Mission Lows and Highs

Since our last entry, we spoke in another Stake Conference and headed out in the evening to present a fireside in yet another part of the mission.  Turned out that it had been cancelled because it was scheduled with an Elder who went home on this last transfer and the new Elders had not followed through with the arrangements.  Fine, we thought, lets go home and have a quiet evening enjoying a piece of the cake I had made on Saturday.  Things are just never that simple in the mission field.  As we headed home, we receive a phone call that one of our Elders had gone missing.  The Assistants got on it right away and by 9:30 pm the Elder had returned to his apartment and called in.  He just got fed up with his companion who didn't want to work and was hanging around the church building and went out to make street contacts by himself.  Turned out he returned with 5 promising contacts. Needless to say in the end after interviews, etc. they were both transferred by the following Tuesday when we had a new missionary, a visa waiter, come into the mission and the President spent the day driving all over the mission, shuffling missionaries around.  I think I have said before that any transfer is like a domino effect.  It's never easy!

During the week we were dealing with the transfers, we received a call that one of our Sister missionaries had fainted.  With a member`s help, she was taken to a doctor who said that she needed to immediately go to a psychiatrist.  We brought her and her companion to our home, called the mental health medical advisers and the next day, took her to the psychiatrist.  Turns out she had been treated prior to the mission and was on medication for serious mental problems, but had stopped treatment and taking her meds, assuming that the mission and the Lord would solve all her problems. It seems that none of this was reported on her mission papers that she submitted.  I can't begin to tell you how many times this happens, according to the mental health advisers.  We put her on a plane Thursday morning accompanied by our wonderful medical adviser, Dr. Swensen and his wife and in a few hours she was at home where she will begin treatment again and yet have a full, successful life.

After such a turbulent week, Friday we had a wonderful three hour Special Conference in conjunction with the Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission with Elder L. Whitney Clayton, one of the 7 presidents of the Seventies and his wife,  as well as Elder Aidukaitis of the Area Presidency and his wife.  Two zones of our missionaries gave a special musical number which I had the privilege of directing.  We sang the Medley of "I Know that My Savior Loves Me" and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives".   For us, the teachings of this Conference were a confirmation that all we had been trying to teach in the few short months that we have been here was what our missionaries needed to hear and was reinforced by these great brethren at this conference.

We left the conference feeling rejuvenated and happy to be where we are and  grateful for all of these special experiences.  

No Stake Conference today, just the wonderful privilege of meeting in a Fast and Testimony meeting with the Saints to renew our Covenants and be blessed by the Spirit.  More blessings coming this next week as we attend two sessions in the temple with our missionaries.

Happy Mothers Day to each of our dear daughters and Jean!  We send our love to all of you!