We miss our four missionary grandchildren, but it is a joy to read their letters home each week and see how they are learning and progressing. Each is unique and each is doing amazing things.
Here's a quote form Jason's last letter, his take on why to serve a mission:
The reason to serve a mission is that there were people we were friends with and fought for in the pre-existence and they need you again. They don't have the connection to God any more and they need to learn how to return to live with him again. They cannot do so until they take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ by baptism by the proper priesthood authority for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the holy ghost and press on steadfastly in the faith of Christ. I've met up with a few of these friends and I've had the opportunity of helping them make those steps or to return to those commitments they had already previously made.
This is from our ever enthusiastic Esther:
President Wilson a few weeks ago was very troubled by the number of missionaries in the mission that had not yet been able to completely read the Book of Mormon. He felt impressed that we should set a week aside so that every missionary would have the opportunity to read this book from cover to cover…. What a blessing this sacrifice has been for our mission… I do not fully understand the significance of last week but I know that it has been a great blessing to my testimony. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know it testifies of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior.
This from the Book of Andrus Chapter 3 verse 6 gives you an idea of what his mission is like:
Now it came to pass that at the end of that week, it being the Sabbath day, we did travel to and fro, attending the meetings of the several wards over which we did minister, for we were assigned to minister in eight different wards. And we did see many of those whom we did teach at church, insomuch that we had 4 nonmembers and 6 less-active members at church! And I say these things not that I should boast of myself, but that you may know concerning the great joy that we did have in the land of North Ogden, for Elder Daggs and I did labor diligently among them.
And from Zachary's last letter from the MTC before departing for Cambodia:
This last is from Elder Bednar. There is so much I can say on this one, but I have to be short in writing. He said and gave an apostolic blessing: "When it comes to the question, 'Was that from God or from me?' (such as a thought), quit worrying about it! Be a good boy, honor your covenants, keep the commandments, press forward in faith, and your steps will be directed by God. Most often when I receive revelation, I do not realize it until after it happens." There is so much with this, and so many examples of this in his life, and I am beginning to see its truth in my life.
We are so proud of "our" missionaries and pray for them and look forward to their safe return home.