Trust in the Lord With All Thine Heart...

 

I thought the bugs were big in Florida! 

This is a typical moth we encountered as we came into work one day.

 

 

"The greatest gift I ever had, came from God, I call him Dad." 

As you can clearly see Elder Busath had a wonderful Father's Day!

Thanks to six terrific kids and their families!!!

 

 

Our very own Pleasant Hill Ward missionaries prior to transfers. I just didn't want to miss this Kodak moment in the event that transfers would change some of these powerful companionship's.

From left to right, Elder Daniel Giraldo, a Spanish speaking missionary from Florida, Sisters Abby McLeod and Rachel Wells, Elders Troy Larsen, and Nicholas Clement, English speaking, and Elder Cameron Cook an Argentina Visa Waiter and Elder Taylor Jackson, their District Leader.

 

 

In their true character....

 

 

Monday, June 17, 2013 Transfers...

 

 

5 Elders and 21 Sister missionaries arrived from the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah,

tired, but excited to be here!

 

 

 

First pictures, then dinner...smile :)

 

We discovered that in this particular transfer almost 85% of the missionaries were from Utah.

Two were from California!

 

The Assistants, Elder Romero and Curtis, with Sister Hall at the door.  Elder Knapp, also an Assistant for one more day, is standing talking to the sisters. He departs for his home in Eugene, Oregon, Wednesday after 2 years of faithful service.  Sisters Conger, Adamson, Ransom, LaForce and Barnes are seated around the table waiting for the festivities to begin.

 

Due to the increased number of missionaries called to serve in Florida Orlando the Mission Home is no longer large enough to feed nor provide sleeping arrangements for all.  So we schedule the Hunter's Creek Stake Center and feed them in the Relief Society Room and then they are all transported to the Mission Home to be interviewed by the Mission President.  Once the interviews have been completed the Elders are housed overnight with the Assistants and other Elders nearby and all, but 6 of the sisters will stay at the Mission Home. 

 

Elder Busath and I had the opportunity to transport the "Super 6 Sisters" to President Wood's beautiful home in Winter Park.  (He, in the advance car, and me following close behind in a mini van).  President Wood is a Councilor in the Mission Presidency.  The next morning bright and early we arrived at President Wood's house to transport the sisters back to the Mission Home to pick up their medical cards and then back to the Hunter's Creek Stake Center for orientation.

 

 

 Sister Conger, Sister Gebs, Sister Welch and Sister Hess wait for the luggage to be loaded in the trailer before they are on their way to orientation and to meet their trainers.

 

 Elder Ward, Hemsley, Perez and Waller ready for action.

 

 Sister Moffat, Sister Moline, Sister Godfrey-just to name a few of the faces I recognize.

 

First orientations, then meet the trainers...

 

While the new missionaries receive instructions and meet their trainers others who are being transferred gather in the parking lot to renew their friendships and get acquainted with some new faces.

 

Get ready, get set, go...

 

 

 We got mail!  Yes we admit it, we are spoiled.  The Potts sent us, not one, but two packages to help us celebrate the 4th of July-California style :) And we plan to put all of our goodies to good use. We actually have plans to spend the 4th in Cocoa with our Senior District, sitting around, eating Navajo tacos, and watching the fireworks.  Hopefully they will be in the mood for s'mores because we have all the required ingredients :0

 

 Sisters Halliday, Ransom and Salverson, and Elders Ward and Hirschi stopping by the Mission Office to pick up their bikes and take care of other business.

 

On Sunday we had the opportunity to watch the worldwide broadcast, titled, "The Work of Salvation".  It was part of the annual training for new mission presidents, numbering 173 this year, more than ever before.  One of those 173 new mission presidents is our very own, President Michael Berry and his wife, from Draper, Utah, due to arrive on Friday, June 28th.  We can't wait to meet them and welcome them to the mission.  But with their arrival comes the departure of our well loved President Garth Hall and his wife, Sharon, soon to depart for their home in Rexburg, Idaho.  I am awful at good byes so I have to keep singing the words from a popular church hymn, "Until We Meet Again," to keep from crying.

 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland stared the broadcast by stating something only a full time missionary would appreciate, “To all the full-time missionaries sharing in this broadcast around the world, we say never again in your entire life are you going to be part of a zone conference this large!”  Although our own chapel was filled to capacity with full time missionaries we felt the sweet spirit that can only be felt in a Zone Conference.

For those of you who actually participated in the conference I apologize for the review, but for those of you who didn't you missed out on a wonderful opportunity and I feel the need to share some of the powerful words that were spoken.

“To the many members of the Church gathered in innumerable locations, we affirm that ward and stake councils can no longer say of this great army of missionaries, ‘There they go.’ No, the hour is upon us in which we must now say, ‘Here they come.’ All of us must plan for and use this heaven-sent resource in the most productive way possible.”

The number of full-time missionaries worldwide has surged from some 52,000 to an unprecedented 70,274 after last October’s announcement that the age of eligibility for service would be lowered from 19 to 18 for men and from 21 to 19 for women. Fifty-eight new missions were created to accommodate the increase, bringing the total to 405.

“We have asked, ‘What will all these missionaries do?""said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the twelve in his address.  "Our answer is that they will do the same thing that missionaries have always done; they will follow the Savior Jesus Christ and preach His restored gospel."

But in this digital age, that will now include the Internet as a method, he said, explaining that for people today, online media are often their main point of contact with others, even close friends.

In his prerecorded remarks concluding the broadcast, President Monson endorsed all that had been said in it.
 

“Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him,” he declared. “He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work.”

It is a privilege to be a servant of the Lord serving in the Florida Orlando Mission, and we are humbled to be a part of His important work.  It is an exciting time to be a missionary and we highly recommend it :)
 

In closing, I just want to say that the title of this post is not random, but rather an important principle that I recently learned on my knees and now feel impressed to share.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.

Life is tough sometimes, but I testify that these word are true! We may not always understand why things happen the way they do, or why it feels like the Lord isn't answering our prayers.  He loves us, I know He does.  I think President Henry B. Eyring put everything into perspective when he stated in his April Conference talk, "My promise to you who pray and serve the Lord cannot be that you will have every blessing you may wish for yourself and your family.  But I can promise you that the Savior will draw close to you and bless you and your family with what is best." 

We have felt His love and we wish what is best for each of you.........


Until we meet again.........