A Day in the Life . . .

(I started this weeks ago and never got time to finish it . . . I debated about just scrapping the whole thing, but I think you'll just have to pretend you read this a couple weeks ago :)

(sometimes we leap small islands . . . in a single bound!

(Or how many islands can you visit in one day . . . ?)

(The sisters of Roatan)

A Day in the Life - 

People always wonder what we do everyday . . . and at the end of the day, sometimes we wonder what what we did that day!  Not because we didn't do anything . . . but because usually it is such a whirlwind, we can't remember where or what time we started in the morning . . .

It's a good thing I take so may pictures or we would forget what we did yesterday as we move onto our plans for tomorrow.

(Also - those one liner veeeerrry long sentences as a daily journal entry have saved me!)

But let's look at yesterday for instance - (Remember, I started this weeks ago and I'm just finishing it)

It's 5:30 am!
Time to rise and shine! (Well, not maybe shine just yet, we really don't have to shine until 7:30 . . . so let's hold off on that one for a little while . . .)

Time to prepare for the day . . . if we're going to get any personal study, companionship study, planning, calendaring, hair, makeup, showering done - now is the time.

7:00 am!
At 7:00 am we are out the door with breakfast in hand . . . for Kristin it's a green smoothie.  For Norm it's a bowl of Mini-wheats, yes we are lucky to have both here in Honduras!

Travel 50 minutes across town in rush hour traffic to actually arrive at one of our home bases here in the mission.  The chapel in the city of La Lima, actually the La Paz Stake Center.  We set up for our first meeting of the day . . .

8:00 am!
Sister Training Leader council and training - once a month we meet for an hour with our six Sister Training leaders to review their and our sister missionaries challenges of the month, share experiences, inspiration, advice and council and plan for upcoming events . . . (like zone conference this month!)

(Really excellent Sister Trainer Leaders)

Here it gets a little sticky as we are booked for three calendar items at the same time.  Divide and conquer is the game plan . . . leaving me with the Sister Training Leaders . . .

8:15 am!
Leaving me to continue with the Sister Training Leaders, President Klein (I still feel a little bit funny calling him President Klein in public . . . although I forget frequently . . . have to be better about that . . .) moves on to the -

Zone Secretaries Meeting - President Klein welcomes 2 missionaries from 5 of our 10 zones that are within a reasonable travel distance of this Stake Center (meaning they can come and return in the same day), to a special meeting for training on we can best help our recent converts stay active and in their wards and branches.  We don't want to lose any of our precious missionaries efforts as they slip or slide out the back doors into the already large pools of inactivity.  (Have you noticed???  This is a new role for missionaries in the Latter-days of missionary service . . . we are now "Hasten the Work of Salvation" missionaries!  And assist far beyond the baptism of our members, although we act as support cooperate with ward councils in this area as these "priesthood keys" belong to the bishops in the wards and branches.)

(office elder demonstrating how to fill out the baptism records correctly!!)

One of our office secretaries then takes over the training at this meeting so President Klein can . . .

8:30 am!
Meet with a new young missionary from a local ward who will be working with our Elders for a period of time while waiting to enter the MTC in Guatemala to serve in the mission he has been called to serve in.  Meanwhile, he will be set-apart by President Klein and gain valuable experience here in our mission, serving with a companion and acting as a missionary in every way!

9:00 am!
Boom!  It is now time for Mission Leader Council - and while we have been secluded each of us in our own early meetings . . . we know that our wonderful zone leaders and Assistants to the President, have been arriving from points all over North Eastern Honduras.  Fortunately they have set us all up in the cultural hall for our council meeting of approximately 32 people (meaning chairs and tables set up in a sort of "round table" configuration with a whiteboard and projector, laptop and power all assembled, and a small morning snack for each!).

(zone leaders . . . ooops! Missed one set . . .   :(

(Current Mission Leader Council - February 2014)

Joining the meeting is our Assistants, Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders and a few of our office staff who will be giving presentations during the course of the meeting.

President Klein and Hna. Klein (okay I am now referring to myself in 3rd person - what is with that!!??) arrive in the cultural hall of the Stake Center - and are sooooo happy!  Everything is ready to go and we can begin :) Seriously . . . this really does make us sooooo happy!  We have just a few minutes to greet everyone and shake hands before the meeting begins.

This meeting is a BIG deal . . . did I say BIG deal?!  This meeting, if everything functions as it ideally should, should set the tone for the missionary work for the month throughout all our areas in all of Northeastern Honduras.  From San Pedro Sula to Trujillo, to Olanchito . . . this meeting of missionary leadership should set the tone of the missionary work for all our missionaries for the next four weeks and beyond (and in some instances for the rest of their lives . . .)

All this and it's only 9 o'clock in the morning!  Some of these missionaries had to get up at 2 am and travel on a bus for 7 hours to be here on time.

(One transportation option . . . picture the bus just a little more enclosed.

We counted 30 people in the back of this pickup truck! But no missionaries

thank goodness!!)

10:30 am! (Break time!!)
As always . . . during the break there is some urgent situation to be resolved . . . but this time it was an urgent medical situation . . . so much for break time . . .


12:00 noon!
We pause for lunch . . . we love the Martinez family who helps us from time to time with lunch for our missionary meetings.  (I love to cook for missionaries, but the combination of early meetings and travel left no time for food preparation today!)   We are joined for lunch by a newly called Ward Mission Leader who we are scheduled to meet with for some training after this meeting ends.

1:00 pm!
Mission Leader Council adjourns for another month, we take photos and express our deep love, gratitude and appreciation for the examples of these fine missionaries.  They are such a blessing to the zones they have responsibility over.  It's a blessing in their lives as well as they develop tremendous leadership skills that will assist them in their life forever once they return to their home countries.

We have a small training meeting scheduled with two zone leaders and the newly called Ward Mission Leader.  A fairly new convert to the Church, he is excited about his new calling and is excited to read and study "Preach my Gospel".  Bless his heart!  (Looking back, I would have been sooooo overwhelmed!  But it's the Latter-days of missionary work, and times are much different now . . . no time to be overwhelmed . . . as a new member of the church here in Central America)

2:00 pm!
The other zone leaders are still finishing their mission business, copying handouts, replenishing their zone supplies of Book of Mormons, pamphlets, gathering the newly arrived packages and mail for the missionaries in their zones which our office staff transported to the meeting for them.  Then they are off to return to their areas.  We save some of them a bus ride by driving them back to their areas which are nearby.  They love the opportunity to enjoy the air conditioning in our vehicle, even if it's only for a few minutes.  Beats standing out in the sun at the bus stop!

3:00 pm!
We drop in on a small going away party for a missionary who is leaving today to return home to her country.  We are sooooo sad to see her go . . . she has been such a valuable missionary and provided great service here!  Her district leaders and members of her district have prepared a fine send off complete with balloons, posters and treats. Off to the airport we go . . .

3:30 pm!
Time to get to the airport . . . checking in at the airport here is no small process.  After waiting in three different lines, you are finally ready to go through airport security.  When they say be here 2 hours early for international flights . . . they aren't kidding!  (We found that out the hard way as we had a missionary actually miss their flight once because everything takes two hours!)

5:00 pm!
Said our "goodbye's"  and now we are on the road to FINALLY return to the mission office, where we hope to return emails, resolve the ever present challenges occurring in some part of the mission, make calls to the missionary department before they close in one hour.  Follow up on sick missionaries, sad missionaries, obedience challenged missionaries . . .

(Office staff meeting)

7:00 pm!
In the parking lot ready for the 20 minute drive to our house . . . sometimes we wished we had the same missionary schedule . . . two hours every morning for personal study, 30 minutes for exercise, breakfast then out the door at ten.  Lunch at noon with more time for companionship study or language study.  Dinner and home by 9:00 pm . . . . we are by no means trying to downplay their long days . . . miles of walking in the hot sun, or the snow, rain and cold of our more northern counterparts . . . and for our missionaries here in Honduras . . . the ever present safety issues . . . of which we are eternally grateful for at the end of each day when we know our missionaries are safe and sound at home in their casitas, with their cold and sometimes running water, and frequent loss of power . . .

We don't envy them at all really . . . . we admire them always, for their courage and strength and dedication.  But we do sometimes times wish for a little exercise time, more personal and language study time . . .

7:30 pm!
President Klein in his home office returning messages, arranging for an emergent transfer, making inspired phone calls . . . of course . . . you can't call any missionaries yet . . . because they don't get home until 9:00 pm!  Between the two of us, we manage to make up a dinner of leftovers, and have a few minutes to reflect on the day, what we would do different, already planning our next Mission Leader Council OR zone conference OR office staff meeting OR upcoming transfer . . . OR . . .

9:00 pm!
This is when we begin to hear from the missionaries . . .  happy stuff, sad stuff, scary stuff, really awful stuff . . . we see and hear it all.  It's sometimes the best part or the worst part of the day . . . depending on those phone calls.  We are grateful they call . . . if they feel the need.  Laundry and dishes are beckoning, papers are piling up . . . but I always treasure the few minutes I have to put out scraps for the neighborhood cat, birdseed for the wild birds . . . I squeeze in a few more pages of the "official" mission history which was due last week . . . this is where those daily one-liner journal entries are saving us!  (We really do more journaling on an occasional basis, but not as good as we should do . . .)

10:30 pm!
Ready or not we really just have to hit the sack . . . we're done . . . the day is over.  Five-thirty am comes really quickly . . . and then we start again . . .

 . . . and tomorrow is a baking day . . . on tap . . . 240 missionary valentine treats . . .

And President Klein has a 6 hours of travel on the roads with holes you can literally lose a small car in . . . for a one hour meeting . . .

Of course not everyday looks just like this one . . . some are far more busy and crazy . . .
Some are less :)

(always on the lookout for the lost sheet :)

(Edited note - hahahah!  Should actually say "sheep" in the comment above, but since we wash about 60 sheets a month for our newly arriving and departing missionaries temporary stays in San Pedro, I'll just leave it as "sheet".)

We'll see you on the flip side . . .

Here in the Honduras, San Pedro Sula East Mission.

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Two . . . by two . . . by two

As missionaries they go . . .

two by two . . .

Teaching, serving, sharing - to bring a knowledge that can actually change your life.  Bringing peace, love and joy to you and your family through the restored gospel.

As a missionary you go out to teach people . . . but when you arrive . . .

You find you are actually learning from them as well.

They come from different countries and speak different languages, but they all come together to let others know that they really are children of a God who loves them, and desires to bless them.

That's who they are, That's what they do. Those Mormon Missionaries, you'll find them on a street corner near you. If you're looking for answers . . . They can help you.

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Transfers and Tips for Terrific Missionaries

The Missionary Adventure - 

Everyday is an adventure here in the mission field . . . while each mission around the world has it's own unique fingerprint and blessings and challenges . . . there can be no doubt that here in Honduras each day is a blessing and an adventure.  You never know what is going to happen . . .

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that we, and the missionaries lead a challenging life full of the up days and the down days . . . the "high five" experiences and the really "I don't think I can do this any more" experiences . . .

My heart goes out daily to the many missionaries who are struggling with real life challenges . . . sad things . . . health problems . . . . under the best of circumstances here in Honduras . . . the missionary life is a challenge.   But they keep getting up every day . . .

And for EVERY SINGLE DAY that they get up, are obedient to the many missionary rules, hit the streets of Honduras, and share their valiant testimonies with another person . . . we are extremely grateful and so proud of their efforts.

(We say goodbye to 6 wonderful missionaries as they head for home

and their final transfer)

The Challenges are Real - 

I really don't feel like there is one missionary in the bunch who doesn't have a desire to serve our Heavenly Father.  And no doubt . . . some are a little further advanced when it comes to figuring out what the life of a missionary is all about . . . but what do you expect . . . they are 18-25 years old, with a larger and larger number of them in the 18-20 age bracket.  They still have MANY life's lessons yet to learn.  But they are learning . . .

But one things for sure . . . the majority of these missionaries find great joy and fulfillment in being the instrument that brings another to a knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Many have come to realize . . .
that serving a mission . . .
is not a sacrifice . . . but a privilege.  



Hints and Tips to a Successful Mission - 

That said . . . here are 11 hints and tips to a successful mission!
Penned by LDS writer Jason F. Wright, Deseret News.

(Enjoy the photos from our most recent RAINY transfer day)

Be obedient — period

1. Be obedient — period. Following mission rules brings blessings you cannot fathom until you are immersed in obedience. Learn the rules and follow them.

Don't judge

2. Don’t judge. At times, you will feel tempted to judge other missionaries and their efforts. Remember, your skills and natural abilities may be different than those you serve with. Their best effort doesn’t need to be good enough for you; it needs to be good enough for the Lord.

(It's a rainy day outside but the missionaries still gather with excitement.  They

always have many questions for our office elders.  They keep them running

every minute!)

Be obedient every minute of every day

3. Be obedient every minute of every day. You are unlikely to meet returned missionaries who were obedient but still regret their missions. But you will certainly encounter others who were never consistently obedient and never found the promised success and happiness. Being obedient doesn't mean you won't have difficult days, but it does mean more much success and happiness than otherwise.

Serve your companions

4. Serve your companions. Iron their shirts, make their beds and shine their shoes. If you’re blessed to be assigned a more challenging personality or someone who’s struggling, serve them even more.

Be obedient — even in the small things

5. Be obedient — even in the small things. Obedience is the only frequency that the Spirit operates in. Be sure you’re dialed in every time you walk out your front door to share the gospel.

(After transfer meeting they all head back to their areas in a

combination of buses and taxis - even in the pouring rain!)

Give praise

6. Give praise. Tell your companions, especially the challenging ones, that you think they're great missionaries and, eventually, they will be. At some point you will inevitably be assigned the companion with the “reputation.” Let them know you’ve only heard terrific things about them and offer a clean slate. When your mission is complete, be the one who says every single companion he had was amazing.

Be obedient

7. Be obedient. You will make mistakes and grow better each day at effectively teaching the gospel. But while you can't be perfect in all things, you can be perfectly obedient.

Love

8. Love. Love those you teach with all your heart, even the ones who ultimately reject the message. You will plant seeds that may not be harvested for months or years by others who will come after. But you'll harvest some that were planted by missionaries now home, married and gray.

Exercise faith

9. Exercise faith that obedience leads to greater success. If you have faith in this principle, you will see it unfold in miraculous ways.

Love each and every day

10. Love each and every day. Young missionaries only get this opportunity to serve 24/7. Leave nothing behind and don't regret a single day.

Be yourself

11. Be yourself! Smile! Laugh! Have fun! Sometimes elders and sisters think that obedience and the black name tag means you’re required to shelf your personality and become ultra serious. The Lord doesn’t want us to be different people — he wants us to be better versions of ourselves.

(President Klein and I with a few missionaries who still needed their final interview at the office)




At the bus stop . . .
Ready to hit the streets of the Honduras San Pedro Sula East Mission.

Way to go Elders y Hermanas -

Love you all!!

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The First 12 Weeks . . .

To the new Missionary . . .

Welcome!

We are so happy to welcome 22 new missionaries to the

San Pedro Sula East Mission

(Twenty missionaries arrived from the Guatemala CCM, one missionary arrived from the Mexico MTC,  and we received one new sister missionary, daughter of one of our Stake Presidents,  from Honduras who is waiting to serve where she was called in Phoenix, Arizona)
(The Family Zalaya)

Welcome!

We're going to talk a little about what your experience will be like during the

First 12 Weeks

of your mission.

When the time period spent in the CCM or the MTC was decreased with the increasingly high numbers of missionaries serving, a new inspired work was added to the missionary library for missionaries serving everywhere across the world.




(the mightly crew of Assistants and office staff who helped us prepare for the day!)

It's entitled  - 

"The First 12 Weeks"

YOUR First 12 Weeks - 

Your experience in the missionary training center was designed to help you learn your purpose as a missionary and how to prepare and teach investigators by the Spirit, according to their interests and needs.

 Your purpose for the rest of your mission is to follow the promptings of the Spirit as you invite an increasing number of people "to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end" (Preach My Gospel p1).

To accomplish this purpose, you will continue to build on the foundation established at the MTC or CCM by understanding and living all the principles of missionary work found in Preach My Gospel.  Strive to become the kind of missionary who could, if called upon, train a new missionary by the end of your first 12 weeks in the mission field.





(funny story - we were expecting ONE Missionary to arrive from the Mexico CCM. Much to our surprise - two came walking out of the customs area! (Whew - not a mistake . . . just another returning missionary from Tegucigalpa on his way back home :)

(enjoying a fun game of "Missionary Jeopardy")



To accomplish this objective, follow these principles:

• Be obedient - to mission rules and the direction contained in the Missionary Handbook.  
• Love, serve and listen to your companion.
• Eagerly participate as a fully contributing member of your companionship.

The Lord has blessed you with unique gifts and abilities; use them to become the BEST missionary you can be.  Learn all you can from your companion, and apply the following guidelines as you study and proselyte together:

• Focus your study on helping your investigators prepare to make and keep covenants!
• Stay anchored in the scriptures and Preach My Gospel.
• Learn to effectively teach the doctrines in Preach My Gospel, chapter 3.
• Conduct effective daily and weekly planning, and be diligent in carrying out and adjust ing your plans according to the Spirit.  Use this time to seek revelation.
• Follow the training schedule in the booklet, The First 12 Weeks.  

(Interesting info - we now have three missionaries from Guatemala whose native language is

Q'eqChi - a native language of the Mayan - totally different from Spanish.  We also received our first missionary from Brazil!  Four missionaries who are learning Spanish, whose native language is neither English or Spanish)

Why do we do Missionary Work?

When the Savior walked upon the earth and established his church and taught his gospel, he said, 

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

(Welcome to beautiful Honduras - the mountains between Olanchito and Yoro)




Missionaries everywhere don't dedicate 18 - 24 months of their lives just to increase the membership of the church, or to "bring people into the church" or persuade them to live better lives . . . those are great blessings that can and do occur . . . and as always, we are mindful of the many churches and organizations the persuade men to believe in the Savior and go about doing good works . . .

But we are concerned about a higher purpose . . . missionaries dedicate their service, and teach and testify to help people make covenants with our Heavenly Father, that allow them to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and gain the blessings of Eternal Life.  The first of which is baptism and confirmation, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.  

Elder Oaks reminds us - 

The purpose of our missionary work is to help the children of God fulfill a condition prescribed by our Savior and Redeemer.

The doctrinal basis of missionary work is the word of God, revealed in every age, that man cannot be saved in the celestial kingdom without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that the only way to lay claim to the merits of that Atonement is to follow the command of its author: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you” (Acts 2:38).

We . . . are called to assist in that great effort.

Here in the beautiful country that is . . .

Honduras.

(I guess you can tell . . . I really do have a thing going with the cows here, they so delight me :)

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How Beautiful . . .

I've always loved the sound of this scripture . . . and until now associated it with the mountains that I love so much . . .

But today . . .

Something occurred to me . . .

and maybe you'll get a little glimpse from the message and photos that follow . . .

Abinadi quoting Isaiah  - 

15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!

   

 16 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!

 17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever!

 18 And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the ^afeet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of ^bpeace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people;

-- Mosiah 15:15-18

• •
  In Isaiah 52:7, Isaiah poetically described people bringing a great message. Why do you think Isaiah referred to the messengers’ feet? (In the ancient world, before electronic communications were available, important messages were often brought by runners traveling on foot. Isaiah uses the messengers’ feet to symbolize the messengers themselves.) 
• •
  Who else brings the message of the gospel to the world? 

I've often thought . . . how precious are the feet of these missionaries that appear all blistered, infected, bitten by moquitos, ants, dogs . . . but to Heavenly Father they are beautiful . . .

beautiful messengers publishing peace.

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A New Year . . . Putting First Things First

New Year . . . and New Beginnings . . .

AS we recognize that a new year symbolizes a new beginning, an opportunity to start again, to put old habits behind and make a new beginning, with great hope of changing prior activities to realize a new and improved self . . . or lifestyle . . .

 . . . There can be little doubt when it comes to making plans, setting goals, and being accountable for actions . . . these are fundamental principles that would benefit the lives of people everywhere . . . but for missionaries of the Lord, these principles are paramount to experiencing success in the mission field.

They principles will also bless their life, education, income and families forever more.

For this reason, we put much emphasis on these principles .

(We are as the army of Helaman!)

Many people are disinterested in goal setting, in pondering on and expressing "New Years Resolutions" as they feel a sense of failure when they fall to the wayside after a few weeks or months.  But those that preserver, and set realistic goals that are achievable are able to accomplish great things.

What does a realistic achievable goal look like?

•  For one thing it should be specific.  Don't just say I will lose weight . . . say, "I will lose 10 pounds".
• Another . . . it should be measurable, "I will workout every morning at 6am".
• The goal should be attainable, as a missionary, we encourage them rather than setting baptism goals which are dependent upon another's free agency . . . to set teaching goals each week.  To challenge each investigator to baptism.  Those are attainable goals for a missionary, goals they can meet each week.
• Timely - each goal or plan should be accomplished within a certain time frame.

Other hints and tips for being successful 

. . . review your plans on a frequent basis, weekly or monthly and make adjustments to the plan based on your experience, keeping the end goal post in sight.  Work on these things with a companion, a spouse, your favorite cheerleader, a parent, a close friend, a support group . . . someone you can feel an accountability to for continuing in the goal, or readjusting to better meet the purpose.  These sort of things are always much more pleasant if you include a social side in your plans and work on things together.  

For those of you who see setting goals and making plans as a form of drudgery . . .

Here's a few unique ideas - 

. . . Commit to reading four books, audition for a play, write a business plan, learn how to zumba, start guitar lessons,  unplug from technology one day a week for a month, send handwritten thank you notes to 30 people this month, set a goal to do something for someone else!

There's nothing like the sweet feeling of success . . . even in the small things in life.  And the small things can soon become the big things . . . as we slowly climb a mountain or . . eat an elephant . . . 

Become  your best self - starting now!

An old proverb says . . .

 "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.  The second best time is now."  

Now is the best time to start becoming the person we want to be . . . we can do it.  Not only for 20 years from now, but for eternity.  

 18 Whatever principle of ^aintelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the ^bresurrection.
 19 And if a person gains more ^aknowledge and intelligence in this life through his ^bdiligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the ^cadvantage in the world to come. - - D&C 130:18-19

Don't let your fears stand in the way of your success.

As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained (Ensign, Jan 2014) 

"that even when we fail to reach our goals we are still empowered.  Even though we might fall short of the finish line, just continuing the journey will make us greater than before."

When we approach our goals this way, failure doesn't have to limit us.  

We sometimes delay, waiting for the right moment to begin.  Fortunately, each new day is a new moment to begin.  Today is a good day to start moving towards that eternal self that you desire.  That pricking of the heart to change a behavior, make a new start, move in a different direction.  Setting goals is a worthy desire.  And in the case of sin, the wonderful process of repentance allows us to clear the burdens of our hearts, to be free from the oppression and darkness and come into the light once again through the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  

Yes, there is much hope in new starts, in new years, new days and new beginnings.

And today is the day to get started.

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