Join Us!

What would happen to our mission if we all read the Book of Mormon together over the next six months? What would happen if we read the Book of Mormon looking for an answer to a personal question? The missionaries responded in our zone conferences this month with answers like increased faith, unity, greater confidence before God, peace, knowledge, greater capacity to do His work and His will.

I asked the missionaries to share their questions. Here is a sampling:

"What do I need to do to have a happy life?"

"What do I need to do to be an instrument in His hands?"

"What profession should I pursue?"

"Am I ready to do all of the hard things required of me as a missionary?"

"How can the Atonement help me trust God?"

"How can I stay grounded and faith-filled during times of stress?"

"How can I help my family be fully converted?"

"How can I learn to stand alone?'

"How can I keep my spirituality, even in difficult circumstances?"

"How did Jesus Christ fulfill all righteousness? And how can my life change with this understanding?"

"How can the Atonement heal the damage done to the brain caused by addictions?"

"How can I be bold and open my mouth to invite others to come unto Christ?"

The Book of Mormon can answer all of these questions and the 170+ of the other missionaries. The missionaries received a notebook to record their answers. I am looking forward to hearing what they find. I absolutely believe they are correct that all the things they listed will happen in our mission because reading the Book of Mormon changes lives; it is God's direction for all who will listen.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said of the Book of Mormon, "For 179 years this book has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history--perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands. Failed theories about its origins have been born and parroted and have died. None of these frankly pathetic answers for this book has ever withstood examination because there is no other answer than the one Joseph gave as its young unlearned translator. In this I stand with my own great-grandfather, who said simply enough, "No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so."

The Book of Mormon has blessed my life in countless ways. It testifies of the Savior; it brings peace and hope. I have learned for myself that it is the word of God. What an remarkable blessing it is to the world. We heard the sweet witness of one of our missionaries who has read the Book of Mormon four times while serving a mission. It has changed his relationship with God and has given him strength beyond his own.

Please join us; nothing else you do will bless your life more. If you are not a member of our Church and would like to join us in this pursuit, find a missionary and ask for a copy of the Book of Mormon or get a copy here. I would love to hear from you. What is your question?

We love your sons and daughters; they bring life and joy into this mighty work. Thank you for sending them, and for trusting us with them. It is a privilege to watch them grow in confidence and faith.

Savai'i Zone Conference

Savai'i Leadership Training

Tutuila Leadership Training

Tutuila Zone Conference

Upolu Leadership Training

Upolu Zone Conference

Upolu Zone Conference

Heroes

Heroes are interesting, aren't they? My favorite definition is "a warrior of special strength, courage or ability." We rub shoulders with these warriors all day every day. We spent the last week in leadership training meetings and zone conferences. Spending time learning with missionaries is an experience I will treasure forever. Watching them discover truth and committing to live the life of a disciple gives me a glimpse of how God sees them.

President said to a group of them last week that he would go into any battle with them. We are in a battle for the souls of men. We, like the stripling warriors, are a band of missionaries seeking the fallen and binding their wounds.

These heroes come in every shape, size, nationality and personality. Their heroic acts are as different as they are. For some it was overcoming the challenges of coming on a mission initially. For others it is battling illness while still continuing to seek those who search for truth. For some it is recognizing change that needs to occur in their own lives. For all of them it is acting in faith to follow the path God desires for them and helping others to find His path.

I had some heroes come to my rescue this week. President was on another island overnight and I locked myself out of the house. Our assistants came to my rescue. We couldn't find another key so we had to wiggle a hanger in-between the two doors, hook the handle and pull. That all might sound easy; it was anything but easy. They were persistent and, after many tries, successful! Elder Wengert pulled the handle and then celebrated like he had just won the lottery. We all celebrated! It was a victory over something insignificant; the celebration was fitting to the effort and their tender concern for me.

Last week our assistants showed up at our planning meeting looking like this:

I thought is was pretty clever. They all just happened to have supermen shirts. Little did I know that they would come to my rescue within just a few days. These four missionaries are heroes is the most important ways. They support and guide through their example and love. I am always grateful for their strength and courage. They do hard things and they do it with cheerfulness and "unwearied diligence."

The events of this past week have made me ponder the strength that is impossible to articulate when surrounded by missionaries. Yes, they are young. Yes, some of them do stupid things. Yes, some of them stumble. But there is a palpable feeling of tremendous strength in a group of God's warriors. There is a real sense of their purpose and their bond with each other. And it is extremely interesting to me that their strength is in direct correlation to their obedience. They truly are a reflection of the stripling warriors. "They were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him." (Alma 53:20-21)

Sometimes, I struggle when I know they struggle. I worry when they are ill. I fret when they stumble. But, as I watch the Lord work in their lives, I am reminded very clearly that "His ways are not my ways." He is busy in the lives of these missionaries. As they align themselves with His will, He makes heroes out of them!

P.S.  Be sure to check the Life with Missionary Page for pictures from our conferences in Savai'i and Tutuila. Upolu conferences are this week.

The BLPP

We met with our mission leadership this week. It is always a joy to be with them. We truly are grateful for what they do and who they are. 

The Mission Leadership Council

One of the things we discussed this week was our Standards of Excellence. Each mission president has the opportunity to develop and set standards specific to his mission. Several months ago, with the help of the mission leaders, we developed four Standards of Excellence. We call them our BLPP. The missionaries report on their BLPP each week in their letters to the President. 

Samoa Apia Mission BLLP:

B-2 Baptisms per month

L-20 Lessons taught per week

P-7 Planning sessions per week

P-5 Perfect mornings per week

Elder Pearson shared with our missionaries several months ago that it is easy to tell what kind of a missionary someone is by looking at his/her planner. With a good plan, comes a great day. Lessons taught include lessons to members as well as investigators. A perfect morning includes getting up at 6:30, praying, exercising, eating, showering, dressing like a missionary, personal study and companionship study. The standard is five because Sundays and P-days follow a different schedule. The missionaries can still achieve a perfect morning on those days; they just look different for each companionship. 

It has been exciting to see the missionaries responding to these Standards. Many, many of our missionaries exceed these standards every single week. We have witnessed a direct correlation in their success and their happiness when they achieve the Standards. I think most of it comes from knowing that the effort is what really counts. We can't always be perfect in performance, but we can always be perfect in effort. Even those who may fall short on lessons or baptisms can look to their planning and their perfect mornings and know they are doing all that they can. It is in those times when we work hard and fall short that our faith is stretched and we turn more sincerely to the Lord. 

We found these BLPP missionaries at a Stake Conference today!

I often wonder if we as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints forget the constant nature of the help we receive from our Heavenly Father. We learn in 2 Nephi 25:23 (Book of Mormon), "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." I fear that we focus too intensely on the "after all we can do" part, believing that His grace and help will finish off what we have so earnestly tried to accomplish. Is it possible that we are reading it wrong? Do we miss the true meaning? Could the meaning be that "after all," you can never do enough and without Him we will never be enough? Elder Todd D. Christofferson explained, "After here does not refer to a sequence or chronology. It means beyond or above. The Lord will provide all that is needed beyond our capacity to accomplish in repenting and becoming reconciled to God. His aid is not reserved or delayed until the end, but is constantly with us in the journey." I am blessed to witness His aid in the lives of our missionaries even and most often when they struggle. 

Elder Christofferson continues, "I am under no illusion that this can be achieved by our own efforts alone without His very substantial and constant help. We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help-divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience. But I know that beyond desiring His help, we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so there is something for God to help us with."

As missionaries go to work and take responsibility in achieving the Standards of Excellence, God makes up what they lack. I see it every single day here without exception. Nephi had it right when he said, "I will go and do as the Lord has commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, SAVE HE SHALL PREPARE A WAY FOR THEM that they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them." Is that not the most amazing thing? God asks us to do something and then prepares a way through his grace to achieve what He has asked! We simply must be willing.

Being More Different

We have had an amazing week. Chris and Lili Anderson have been with us this week. They are both mental health specialists. Chris works in the missionary department of the Church counseling with mission presidents and missionaries. He helped pioneer Critical Incident Stress Response services and training as a part of LDS Family Services. He led response teams to several incidents, including the Columbine High School shootings, the World Trade Center attack, several hurricanes, the Indonesia tsunami, and the Haiti earthquake.

After almost 20 years of being a full-time homemaker, Lili returned to school. She holds a Master's degree in Social Work and a PhD in Marriage, Family and Human Development at BYU. Lili has a private practice and is the president of The Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists. She also serves on two public affairs committees for the Church. When she has time, she writes books.

Chris and Lili Anderson

We met Lili and Chris about a year ago through a mutual friend. They spoke at a fireside in our stake. Lili has an incredible way of looking at the Gospel and applying it to our mortal experiences. She has authored a book entitled "Choosing Glory."  I have learned profound and remarkable things from her. She is a champion of what is right; she is a courageous warning-voice; she is a devoted disciple of the Savior.

When we visited with them a year ago after the fireside, we casually invited them to Samoa. After all, everyone wants to come to Samoa! Lili was invited to be the keynote speaker at a young single adult conference in Auckland, New Zealand. That at least put them in the same hemisphere. We were thrilled when they said they would be able to spend some time with us here in Samoa. 

They spoke to our senior missionaries, the Elders and Sisters serving in Upolu (see pictures on the Life with Missionaries page), and some of the young single adults in Apia. What a gift it was to listen to them. Chris took our young missionaries to Doctrine and Covenants 123: 16-17. "You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, and with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." Sometimes, it is hard to be cheerful on a mission. Sometimes, it feels like there is too much work to be done. Sometimes, it feels as though we will never become what He wants us to become. Chris helped us to see big things can happen by small changes. The Lord expects us to be cheerful. Do we need to change our expectations? Maybe we don't recognize His hand in our lives. There are many, many reasons to be cheerful in the service of the Lord. And then this very important piece--once we have done all that lies in our power or ability to do, let us STAND STILL, and the Lord will do the rest. 

Lili shared with us her insights regarding Doctrine and Covenants 88:22-24. Every kingdom in God's glory is governed by law. If we want to live in those realms, we must learn to live those laws. She taught our missionaries that we need to live a Terrestrial life now. This is a life where the natural man is harnessed, and we have self-control and delayed gratification. This kind of living brings external peace and presence of the Spirit. This includes doing the right thing at the right time. It means being diligent--getting up, falling down, and getting up again. If we obey basic commandments and live a terrestrial life, we live a safer life. When we live this kind of a life, we can seek God's sanctifying power and begin to live a Celestial life, which is a life of Christ-like being. Here we feel the right things; our hearts are completely aligned with God. 

She helped us understand that the world is becoming more and more Telestial. Our world is becoming increasingly dark and evil. If we want peace in our lives we have to be "more different" than the world. In times past, it was easy to help our children learn about goodness because most of the world was still Terrestrial. As the world deteriorates, it will become necessary to be more different. We surely will become a peculiar people. Lili quoted Elder Marvin J. Ashton, "There is nothing worth having that the Gospel will deny you."

There is so much more! We have been truly blessed by their visit. Learning from them has been a life-changing and mission-changing experience for us and our missionaries. Now, go get her book and learn for yourself!

  

Walking to the Edge of the Light

It is hard to believe that another six weeks have passed since the last transfer and yet here it is again. We received 17 new missionaries and said good-bye to 10. It is always a stressful/happy/sad/exciting/worrisome/thrilling and wonderful week. Make sure to check the Life with Missionaries page for individual pictures.

New Missionaires

New Missionaries and Trainers

Saying good-bye is always difficult. Many of these missionaries live here in Samoa; we look forward to watching them progress and become powerful leaders among the Samoan Saints.

Tofa Soifua--We love you!

We also called two new assistants, Elder Wengert and Elder Suiaunoa. Elder Hodges and Elder Suianunoa will be in the office working with us to support and train missionaries. Elder Wengert and Elder Moe are what we have termed "proselyting assistants." They have been given the task of traveling the mission and spending time with companionships. Sometimes it may be a 24 hour exchange; sometimes they may be a few days in one area. We believe they will bring great strength to the missionaries in the field, especially those who are in remote areas. We are grateful for each of these four young men. We see such earnestness in their faces as they work to serve God and keep pace with Him as He hastens His work.

Elder Suiaunoa, Elder Hodges, Elder Moe, Elder Wengert

I read something by Elder David A. Bednar  this week, which has application to all of these changes in our mission. He said, "Faith as the assurance of things hoped for looks to the future. This assurance is founded upon a correct understanding about and trust in God and enables us to "press forward" into uncertain and often challenging situations in the service of the Lord." There are so many times when we and our missionaries must "press forward into uncertain and often challenging situations" as we serve Him here in Samoa. I am sure that every mission has its challenges; our's certainly does. Heat, humidity, illness, temptations, language, culture and on and on. Elder Bendar went on to say (and reference Elder Boyd K. Packer), "And assurance and hope make it possible for us to walk to the edge of the light and take a few steps into the darkness--expecting and trusting the light to move and illuminate the way. The combination of assurance and hope initiates action in the present."

I see missionaries every day taking those first few tentative steps into the darkness as they exercise their faith unto doing and working. I have witnessed it as a young missionary holds onto a priesthood blessing of healing. I have witnessed it as a missionary has let go of who he used to be and fully embraced himself as a missionary and servant of the Lord. I have witnessed it as a missionary has committed to change and begins to plan and prepare with a full heart committed to the Savior. I have witnessed it when I hear a missionary's apology and sincere commitment to do better. I have witnessed it as a missionary has turned over worries about his family to the Lord. I witness it every day.

If a mission is meant to change a missionary we have to be willing to let them walk into the darkness by faith. Sometimes that is difficult for me; I want to protect them. I reminds me of when our oldest son served his mission in Brazil. One day I was listing in silent prayer everything I needed the Lord to do for him; it was quite a list! And then the quiet but powerful reminder from the Lord came into my heart and my head, "I have trusted you for 19 years won't you trust me for two?" I am grateful for the remarkable and clear way that the Savior of the world is mindful of every missionary and every one of us! Walking into the dark doesn't seem so scary knowing He walks with us.

Upolu Interviews-Round Two and SPAM

We completed our interviews this past week! I have never run a marathon, but I am sure there are many similarities. Pacing ourselves and staying focused takes physical and spiritual effort. We love seeing each missionary, even if it is the last interview. Enjoy the pictures; they are taken by District.

Also, this week I got a notice that the blog had been removed from the internet because google's automated system identified it as SPAM! My heart sank as I frantically reviewed everything that I have ever posted wondering where I had gone wrong. I had to request what they called a "human review" to see if the automated system had made a mistake. Two days later, the human who reviewed the blog determined that the automated system was wrong. 

I started thinking about SPAM; I wasn't even sure I knew what it was, so I looked it up. Of course, the  first definition is "a meat like product made mostly of ham." YUCK! I hate spam. The second definition is, "irrelevant or inappropriate messages sent on the internet to a large number of people." I knew then there had to be a mistake, but it got me thinking about the Gospel, the Savior and being a Christian. There are those in the world who view us and our message as irrelevant or inappropriate. 

So many in the world are lost and hopeless, not knowing where to turn. So many have lost their way by turning off their moral compass and embracing the pieces of society that keep them from knowing and loving God. Too many of us feel abandoned and lost. And yet, there is hope and help and love found in the Gospel--the good news from the heavens. 

These words by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came ringing into my head as I considered what the Gospel of Jesus Christ means to the world.  He said, "Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world." When I thought I might lose the opportunity to share the Gospel through the miracles that occur here in Samoa, I was devastated. All of us who are disciples of the Savior must continue to raise a voice of commitment to Jesus Christ and his saving grace. This work is not a loud work; this work is a work of offering peace and hope and goodness to a world that seems to be losing its way. Our fourteen year old granddaughter, Grace, found the words of Isaiah comforting a few weeks ago when she was feeling troubled, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever." 

The assurance that our Savior offers to each of us and to the world is the most relevant and appropriate message of any competing for attention and it most certainly is not SPAM!

Upolu Interviews-Round One-and One New Missionary!

We started our interviews with the Upolu missionaries this week. We will finish up next week. Most of our missionaries are here. There are five zones here, two in Tutuila and three in Savai'i. It is always  a happy day when we spend it with missionaries.

President Tolman sent each missionary a copy of Elder Lynn G. Robbins talk, "Which Way Do you Face," from the most recent General Conference. He asked them to consider which way they each faced. He has said it has been an inspiring experience to listen to their insights as they have studied Elder Robbins talk. We believe his words have the power to change our mission and missionaries. As a follow-up President Tolman shared more thoughts in our February newsletter:

"Thank you all for reading and studying Elder Robbins’ talk, “Which Way Do You Face?” As you know, Elder Robbins suggests we must always face God and not fear men. The fear of men often manifests itself in the temptation to love and respect others by following traditions and culture even when doing so is inconsistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is particularly hard here in Samoa, where culture and traditions are so strong, but being hard is no excuse when we’re asked to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength. To do so clearly includes facing God even when it’s really hard. When we give in to the temptation to compromise our standards in order to win the love and respect of others, we do the work of Satan. When we do that, Satan laughs and his angels rejoice. (See Moses 7: 26.) In His ministry, the Savior often challenged the traditions of men. Hypocrites is what Jesus called those whose adherence to traditions kept them from keeping the commandments. (See Matt. 15: 2-3, 6-7.) Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “There is a unique Gospel culture, a set of values and expectations and practices common to all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Gospel culture or way of life comes from the Plan of Salvation, the commandments of God, and the teachings of the Living Prophets.” Let us all evaluate our own traditions, whether they come from our families, friends or county in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and adhere to the culture of Christ in all we do and no matter how hard it is. In doing so, we must resist the concern that we have to reject or dilute Samoan culture. It simply requires us to appreciate and maintain the good traditions and reject those inconsistent with the Gospel. Samoa is rich with wonderful traditions, such of friendliness, love and support of extended family, generosity to visitors, etc. But Samoa also is burdened with cultural traditions that weigh it down and prevent spiritual progress, such as lying and stealing, unnecessarily burdensome and expensive faalavelaves, drinking kava, and inviting missionaries to break rules. As we begin to live the Gospel in its entirety, while embracing the good parts of Samoan cultural and rejecting those that are spiritually harmful, we as missionaries will develop stronger faith and begin to reap the rewards that come from facing God at all times. Just as importantly, our examples will bless the lives of others as they see the spiritual growth that inevitably will follow as we keep God's commandments and honor our covenants."

                                                         

We received a new missionary this week. He is a local Samoan who has been called to serve in Papua New Guinea. His VISA did not arrive yet, so he has been temporarily assigned here. His sister also is in our mission! This is our first time receiving a temporary assignment missionary. We would love to keep him and will miss him when he goes! 

Elder Te'o with his trainers