Missionary Farewell Fireside

We did something different for the Sunday morning session of Conference by inviting people over to the house for breakfast.  Well, actually, Jennifer did the inviting and I volunteered to make the breakfast; Sunday is my normal cooking day.  The catalyst for this new wrinkle in our Conference watching routine was the fact that Elder Stephens is going home tomorrow and if we wanted to have him in our home one more time before he leaves, we would need to have the missionaries over for breakfast.  Jennifer also invited the Ward family and Amanda, Lilly and Amanda’s boyfriend, Bobby as well.  Unfortunately, Amanda, Lily and Bobby weren’t able to make it, but we had a good time was still had with our slightly smaller numbers.

I was quite happy with my kitchen performance. J  Should have listened to the tickle in the back of my head last night urging me to prepare the green peppers and onions for one of the scrambled egg batches—my idea had been to have one batch with and one without (you’d think by now I learn that whenever I think, “Nah, I can do that tomorrow” inevitably “tomorrow” never works out like I plan).  Nevertheless, the cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, sausage and pancakes turned out well and everyone was satisfied (at least, no one keeled over half-way through the session J).  I’ll write about my Conference thoughts in a later post.

Elder Hurst serves as Elder Stephens' arms.

I haven’t really written about the missionaries I’ve worked with over the 15 months I’ve served as the ward mission leader.  That is an omission on my part that I should try to correct.  We’ve had great young men assigned to our ward and I don’t see any reason why it won’t continue.  The progression over the last year or so has been interesting to observe.  Missionary work in the ward started slowly when I began this calling, but I’ve seen it build each month.  It’s been great to watch the priesthood brethren step up to fulfill their team-up assignments and to learn that both the brothers and sisters in our ward are helping out by going to lessons or having those lessons in their homes without being assigned.  I’m confident that one of the reasons we’ve been having the success we’ve enjoyed is because we’ve showed Father in Heaven that we are willing to step up and help out the new converts become part of the ward family in whatever way we can.

Another picture; just more "normal"

Elder Stephens has been a great force for good while he has served in our ward.  One of the things I’ve appreciated about him is his desire to finish strong.  I don’t know if I hadn’t heard (it wouldn’t be the first time I wasn’t paying attention), but I didn’t know he was close to going home until a few weeks ago.  Sometimes it’s too easy to begin to coast as the end of the mission approaches.  I saw it when I was in the field and I’ve seen it in missionaries since I’ve been home.  With Elder Stephens, I didn’t have to worry him “taking a play off” (as I’ve heard sports announcers say) or even a series.  He has struck me as someone who was constantly trying to do his best all the time.  Because of my appreciation of his desire to work hard and the impact he has made on my family (Isaac nicknamed him “Smiling Man” because he always seemed to have a smile—at least when we saw him) and the ward, we wanted to go to the farewell fireside to show our support for him before he left to return home.

Turns out, we had more reasons than Elder Stephens to be there tonight.  Elder Hurst, another missionary who had served in our ward (Isaac called him “Big Man”), was also preparing to go home.  As an extra bonus, Jennifer had a tender mercy extended to her when she learned of a sister missionary who was also participating in the fireside.  Roughly 18 months ago (where does the time go? J), Jennifer went to a meeting at the Stake center (I honestly don’t recall whether I was there or not; Jen says I wasn’t) and met Sister Heine at the end of the meeting.  Sister Heine was, at the time, a convert of a year and a half who had come out on her mission.  She was new to the mission (2 weeks at the most) and was feeling a bit overwhelmed.  To help her, Heavenly Father put Jennifer in her path.  The two of them made an immediate connection and Jennifer was able to tell Sister Heine her conversion story and told her about the impact two missionaries she had never met before were able to make on her just by being at the right place at the right time.

Jennifer and Sister Heine

Jennifer’s only regret about her meeting with Sister Heine was her failure to get a picture taken with her (Sister Heine was serving in a ward that didn’t meet in our building) and she was never able to make a connection with her again—until tonight.  That “chance” encounter (I don’t believe in coincidence anymore when it comes to these types of things) stuck with Sister Heine throughout her mission.  When we walked into the chapel, she immediately recognized Jennifer.  We sat near the front on the right side of the room to allow Ben to be able to stretch out his legs.  At the end of the fireside, as the Elders and Sisters left the chapel to go to the cultural hall, Sister Heine and Jennifer waved to each other excitedly.  Not only were they able to exchange information, but Jennifer was finally able to get her picture taken with Sister Heine to fulfill the desire she had 18 months ago.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Elders who have been assigned to our ward during the time I have served as ward mission leader.  I have seen how having these good young men in our home has helped Ben and Isaac in their desire to serve a mission.  I’ve seen Isaac open up with them to the point where he gives them nicknames and playfully messes with them.  Jennifer and I have been able to assist them in teaching lessons and to be the member support they’ve needed in many different ways and that has been good for us also.  Frankly, if not for the opportunity to serve with the missionaries and to help out with the investigators and new converts, I probably would have imploded due to some of the stress Ben’s situation has brought at times, but the chance to look outward and not inward has made a huge difference to me. J