I received my call to serve in the Oregon Eugene Mission way back in August. At the time it seemed this day would never arrive but here I am ready to leave for Eugene this week on Friday, March 31st.
My official start date was March 13th. That day I began 4 days of training with Missionary Medical in downtown Salt Lake City. I have had this training prior to my previous missions but I always learn something new and I am reminded about the things I learned before. There were doctors and nurses in the group going to all parts of the world. I love meeting and interacting and learning from these fellow advisors.
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| This is a group picture of the health advisors in training with me. |
We had several medical people from different fields such as dental, gastroenterology, dermatology, orthopedics, psychiatry, etc come to talk to us. Each of them advised us on the illnesses or problems we could encounter in the mission field when helping the missionaries with their health and ways we might help alleviate these problems.
We received instructions on insurance and various protocols to help us to be more efficient and knowledgeable in our work.
We had lunch together every day where we could visit and share thoughts and feelings. I grew to love these people in just a few short days.
Each evening as I returned home from training, I was able to enjoy my family. We had meals together and sat around and enjoyed each other’s company. My youngest son, David, is a captain in the army reserves. He is being deployed to Germany so we had “double” farewell evenings together.
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| Family time after dinner |
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| David teaching the kids how to make straw flutes |
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| Cody and his straw flute |
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| Zolee and Rory showing their flutes |
The week following medical training, this last week, I commuted Monday through Friday to the MTC in Provo where I received education on how to reach out to people and to invite them to come unto Christ. It was a spiritually enriched week.
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| The entire group of senior missionaries training at the MTC the same week as I was in training |
I was in a district with four other single sisters. Three of them were called to MLS (Member Leadership Support) and the fourth was going to do records preservation (a genealogical mission).
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| Our classroom at the MTC |
We laughed and had fun along with sharing our thoughts and feelings about the Gospel and our Savior, and gaining strength through the companionship of each other and bearing our testimonies.
Our classroom instructors were the Monroe brothers. So here are pictures of the morning class and the afternoon class.
Were had training and devotionals with the entire group of senior missionaries as well as our smaller group in training sessions.
It was a constant learning process from 8 to 5 each day with an enjoyable lunch break where we got to be with the younger missionaries. That is always a treat to talk to them and to feel their enthusiasm for what they have chosen to do. I talked to senior and junior missionaries going to every part of the world and enjoyed snippets of various languages as the missionaries practiced their language skills.
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| The cafeteria is a huge L- shaped room |
In one of the buildings at the MTC, there are several large, wall-sized murals. They are beautiful.
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| The murals are back lit so they are spectacular. These pictures do not do them justice. |
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| The couple with me, Elder and Sister Watson, are some new friends who will be serving in St George. |
These are only a few of the murals. There are too many to post here.
I love serving. As I pondered my service as a missionary this week, I re-read a talk given by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in October 2018 General Conference titled Believe, Love, Do. He states: "We achieve the abundant life by becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ—by following in His ways and engaging in His work."
He goes on to say: "Those who dedicate themselves to Christ’s cause discover the truth of the Savior’s promise: ‘Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.’"
I love serving but sometimes it can be a little daunting. I worry if I can do what I am called to do. I sometimes fear "opening" my mouth that I won’t be prepared to say what I need to say. When I have these feelings of self-doubt and fear, I always fall back on a favorite scripture in 1 Nephi 3.
Lehi instructs Nephi and his brothers to go back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates which contain the record of the Jews and genealogy of Lehi’s family. His brothers are murmuring. Nephi worries because he knows how difficult it will be to get those records from Laban. But he has great faith.
Before leaving, he tells his father in verse 7: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
I know this is true. I have comfort in knowing that when I am asked to do something, I will have the help of the Lord and He will prepare the way for me as well.
I want to become more like my Savior in every way. I love my Savior.
I love you my dearest family and friends.
