September Mission Conference

Every month in our mission we have Mission Conference.  There are two sessions and we always love to go to the first session because everything the presidency talks about is for the first time and it may not be the same in the following session.  Although the talks and missionary assignments and challenges are the same.  Each month a different member of the presidency and his wife speak to us, but President Tate is always the concluding speaker.

In the photo: President Larson, Second Counselor on the right and Sister Larson with long hair on the left.

For September it was the Second Counselor, President Larson and his wife, Sister Larson.  Sister Larson spoke first.  She talked about her calling as an ordinance worker at the Gilbert, Arizona Temple.  She went in early in the morning with her husband, who had an earlier assignment than hers. It was so peaceful there.  There was plenty of time for personal prayer and meditation.  She just found a quiet place in the basement floor before the temple opened.  One day she thought, there is nothing keeping me in the basement until I report for work, I might as well meditate and pray on the main floor. Before long she used the same reasoning and moved up to the upper floor and into the celestial room.  This was the most beautiful place to enjoy the quiet and glorious atmosphere of the temple.  This became her permanent location for her morning routine.

Her question to us to think about was: Do we realize our potential to climb out of the basement of our lives and into the celestial level of our lives?  Are we stuck in the basement?  It is up to us to climb out of the basement and find happiness and joy in serving the Lord on our missions.

A story of her ancestor in the third generation that she found while researching names in the 1860 US census and found an 8 year old girl she had not added to her family tree.  She told us that 8 year old ancestor was stuck in basement anxious to be found.  She described her as tired and patiently waiting. And that she helped her get to the celestial room. She said that her joy of finding her was a indescribable.

She encouraged us all to make time to research the names of our ancestors.  To recognize where we are in our study and research and not to get stuck in the basement of it all.  Your hearts will swell with love in finding your ancestors.

President Larson's talk was based on the song he sang for us before his talk, "Lead Kindly Light". Some of the points he made were: 1) To pray always and over everything, even frustrations. 2) Without the Spirit there is no guidance to the things we do and we are not edified. 3) There is essential spiritual nutrients in gazing into the tomb and knowing that "He Lives"! 4) Jesus Christ is our supreme advocate. 5) We must see ourselves as God sees us. 6) We must love ourselves as God loves us. 7) We must learn that the best answers are found in the scriptures and at the temple.  8) We must study the scriptures to understand the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  9) Go to the temple. It is the most sacred place on earth.  It is there that the words of Christ becomes engraved  in our hearts. 10) With His power we can overcome all challenges.

In the photo: Mission President Tate on the right and President Larson on the left.

President Tate expressed his love and appreciation for all the missionaries who are serving under his care.  He told us about the time in April 2009 when he was called as an Area Seventy and was seated with the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles at their meeting. He was overwhelmed with the love of Christ that each expressed in their character and being as they welcomed him. He remembers the 12 bearing their fervent testimonies of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Elder Holland said that there are millions waiting for our help.  Elder Uchtdorf said that when the Lord needs a job to be done He calls on capable men and women to get it done.

Everywhere in the world the Family Search History is being used to find ancestors.  The spirit of Elijah is bringing families together into the light.  The gospel is the point of light in a time when there is so little light the darkness seems normal.  Now the Family Search program is part of that light. We are here to learn all we can about Family Search so we can help others in the world.

We had our October mission conference already and our next mission conference is in November. We will report on the October mission conference in our next blog.