I love when the APs come for dinner. We always quiz them about their morning at the Fort. When we talked to them last week, they said they thought there would be 11 baptisms today. There was only 1. Elder Muir said he didn't know what happened, but none of the soldiers who were on date showd up at church. The one soldier who was baptized is the son of not one, but two Baptist ministers. I told the Elders that it will be interesting to find out what his parents have to say about his baptism. Elder Muir said, "He'll probably go home and baptize both of them. He has the Aaronic Priesthood, you know." These kids are very optimistic! Ü. Giving up the ministry to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be a huge decision. Those parents would be giving up their livelihood!
Despite the fact that there was only one baptism, the Elders and the Sisters who teach out there were very excited about all the activity. They said there were so many soldiers who wanted to be taught that they didn't even have time to teach them all. One soldier walked up to Elder Muir and said he wanted to be baptized. His battle buddy, a returned missionary, had taught him all the lessons and he was ready. He will probably be baptized next Sunday. I asked the Elders if they were writing all these experiences and stories in their journals. They'd better be!
Sunday, June 29, 2014
New Beginnings...
Tomorrow we will say goodbye to our beloved President and Sister Holm. Over the past nearly 10 months, we have come to appreciate those who are called to be mission presidents for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! As I told President a few weeks ago, I've always prayed for the missionaries, but now I pray for their leaders (their Presidents) as well. What a calling they have! What responsibility!
When President and Sister Holm came to the mission three years ago, there were 132 missionaries in the mission. They are leaving tomorrow with 283 missionaries. Over the past 3 years, they have worked with 690 missionaries.
I have great respect for men who are called to preside over the missions of the church. I have sent 5 sons into the mission field. I knew they all had mission presidents. I met one of them (maybe two more - one in Riverside, CA and one in Fukoka, Japan) but I can't clearly remember meeting them. We met our youngest son's mission president in Moscow, Russia because he and his wife invited us to dinner at the mission home when we went to Russia to pick Danny up at the end of his mission. He was the only president I knew that had a young family. He and his wife had, if I recall, 5 children, and the oldest was probably not yet a teenager. Most mission presidents nowadays are called when they are retired, or just about to retire.
President are called to serve for three years. They are not paid, but they live in the mission home, drive a mission vehicle and are given a stipend for living expenses. They also have help maintaining the mission home. When the Holms came to South Carolina, they were told that they could have someone come and help Sister Holm. She was asked if she wanted someone who could cook or someone who would clean. She chose someone who could cook. Sister Contini has been here for 12 years - cooking for 4 mission presidents. She doesn't cook for the Holms, but she does meals for the missionaries when they have leadership training meetings (all day meetings), Sister Specialized Training Meetings, Senior Training Meetings etc. She also provides meals for incoming missionaries and departing missionaries who come to the mission and leave from the mission in groups. I think the largest group of in-coming missionaries came last June. There were 27 of them! Sister Contini is a wonderful cook! During President Holm's tenure, he gained 12 pounds, and he blamed Sister Contini for all 12. Over the past few months, he has been cutting back and is now down to his pre-mission weight - only 4 pounds heavier than he was when he left his mission in Raleigh NC when he was 21-year-old.
Many men who are called as mission presidents are independently wealthy, but certainly not all! Some are retired attorneys or doctors. Some have been owners or on the boards of large companies. Some have been teachers. They are called from all walks of life to preside over the missions of the church, which now number 405 world-wide.
Jack's cousin, Kent Arrington, is currently president of the Chile Concepcion Mission. That's where my parents served their first mission in 1985-86. Kent is there with his wife Michelle. They came in July of 2013 and will be there for two more years.
I went to Mormon.org and searched "mission presidents" and came up with personal profiles of a lot of those who have served or are presently serving. It is a huge responsibility. They are certainly guided and directed by the Spirit in their work! Of this I bear testimony!!!
When President and Sister Holm came to the mission three years ago, there were 132 missionaries in the mission. They are leaving tomorrow with 283 missionaries. Over the past 3 years, they have worked with 690 missionaries.
I have great respect for men who are called to preside over the missions of the church. I have sent 5 sons into the mission field. I knew they all had mission presidents. I met one of them (maybe two more - one in Riverside, CA and one in Fukoka, Japan) but I can't clearly remember meeting them. We met our youngest son's mission president in Moscow, Russia because he and his wife invited us to dinner at the mission home when we went to Russia to pick Danny up at the end of his mission. He was the only president I knew that had a young family. He and his wife had, if I recall, 5 children, and the oldest was probably not yet a teenager. Most mission presidents nowadays are called when they are retired, or just about to retire.
President are called to serve for three years. They are not paid, but they live in the mission home, drive a mission vehicle and are given a stipend for living expenses. They also have help maintaining the mission home. When the Holms came to South Carolina, they were told that they could have someone come and help Sister Holm. She was asked if she wanted someone who could cook or someone who would clean. She chose someone who could cook. Sister Contini has been here for 12 years - cooking for 4 mission presidents. She doesn't cook for the Holms, but she does meals for the missionaries when they have leadership training meetings (all day meetings), Sister Specialized Training Meetings, Senior Training Meetings etc. She also provides meals for incoming missionaries and departing missionaries who come to the mission and leave from the mission in groups. I think the largest group of in-coming missionaries came last June. There were 27 of them! Sister Contini is a wonderful cook! During President Holm's tenure, he gained 12 pounds, and he blamed Sister Contini for all 12. Over the past few months, he has been cutting back and is now down to his pre-mission weight - only 4 pounds heavier than he was when he left his mission in Raleigh NC when he was 21-year-old.
Many men who are called as mission presidents are independently wealthy, but certainly not all! Some are retired attorneys or doctors. Some have been owners or on the boards of large companies. Some have been teachers. They are called from all walks of life to preside over the missions of the church, which now number 405 world-wide.
Jack's cousin, Kent Arrington, is currently president of the Chile Concepcion Mission. That's where my parents served their first mission in 1985-86. Kent is there with his wife Michelle. They came in July of 2013 and will be there for two more years.
I went to Mormon.org and searched "mission presidents" and came up with personal profiles of a lot of those who have served or are presently serving. It is a huge responsibility. They are certainly guided and directed by the Spirit in their work! Of this I bear testimony!!!
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Greenies in the House!
We had three cute new Elders stay with us on Monday and Tuesday nights. We only had 10 missionaries come in this transfer - 7 Elders and 3 Sisters. E. Peterson, E. Jeffs and E. Roberts were with us. The other four stayed with the APs and Larsens took the 3 Sisters.
They fly in around 3:30 in the afternoon. They've been up since 2:30 AM, so they've always got that deer in the headlights look when we first get them. :o) The Elders went right to sleep, but only slept aobut 15 minutes, until Elder Peterson woke the other two up with his snoring. They did doze off later, and slept about 30 minutes before we had to take them to the church for dinner and training.
The new missionaries train Monday night and all day Tuesday. Tuesday night at Prime Time (6-9) they go out with trainers and knock doors. When they come back, we always ask them about their first experience in the field. Most of the people they knocked into Tuesday night at least let them in the house. It was raining. One woman, a Jehovah's Witness, was very nice and gave them each a drink of water. They asked her if she would like a copy of the Book of Mormon. She declined. They asked if she would pray and ask God if He wanted her to read the Book of Mormon. She refused to do that also. Hearing the new Elders tell about that experience made me wonder what I would do if I were not a member. I may have declined the Book of Mormon (although I have taken the J. W.'s Watch Towers), but if they asked me to pray and ask God if He wanted me to read a book, I'd probably do it. I'm a big believer in prayer! And I think I'm pretty open to doing what God wants me to do. I don't think He would give me bad advice.
All in all, the newbies were pretty pumped. It was fun to see them meet their new trainers and depart for their new areas in the mission. Hope they retain their enthusiasm!
They fly in around 3:30 in the afternoon. They've been up since 2:30 AM, so they've always got that deer in the headlights look when we first get them. :o) The Elders went right to sleep, but only slept aobut 15 minutes, until Elder Peterson woke the other two up with his snoring. They did doze off later, and slept about 30 minutes before we had to take them to the church for dinner and training.
The new missionaries train Monday night and all day Tuesday. Tuesday night at Prime Time (6-9) they go out with trainers and knock doors. When they come back, we always ask them about their first experience in the field. Most of the people they knocked into Tuesday night at least let them in the house. It was raining. One woman, a Jehovah's Witness, was very nice and gave them each a drink of water. They asked her if she would like a copy of the Book of Mormon. She declined. They asked if she would pray and ask God if He wanted her to read the Book of Mormon. She refused to do that also. Hearing the new Elders tell about that experience made me wonder what I would do if I were not a member. I may have declined the Book of Mormon (although I have taken the J. W.'s Watch Towers), but if they asked me to pray and ask God if He wanted me to read a book, I'd probably do it. I'm a big believer in prayer! And I think I'm pretty open to doing what God wants me to do. I don't think He would give me bad advice.
All in all, the newbies were pretty pumped. It was fun to see them meet their new trainers and depart for their new areas in the mission. Hope they retain their enthusiasm!
Friday, June 20, 2014
Sister Bell
One of the sisters who bore her testimony today, also thanked President Holm for the opportunity he gave her last Sunday to call her father, on Fathers' Day. I think she was the only missionary who had that privilege. Her father is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President told her to ask him if he would agree to be taught by the missionaries and be baptized. She did, and he accepted. What a wonderful blessing that will be in the life of her family! When she is released from her mission, and goes home, her family will then have the opportunity to go to the temple and be united for all eternity, by the sealing power of the Priesthood. Sister Bell was so grateful. She is such a beautiful and valiant missionary. We are so happy for her!
Final Zone Conference for President and Sister Holm
Today was West Columbia's Zone Conference. It was the last zone conference for the Holms. The conference was wonderful. President and Sister Holm talked. A YSA bishop from Atlanta, who was in the bishopric with President Holm years ago, also spoke. He stopped by for a visit and President put him to work. :o) Zone trainings were done by about 6 companionships - both Sisters and Elders. We had about 30 minutes for missionaries who wanted to bear their testimonies, and about 12-15 of them did. Sister Holm showed photos she had put together over the last few weeks - of every missionary in the mission - all 283 of them. It was all put to music and was very powerful. After Sister Holm's presentation, the closing song and a prayer, President and Sister Holm stood at the front of the chapel and said goodbye to all the missionaries in the zone. Each of the elders gave President one of their ties - draped them around his neck. Sister Holm is going to have them made into a quilt for him. :o)
We will miss the Holms. They have been wonderful and dedicated leaders in this mission. We LOVE them!
We will miss the Holms. They have been wonderful and dedicated leaders in this mission. We LOVE them!
Monday, June 16, 2014
President and Sister Holm are leaving the Irmo Sisters with a lot of work! :o)
It sounds like the Holms were the first mission President couple who got out in their
neighborhood and met the people who live there.
It started with their morning walks.
I don’t know if they did other neighboring, but I do know that in
February, when everything closed down because of the snow and ice storms that
Sister Holm cooked up batches of chili and stew and soup and invited the
neighborhood to come over to visit. They
had a lot of people come over and many of them had questions about the
church.
With
their departure coming right up, President and Sister Holm again invited the neighborhood to
stop in to say goodbye. They had an open
house last week and now nine couples have asked for missionaries to come and
teach them. That is going to keep the
Irmo Sisters busy for a while!
"You live in the Mormon Parrish?"
President Holm told us quite a while ago that when they first moved into the mission home, they started doing early morning walks around the neighborhood. Many other people in the area were also out in the morning - most of them walking their dogs. :o) They were able to meet a lot of new people. When they first went out, they were asked by one couple where they lived. As they described the area and the house where they lived, the man said, "Oh! You live in the Mormon Parrish?" Haha! President thought that was hilarious, and so did we! I guess all the people in that subdivision referred to the mission home as the Mormon Parrish. :o)
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