Clint Mission 99# 12 3/22/99
Dear Family,
Hello. I bought 12 Mangos nicely ripe and put them in the fridge for the week. I plan to eat at least one after writing this letter. The only down side is with no maid I have to peel them.
The major event of this last week was Zone Conference. It was a major event for Elder Hoare and I, there was much to prepare. We talked about the Mission Statement:
1). Help Every Missionary Return with Honor.
2). Be committed to a balanced effort with emphasis Conversion, Retention, Activation.
3). Memorize discussions and discussion scriptures.
The theme of the conference as you know was Alma 57:21 Obedience. We tried to focus on the promises and positives of obedience. Our lesson started with #3 and built up to #1. #1 Return with Honor. Elder Hoare and I used a video clip from the Satellite Broadcast to Missionaries, where Elder Russell M. Ballard spoke about the power which comes to missionaries who focus on Christ. Our commitment was “Will you Return with Honor by making your mission HIS mission?”
The Fowlers, Johnsons, Elder Gray, Heywood, McCormick all gave their final testimonies. Time is sailing by here. It was weird to see my trainer Elder Heywood give his closing testimony. He related the experience of a day in April, a day that was hotter than Toby, when he and I found Lou Thom. It is quite a success story. There are so many blessings and experiences that it becomes a big blur. Write fast and furious in the journal at night.
I’m excited that you left Elder Lloyd. He just left here a few minutes ago. Sounds like you all really enjoyed his homecoming.
Elder Hoare and I have been given a big assignment by President White. The missionary department has said that we can have 52 missionaries here. Elder Hoare and I have been given the assignment to create the plan of expansion. Of the 52, 6 will be Viet Elders, 46 Cambodian Elders. That means 23 companionships. Right now we do not have permission to leave Phnom Penh. After that we do have permission , we want to go to Ta Khman a city just south of PP and to Kompang Cham. Siam Reap is a few years away. Elder Hoare and I need to create a plan for 9 new proselyting areas. By mid April we will have 30 Elders.
Things are picking up in our area. There are a couple of pieces of property being looked at for 3 church buildings. No purchases made yet. There is a committee coming to make the decision. The lot they like is on Mao Tse Toung right across from the Chinese Embassy. President White and we as a mission have a goal of turning the District of PP into a stake. President would like to see this before he goes home in June 2000.
Just an update about “the Sounds of Sunday” couple. They are remolding their house. The wife tends their daughter in the morning while he works at the “pital” and then he tends in the afternoon while she reads scriptures on the radio and yes our members say that they have heard scriptures from the Book of Mormon on the air. Because of the remolding we haven’t been able to meet the husband. We don’t dare go and meet the wife without the husband.
However we saw them this afternoon and she asked us straight out “What do you believe?” Why do you say Joseph Smith is so important? We scheduled to go back on Monday the 29th to talk about Joseph Smith.
We have had a real interesting thing happening to us these last few weeks. Elder Hoare and I have run into more Christian families than we have met combined in the other months of the mission. They are all members of other Christian Churches. They won’t listen to us, aren’t concerned about searching for complete truth, A bible, A bible. Elder Hoare and I are just in agony as they are past the Buddhism thing and love to talk about Christ but don’t have the complete gospel. We feel like we have to do something and are being led to these families but aren’t sure what?
I appreciate all your love!
Love Your Son, Brother, Missionary,
Elder Rogers