monday we were the speakers at the Empty Nesters where we felt the spirit so strong that Bro. Cardon came up after and said, "almost thou persuadeth me to go on another mission." That's funny because he has been on many already.
These opportunities to speak were not unexpected or difficult. But the family challenges and responsibilities almost brought us to our knees.
And speaking of knees. I had my knee replaced one month after returning home. While out on my mission I knew I needed to have the surgery and lined up to have it done by someone that had been recommended to me. But I felt uneasy about the choice. So much so that I realized the Spirit was saying to change doctors. I called and cancelled with him and made an appointment with the doctor Jon had had for his hip surgery and I never thought about it again. Complete peace. And I have been so blessed! Five days after the surgery I was able to go to church. I walk without pain or a limp in two and a half weeks. Now if I could just jump up off the toilet ha!
The day Glen came to the hospital to bring me home he had a heart syncopy problem and passed out. We had to stay in the hospital for a few extra hours while he was in the emergency room. The family stress, particularly Jon, is terrible on his heart. But we made it home and two days later he slipped while climbing on the tractor equipment and broke his leg! Amazing. So we try to help each other get around. We share the walker and crutches and compression stockings! Its almost laughable! And we can't stay down like we should because of the family problems that require our immediate attention. But the Lord has really, really blessed us to be able to do what needs to be done even with two wounded legs.
It was so much easier to be able to focus all of our attention, time, and devotion to missionary work. However, since being home I asked who in the ward needed fellowshipping to get them out to church and I have made a great new friend from going over to visit and she is coming out to church regular now, plus another sister that we have visited a lot is going to go to the Relief Society dinner with me next week and I have been assigned as her visiting teacher now so the missionary effort goes on!
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Working hard for the Infantes
Elder Pack worked really hard to get the Infantes advanced in the Priesthood, their Patriarchal Blessings, their own endowments at the Fresno temple and sealed for time and all eternity! Bro.Infante is eighty years old. He has been a member for about three years. His wife was baptized a few months before him. They now have all the blessings to keep them strong in the gospel. We are grateful we were able to see this take place before our mission ended!
Our zone missionaries at the Temple with Pres. and Sis. Clark
We loved our new Mission President and his wife immediately.
Pres. and Sis. Clark
Pres. and Sis. Clark
Pictures of our newest members
Here are pictures of our newest members
Noemy with Elders Kulbeth and Davis
Olivia Guzman with Adrian and Vida
Sergio Manzo: good friends with Ramon Rodrigues
Ramon Rodrigues: So strong in the gospel. Already gave the talk at Sergio's baptism.
All the children love Elder Pack including the Chavez children at their baptisms.
Roberto and Rafaela Chavez with children
Noemy with Elders Kulbeth and Davis
Olivia Guzman with Adrian and Vida
Sergio Manzo: good friends with Ramon Rodrigues
Ramon Rodrigues: So strong in the gospel. Already gave the talk at Sergio's baptism.
All the children love Elder Pack including the Chavez children at their baptisms.
Roberto and Rafaela Chavez with children
El Fin
Oh yeah. For my last Sunday in our Spanish branch I was able to get up and talk in Spanish without notes for fifteen minutes. Obviously the Lord helped me because I still couldn't understand much after church when everyone came up to give Glen and I farewell hugs. Of course that could have been because I was sobbing.
There have been a lot of "lasts".
The whole zone threw us a surprise good-bye party after our zone meeting. It was with balloons and cake that they made themselves. I will sure miss associating with the young Elders and Sister missionaries. We loved them.
We took a last trip with the Malhums to San Francisco and then the next day to the Oakland Temple. Glen really wanted to see the Temple before we went home. I wanted to see what I could remember from 50 years ago when Uncle Louis was working on the temple. Not much. But we have really enjoyed the time we have spent with the other Senior Missionary couple, the Malhums. Today was our last luncheon together after district meetings. Hopefully we will see them again after their mission here is over.
Packing up has been very unpleasant. We have one pile of mission boxes that will go to some other Senior Missionary couple somewhere, along with the furniture. Then we have one huge pile we are going to try to cram into our car. And then we have another pile of things to distribute to the branch members because there is no way it is all going to be able cram into our car.
We have been doing all this around our missionary work. They haven't called anyone as the new Relief Society president so I passed everything along to my counselors. They haven't called anyone to replace Glen as Ex. Sec. so he is trying to tie everything up to hold them for awhile.
Plus he had the Spanish speaking Patriarch come up from Fresno and give blessings to five of our members. And he pushed himself really hard to get Pastor Infante (80 years old) and his wife Rafaela to the temple for their own endowments and to be sealed together afterwards. Most of the members of the branch with recommends attended.
It has been amazing to see how much help we get from the Lord when we are on His errand. We have loved being missionaries. It has been serious work. And it has paid serious rewards. We see much that could still be done. But we have no regrets because we worked every second to fulfill His purpose in sending us to the California Fresno mission.
There have been a lot of "lasts".
The whole zone threw us a surprise good-bye party after our zone meeting. It was with balloons and cake that they made themselves. I will sure miss associating with the young Elders and Sister missionaries. We loved them.
We took a last trip with the Malhums to San Francisco and then the next day to the Oakland Temple. Glen really wanted to see the Temple before we went home. I wanted to see what I could remember from 50 years ago when Uncle Louis was working on the temple. Not much. But we have really enjoyed the time we have spent with the other Senior Missionary couple, the Malhums. Today was our last luncheon together after district meetings. Hopefully we will see them again after their mission here is over.
Packing up has been very unpleasant. We have one pile of mission boxes that will go to some other Senior Missionary couple somewhere, along with the furniture. Then we have one huge pile we are going to try to cram into our car. And then we have another pile of things to distribute to the branch members because there is no way it is all going to be able cram into our car.
We have been doing all this around our missionary work. They haven't called anyone as the new Relief Society president so I passed everything along to my counselors. They haven't called anyone to replace Glen as Ex. Sec. so he is trying to tie everything up to hold them for awhile.
Plus he had the Spanish speaking Patriarch come up from Fresno and give blessings to five of our members. And he pushed himself really hard to get Pastor Infante (80 years old) and his wife Rafaela to the temple for their own endowments and to be sealed together afterwards. Most of the members of the branch with recommends attended.
It has been amazing to see how much help we get from the Lord when we are on His errand. We have loved being missionaries. It has been serious work. And it has paid serious rewards. We see much that could still be done. But we have no regrets because we worked every second to fulfill His purpose in sending us to the California Fresno mission.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Ready or Not
We are on the last days of our mission. That is a bitter-sweet thought. Of course we are looking forward to returning to our family and friends and home. But there is still so much that the Spanish Branch here needs help with. We will serve to the very last minute and leave the rest to the Lord.
When we think of the amazing experiences that we have had, the big baptisms are not what comes to mind first. Instead, we think about the four men recently ordained Elders. We think about working with an inspired LDS Employment Specialist. We remember the Sacrament being passed by three little old men for the first time. The spirit was really strong then. We think about the new members being baptized in the temple for their deceased family members and the old members doing the work for their families and being sealed to their deceased parents. We remember the little man sitting there dressed up in his new Goodwill suit and tie waiting for the missionaries to come and teach him the missionary lessons each week. We think of the Relief Society sisters working together to make 400 tamales for the Christmas dinner. And bringing them their first dances at the socials.
We are especially thankful to be a part of people catching the vision of God's plan for them. Just showing them what is offered in the scriptures makes their eyes sparkle. Hearing the plan of the restoration and the plan of salvation really makes a difference to them. Having a goal of getting to the temple gives their lives new purpose.
We learned to pull as a perfect team with the revolving four young missionaries assigned to our Branch. They gave legs and enthusiasm to our simple wisdom. We truly loved working with the other missionaries in this mission, both the young and the Seniors. We fed them at Zone parties, after meetings, and a hundred dinners. We loved them.
In the few days we have left, we have lined up the members to receive Patriarchal Blessings from a Spanish speaking Patriarch from another stake. We will take an 80 year old couple to be sealed in the temple. And we will invite every single struggling member and investigator to "come unto Christ".
What a blessing it is to go on a mission as a Senior Couple. Your biggest achievement is learning to live and work together 24/7. Your biggest growth is studying the gospel together. Your biggest joy is seeing conversion in the lives of the people you teach.
Ready or not we are leaving one area of service and moving on to another. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve with the Spanish speaking people, and others, in the California, Fresno Mission.
When we think of the amazing experiences that we have had, the big baptisms are not what comes to mind first. Instead, we think about the four men recently ordained Elders. We think about working with an inspired LDS Employment Specialist. We remember the Sacrament being passed by three little old men for the first time. The spirit was really strong then. We think about the new members being baptized in the temple for their deceased family members and the old members doing the work for their families and being sealed to their deceased parents. We remember the little man sitting there dressed up in his new Goodwill suit and tie waiting for the missionaries to come and teach him the missionary lessons each week. We think of the Relief Society sisters working together to make 400 tamales for the Christmas dinner. And bringing them their first dances at the socials.
We are especially thankful to be a part of people catching the vision of God's plan for them. Just showing them what is offered in the scriptures makes their eyes sparkle. Hearing the plan of the restoration and the plan of salvation really makes a difference to them. Having a goal of getting to the temple gives their lives new purpose.
We learned to pull as a perfect team with the revolving four young missionaries assigned to our Branch. They gave legs and enthusiasm to our simple wisdom. We truly loved working with the other missionaries in this mission, both the young and the Seniors. We fed them at Zone parties, after meetings, and a hundred dinners. We loved them.
In the few days we have left, we have lined up the members to receive Patriarchal Blessings from a Spanish speaking Patriarch from another stake. We will take an 80 year old couple to be sealed in the temple. And we will invite every single struggling member and investigator to "come unto Christ".
What a blessing it is to go on a mission as a Senior Couple. Your biggest achievement is learning to live and work together 24/7. Your biggest growth is studying the gospel together. Your biggest joy is seeing conversion in the lives of the people you teach.
Ready or not we are leaving one area of service and moving on to another. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve with the Spanish speaking people, and others, in the California, Fresno Mission.
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