Clint mission 99 #30 8/2/99
Dear Family,
Saturday, July 31st there was a great big district Pioneer Day. The young men and Young women have been practicing pioneer square dancing. The Khmae Young Women performed a traditional Apsara Khmae culture dance, the Vietnamese performed a culture dance too. The children had a little march and in English they sang “Pioneer Children Sang as they Walked and Walked.” They sang only that one line over and over and over. It was awesome. One of the Branch Presidents, Nou Hoan, wrote a poem and shared it for the event. There was a little narration performed that talked of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and the Pioneers. Elder and Sister Bryan Richards made a quick trip from Hong Kong to see the event. It was great to see them again. They were very excited and stressed that the 500 in attendance were modern day pioneers. It was the first real big excitement I have seen in the leaders they did most of the preparations. They united and worked together and put on a district activity that was very impressive.
Elder Hoare and I also had a 30 min. opportunity to sit down with Elder and Sister Richards and report about how much our mission has changed since the last time he was here and this has come about mainly by following ideas and counsel from them. Elder and Sister Richards praised and encouraged us and as we left Elder Richards gave both Elder Hoare and I a big hug. Like I said a month ago Elder H. Bryan Richards is my favorite General Authority. I hope he speaks in Oct General Conference so you can meet him too!
In a small devotional after Pioneer Day, Elder and Sister Richards spoke to all missionaries. The thing that stuck out to me was a question, “ Why do you choose to ride a bike, sweat, study, and be a missionary? Or to relate the message to all of my clear supporters reading this “ Why do you choose to serve in the church, pay tithing or live the gospel? What is the reason behind our sacrifices? Elder Richards then shared Helaman 5: 12
Helaman 5:12
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
Christ is the one sure foundation upon which if we build we can not fall. If this is our reason for living the gospel we will stay on course and be able to overcome all troubles, and weakness on our way back to him. We can’t have any other motives or reasons we must be focused on Christ. I have thought about this much since then. I what this to be my reason for my mission and the rest of my life. Our actions must be motivated by sincere faith in Christ. Ether 12:4 comes to mind especially the line “ Always abounding in good works”, if our motives come from faith in Christ.
Ether 12:4
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
A sad thing happened too. Elder Michael Lonnie Bullard went home to Salt Lake City to be treated for kidney stones. He passed 6 stones in the past 2 weeks. Elder Hoare accompanied him to Thailand and saw him off, Elder Hoare was his companion over night. I spent a day and ½ working with Elder Burnham who is Elder Bullards’s companion. Pres. White cried with the loss of one of his Elder’s but news from SLC is good. We hope that we can get him back here in our Viet zone.
Thanks again for all of your love an support. I hope that you can all feel of my love for you
and also my love and testimony for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints!
Love your Son, Brother and Missionary—Elder Rogers