And There Goes July!
It seems like just last week that I was posting a similar picture of June's calendar. Time is really flying by. This week certainly has. We had to say goodbye to the Haynie couple. They came just before we did, but they were only called for a year. He was the district leader for the senior missionaries, and they are both the salt of the earth. We will miss them. President Heckmann treated those who could come to lunch at a nice restaurant in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. It was fun to visit and laugh and be around some of the senior couples.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...we have been going through a remodel of our office space. It's been somewhat stressful because we are trying to prepare for 16 new missionaries, their luggage, and their trainers (yes it will be very chaotic) that will descend upon us this week. The office elders' desks are all moved along with the power and network cables. The flooring isn't quite done, and the rest of the office is in a shambles, but I think we will be able to handle the host of Israel next week. I think it will take a couple of more weeks until it's all finished.
We're actually supposed to get 26 missionaries this week, but 10 of them don't have visas yet. This is actually a tender mercy as the assistants were telling me that they are barely going to have enough trainers as it is. They said "if we got any more missionaries, Elder Musser would have to go out into the field to train". The reprieve is only temporary however, because we are already slated for 18 more in September. Add these 10 and we're looking at 28! Add to that the fact that we are going to get 5 new couples by the end of Sep and we are going to have our hands full!
Of course with the influx of all of these missionaries, we are filling pisos that have either been empty, or down to 1 companionship, and we're needing a few more. That is where we come in. It seems like I could melt the polar ice cap with a blow-dryer faster than we seem to be able to get new pisos (ah, Spain), but we're continuing to do what we can and then leave the rest in the Lord's hands. I am sure that He will work the miracles like He always does.
Today in Fast and Testimony meeting, the Bishop asked the youth specifically to come up. It was a sweet experience as many of them had been to FSY and it obviously had an impact. I didn't get the chance to bear my testimony as I had planned on doing because I wanted to make sure that the youth got their chance. I wanted to bear testimony to the miracle that is the Book of Mormon. I have been pondering on that this week as we have been studying D&C 84. The Prophet Joseph received many revelations that gave us incredible doctrine that was either newly clarified, or had simply been lost from the Savior's original church. Some say that he just made it all up. I had a guy in the street yell that we needed to repent because we don't believe in the Nicaean Creed. There are those who would question one doctrine or another, but I always come back to the Book of Mormon. It is real. We can hold it in our hands. We can read and reread it. Most importantly we can put Moroni's challenge to the test, and we can know, for ourselves, by direct personal revelation, that it is true. I have done this, and the Spirit has testified to my heart and soul many times that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Because of that knowledge, I know that Jesus is the Christ because the Book of Mormon testifies of Him on every page. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet because it was through him that we received it. The Book of Mormon could not be true if Joseph wasn't a Prophet. I know that all of the doctrines that were given or restored are true because Joseph was a prophet. I know that we have Prophets, Seers, and Revelators today because the Book of Mormon is true. I have also had personal experiences with many of them that would preclude ALL doubt in my mind concerning them. When the Prophet Joseph called the Book of Mormon the "Keystone" of our religion he was trying to help us see how vital that sacred text is. Any doctrine that has been revealed through prophet channels can lean on the fact of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I bear my witness to these facts in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that you too can read and love this sacred book as I have done and continue to do. It is a precious gift from our Heavenly Father.
We hope that you have a wonderful week!
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