Zone Conference

We attended our first Zone Conference today. It was in Lebannon, NH, where the young Joseph Smith had surgery for osteomelytis. The drive was lovely, in spite of the rain.

Before Zone Conference we took orders for missionary supplies, put them together in Zones, and Elders Saunders and Juarez carried it all out to "The Van" affectionately know as Bruce.

Hearing the missionaries sing was fabulous. Sister Abbot, one of our sister missionaries, was called up, out of the audiance, to give a talk . She said that to hear the spirit, we must be listening for it and seeking it. I have noticed the truth of that. The more time I spend in study and/or prayer, the greater abundance of the Spirit I feel. It is the Mary and Martha story. Many things are good, but one thing is ever needful. TAKE TIME.

President Jensen talked about a dream he had. He and his sons love to fish. He dreamed someone said to him, "The fishing is great, take advantage of it." He quoted Matt 4:19 and read the footnoted, inspired version of it. Missionaries are "fishers of men!"

We are thrilled!

We are assigned to home teach the family whose father, Brother Emile, is not a member, but he attends church, pays tithing etc. Pray for us to be guided by spirit to teach him the necessity of baptism by immersion, by one who has authority from God, that be may once again return to the presence of God and have eternal life. Think what making this covenant with God will mean to him personally and to his family. He will have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and he can prepare to go to the temple to have his family sealed together for eternity.

Sweet Referral

A member of the church, who drives a truck, called the mission office and ask that a Book of Mormon be delivered to a man who had helped him navigate his truck through Maine. He asked us to write in the Book of Mormon: Thank you for your example of Christian living when you helped me in Maine. This is the thing of greatest value that I can give you. This book, The Book of Mormon, is true. Listen to these young men.

Excerpts from letter to Bishop McQueen

We are teaching a middle aged couple, well educated, who are editors. They work from home. They don’t have children, but they have some interesting cats. Our last lesson was well received. Dean (Elder Longmore) is able to answer many of the questions that come up and we team teach the lessons. It is just amazing to witness the spirit at work both in our lives as we teach, and in the lives of those being taught. The spirit of missionary work is a sweet loving spirit. We feel it when we teach, we see it in the eyes of the missionaries, and we feel it in the office. It is a wonderful thing.

P.S. We just returned from a meeting with the ward mission leader and the Elders assigned to our ward. On the way home we were discussing why we were assigned so far away from where we live. We live in Goffstown and our ward is the Derry Ward. We believe there is a reason. We think we might know who it is. There is a man who is not a member, but who attends every Sunday, pays tithing, participates in lessons, and is very active in church. He doesn’t want to be baptized because his father baptized him years ago and he feels it would be disrespectful to his father to be baptized again. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could teach him and help him understand the blessing of baptism by one who had authority from God? Whatever the reason, we hope to find it and pursue it.

Happy Spring!!!!
Elder & Sister Longmore

Easter Sunday, One Month Into our Mission.

April 12, 2009

We love our mission. Elder Longmore catches on quickly and he works well with the Elders. He tells them that if they don't get their car repair receipts in, or whatever receipts they need to send to the office, that they will self destruct or even worse, be put on a car fast. They must believe him because they are very anxious to comply. I bring cookies in and try to work expeditiously. Woa, there's a word and an idea that are both a challenge! The spirit of missionary work is a sweet loving spirit. We can see it in the eyes of the missionaries and feel it in the office.

We are teaching a middle-aged couple who are editors, Nancy Hanger and Andrew Phillips. They work from home. No children, but they do have some interesting cats. The last lesson went well and we hope that they continue to progress.

The Elders who trained us were originally going to be with us for four or five weeks but were only with us for a week. The learning curve has been a bit steep, but this is a mountain with great views on the way up and we are enjoying the climb in spite of the occasional skinned knees and skinned pride. By the way, thanks to those of you who have encouraged me at those skinned knee times. We are not to the top yet, but we are getting closer.

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Today was very encouraging even though the Berg's were on vacation. Dad did his work and Elder Berg's work. I got caught up with my work. We had a great day!

Allergy Season

It is a season for growth, and I am alergic to it. It makes my eyes red and watery. But I am not giving up, not me! I have been set apart and given a blessing and I have a wonderful family rooting for me. Dad is very complimentary and encouraging, so onward and upward! The red-eyed greeny Mission Office Secretary

The Office

We are very busy in the office. We are all learning new programs and new procedures. I am learning to be a secretary which is a miracle in and of itself.

Elder Longmore (Dean) is the finance secretary, or as he calls it, The Business Manager. It is a full-time job! He pays bills, negotiates housing, takes care of missionaries who lose support cards or have them compromised, etc. .

The other office couple are great to work with. Sis Berg is cheerful and generous. We help each other . I am more familiar with computer stuff, (believe it or not!), so I help her. She helps me with what she knows more about. I learned how to print the several different sized pictures we need (of the missionaries) for the Presidents board, etc, and we got the first Messenger (newsletter) out. Yea!

Elder Berg (he is 76) has Parkinson's disease. He is pretty unsteady on his feet sometimes, but so steady in his dedication and courage. He is brilliant, although he has slowed down some because of health issues. Elder Berg is the fleet secretary. The Bergs are part time, but they are spending more time in the office for now while we are all learning our jobs. Elder Longmore & I are often here until 7:00 or 8:00 pm.

Overall, we love it. There is a spirit in the office that feels like the veil is thin. It is a wonderful place to work.

Bunny Cake from the YW in our ward. Y'all should bake one. The kids would love it.

This is where the action is: The Mission Office

This is the couple we work with, the Bergs.

In New Hampshire, The Live Free or Die State

We feel like we are setting up house for the first time only we know each other better and love each other more.