Have you ever served a mission for your church? If so, where did you serve, and when did you fill this assignment?
I have heard many people talk about how their missions were the best two years of their lives but also the hardest two years of their lives. I don’t know if my mission was the best two years of life or not but they were definitly two of the best years of my life. But they were not hard, what is hard about talking to people all day?
It was frustrating that more people didn’t want to learn more about the gospel but for the most part, the Belgian people were friendly and loved to talk. I taught a lot in Belgium and we were frequently invited to meals. The Flemish people know how to cook and we ate some wonderful meals.
I reported to the LTM (now called the MTC) in August of 1977 and returned home in August 1979. The LTM was still under construction when I was there and we spent many hours studying. I left the LTM in October and headed to Belgium.
My first area was Turnhout, from Turnhout I went to Vilvorde, a suburb of Brussels, and then to Kortrijk and ended my mission in Linker Oeffer which is a suburb of Antwerpen.
I know I say I’m not a social person, but I enjoyed teaching the Belgian people and we did a lot of teaching. I’m trying to figure out what the hard part of a mission could be but the only hard part is when it is raining and it is late at night and you want to go home but you feel the need to follow the suggested schedule. I learned early from my dad that you had to stay on a job until you were done so that wasn’t hard for me to do. We were knocking on doors instead of building houses. I didn’t find it difficult.
What is a favorite scripture or inspiritional thought that has influenced you?
I have many favorite scriptures but in no particular order, here are some of them.
1 Kings 19: 11 & 12
I have heard many people talk about how their missions were the best two years of their lives but also the hardest two years of their lives. I don’t know if my mission was the best two years of life or not but they were definitly two of the best years of my life. But they were not hard, what is hard about talking to people all day?
It was frustrating that more people didn’t want to learn more about the gospel but for the most part, the Belgian people were friendly and loved to talk. I taught a lot in Belgium and we were frequently invited to meals. The Flemish people know how to cook and we ate some wonderful meals.
I reported to the LTM (now called the MTC) in August of 1977 and returned home in August 1979. The LTM was still under construction when I was there and we spent many hours studying. I left the LTM in October and headed to Belgium.
My first area was Turnhout, from Turnhout I went to Vilvorde, a suburb of Brussels, and then to Kortrijk and ended my mission in Linker Oeffer which is a suburb of Antwerpen.
I know I say I’m not a social person, but I enjoyed teaching the Belgian people and we did a lot of teaching. I’m trying to figure out what the hard part of a mission could be but the only hard part is when it is raining and it is late at night and you want to go home but you feel the need to follow the suggested schedule. I learned early from my dad that you had to stay on a job until you were done so that wasn’t hard for me to do. We were knocking on doors instead of building houses. I didn’t find it difficult.
What is a favorite scripture or inspiritional thought that has influenced you?
I have many favorite scriptures but in no particular order, here are some of them.
1 Kings 19: 11 & 12
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Alma 34: 17 to 29
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.
Joshua 24:15
15 …choose you this day whom ye will serve;… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
What do you read or study to strengthen your faith?
Every weekday morning I hold a twenty minute private mini devotional before I start my day. Beginning Monday morning during those twenty minutes, I read the “Come Follow Me” message and the related scriptures for that week. I usually finish that by Tuesday or Wednesday and then I read the conference talks from the most recent general conference. That normally takes two or three months. Once I have gone through all the conference talks, I then read a book about gospel topics. Most recently I have gone through the four “Saints” books. They are fascinating and very well written. I then finish my devotional with a prayer.
Alma 34: 17 to 29
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.
Joshua 24:15
15 …choose you this day whom ye will serve;… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
What do you read or study to strengthen your faith?
Every weekday morning I hold a twenty minute private mini devotional before I start my day. Beginning Monday morning during those twenty minutes, I read the “Come Follow Me” message and the related scriptures for that week. I usually finish that by Tuesday or Wednesday and then I read the conference talks from the most recent general conference. That normally takes two or three months. Once I have gone through all the conference talks, I then read a book about gospel topics. Most recently I have gone through the four “Saints” books. They are fascinating and very well written. I then finish my devotional with a prayer.
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