Sunday, March 24, 2024

Sunday, March 24, 2024

• Gave Tina a blessing
• Go and Do 
• Tender mercies of the lord - Moving to Arizona
• Evening fireside on the Book of Mormon

This is what we woke up to this morning. A fresh layer of snow on the mountains

Tina is still very sick with a bad cold and I have been fighting not to get it. I can fill it trying to kick in up in my head but mine is still been manageable. Anyway she ask if I could give her a blessing. I was going to ask Elder Stillwaugh but he was not in his room next door to us, so I went down to the kitchen and there was another Elder Johnson in there who was just finishing up his breakfast and I ask him. He was happy to do so.

Today after Sacrament meeting all missionaries at the MTC participated in an activity called "Go and Do". It is directed to the study of the Book of Mormon and how it can answer life's questions. We have 2 hours to read and ponder and record our thoughts as guided by the spirit.

Tender mercies of the Lord 

Although I fought it at times on of the greatest tender mercies was going to Arizona and living there for over 25 years. I could name hundreds of people who came into my life that had a profound influence on my life. Glenn, Scott and Chris Taylor, all brothers but amazing servants of God. Rick Stokes, Bill Olsen and Tim Naylor, men I worked with in the church and became close friends that I learned much from. John Phelps, one who had so many personal struggles but in my mind was as close to God as anyone I knew. Sonny Cook, Bill Gayler, Madge and Fred Najera and Gerald Behermann. People you would not necessarily find in church each week, but their Christ like attribute of serving others was second to none. Ed Lyons a great man who took a leap of faith and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ into his life. He was a great example of a loving father to his children. He is one of my best friends. Lewis Rice who is also a convert and a special friend and embraced the gospel 100%. He knew everything about everyone and not in a gossip way, but always concerned for their needs. Verona Carter, an older widow, my goal as a bishop was to find out about someone in the ward who was in trouble or had a tragedy, in the hospital or what ever before Verona. I would hear of someone in need and rush over to their house to check on them and they would say, thank you for coming bishop, but Verona Carter has already been by. Darren Prince a friend of great integrity and so unselfish with his time to help others. Reeves Moosman, I could write a book on this great man and what he did for me.

I could fill ten thousand pages with names of people that I met living in Arizona that taught me so much many whose names I can't remember, but if you told me their name I could tell you something good that I learned from them. The Stevens, Knights, Welly's, Kleinman's, Andersons, Stewart's, Westover's, Bill and Connie Mitton, and the list goes on.

This evening we had a new missionary fireside. They hold them every Sunday. The fireside was on the Book of Mormon and how it testifies of Christ. One thing I have noticed about this time around in the MTC vs my first mission is that everything we do here is with a focus on Jesus Christ and primarily uses the Book of Mormon as the tool to focus on him