THANK YOU!

 

          Our three year calling as the Canada Vancouver Mission President concludes this week.  We stand stunned at how quickly the time has gone.  We were honored and humbled by our call to serve, and determined that we would leave our family, friends and medical practice for three years to work as hard as possible to repay the Lord in small measure for the bountiful, rich blessing He has showered upon us and our family. 

          We agree totally with the observation of King Benjamin that it is impossible to fully repay the Lord for all our blessings:  “if ye should serve Him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants…ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?  And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves?  I answer you, Nay.” (Mosiah 2:21, 24, 25)

 

Our New Friends Are Forever

          During our three years we have developed many friendships, with our full-time missionaries and with members and non-members alike.  We estimate that during our time we worked with 54 single Sisters, 21 Senior Couples, and 245 Elders.  We view each now as family, and importantly we know that “families are forever.”  Additionally, hundreds of wonderful BC Church members have become eternal friends.  We thank each of you for your friendship.  It is invaluable; it will be eternal.

          Please let us know of events in your lives.  We care deeply about your future.  Our challenge to you is to set lofty personal goals, in your missions, in your marriages, in your Church service, in your future careers.  Aim high, then strive mightily to achieve.  Understand that set-backs, trials and tribulations will beset you, but persevere.  We expect you to join us in the Celestial Room of the Salt Lake Temple, with your spouse if possible, as part of our Mission Reunion in October, 2025.  Don’t be deterred along your way.

 

Homecoming Sacrament Meeting Date and Time

          Our Homecoming Sacrament Meeting will be held on July 13, 2008.  Please join us if you can, at the Monument Park Stake Center at 2:30 p.m., located in Salt Lake City at 1300 South and Wasatch Drive.  We look forward to seeing all who can come.

 

First BC Korean Branch Is Formed, by Elder Spencer Mun

          The first ever Korean Branch in BC was formed at the Coquitlam chapel on the 22^nd of June, 2008.  Members of the Branch Presidency are:  Branch President:  Brother Hur Choong Suk, 1^st Counselor:  Brother Jung Hee Mo,  2^nd Counselor:  Brother Choi Hyoung Kwon. 

          We were so grateful to be able to witness the unfolding of this once in a lifetime event!  The chapel was filled with joyful saints, and at one point in the Sacrament meeting the Korean members were asked to stand to sustain the Branch Presidency—When the Korean saints all stood up there were more Korean saints than there were at the Coquitlam Ward!  It was a sight to see.  The forming of this Branch will help the Korean saints tremendously and will accelerate the missionary efforts in the Korean work here in BC.  We know that as long as we are faithful and obedient to His commandments He will bless us!

 

Practicing Lessons with a “Guitar Investigator,” by Elders David Berger (and Aaron Terry)

        “Elder Terry and I were both deciding what we should discuss and practice for Companion Study one morning.  We were talking about an investigator we had found earlier, and we decided to practice the 2^nd Lesson because we wanted to teach well to our investigator the next time we saw her.  We also wanted to work on other things like transitioning and reading scriptures.  So, to ‘enhance’ the experience, my companion grabbed his guitar and set it on the couch.  We grabbed some chairs and sat in front.  Then we gave a 35 minute lesson to our guitar, complete with wonderful scriptures and examples.  We felt really good, and started to move on to other things.  However, before we completely switched gears, my companion made a particular comment that truly lifted my spirits and the atmosphere!  He said, ‘Wow! We taught that lesson so well that the guitar was just over taken by the Spirit, and now wants to be baptized!  But it can’t because it’s an inanimate object.’  It was quite the statement, and how true!  Maybe there’s an inanimate object heaven…”

 

Obedience Necessary in Our Mission and Throughout Life, by Elders Spencer Mun (and Gyubum Jung)

        “I loved Zone Conference this week and its message of how we need to endure to the end.  Not to the end of our mission, but the end of our life, because that is one of the reasons why we came out on a mission.  I know that there is a purpose for all of us wherever we are.  I would rather go home trying to obey all the rules and have no baptisms, than obey half the rules and have 1 or more baptisms.  Our companionship is going great and the district is doing great as well; we are all striving to do our best.”

 

Welcome President and Sister Nelson

        You can best honor us by warmly welcoming President and Sister Nelson to British Columbia, and by redoubling your missionary efforts.  We pray that each of you will stay “anxiously engaged,” and will demonstrate to President and Sister Nelson through your focused intense labors your love for the Lord.

        Know that we love you; know that we love the Lord.  We rejoice with you that we have been able to boldly proclaim the Gospel to the citizens of British Columbia.  How great has been our calling!

 

President and Sister Middleton

 

  (  Check off weekly whether you have achieved each of the nine goals below:

     q  Ask for a referral name in every conversation with a member or non-member alike… “Will you bring an acquaintance on a Spiritual Tour?”

     q  Challenge members to Set-A-Date for a Spiritual Tour or a Church event which can be coupled with a Spiritual Tour  with their non-member friend at least 3 times yearly. Help them   understand that the best way members can reach this goal is to adopt a Personal Mission Plan by which they issue at lease one invitation each week.

     q  Our goal is to find at least one new investigator daily, and spend at least one hour daily in focused, effective Personal Finding. 

     q Our goal is to teach 15 or more full lessons weekly, with 50% or more with an investigator present…

                    q     Our goal is to have at least 50 contacts daily (100-200 per day is possible in most areas in the mission), with the contact goal being prayerfully set for each area by each companionship

     q  With at least 3 Spiritual Chapel Tours Weekly.

     q  Extend at least one baptismal invitation and commitment each week.

     q  Remember our mission goal: a Gospel message to everyone you see.

     q As weekly goals are set for each Key Indicator, pray for inspiration, and set goals that are lofty yet achievable.  Our ultimate long-term goal is for at least 3 baptisms per companionship per                transfer.

                       

“Teach ye diligently, and my grace shall attend you.” -- Doctrine and Covenants 88:78

 

 

New Converts

Abbotsford:  Gomez, Rodolfo; Johnson, Vera Lillian

Vancouver:  Thompson, William R.

Vancouver Language:  Wei Na 

 

FAREWELL TO THE FOLLOWING

Work hard and have fun.  Smile.  Treat every day like it’s the last day of your mission, it goes by fast.  I like the words of Alma, “I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.  I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.”  Alma 29:9  I love you.  God Bless!   Sister Crystal Lynn Caribou

 

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and DOETH them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”  I pray that we can all be “doers of the word, and not hearers only”… so that we will all live in the neighborhood of homes built upon ‘The Rock’.  I’ll see you there, but in the mean time - TREAT EVERYDAY LIKE IT’S YOUR LAST!  Elder Spencer Harrison

 

What it do Elders & Sisters!  My last words of advice are to follow the counsel of Alma, “therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward.  Alma 41:14  God Speed!!    Elder Lisiate T. Feinga

 

What we do in life echoes in eternity – so don’t waste time.  I love you all and I love my Savior for He truly loves each and every one of us.  Let’s show some love to Him and give our brethren a chance to receive this way of life called the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Remember when it comes to the Gospel, the juice is always worth the squeeze.  Elder Andrew Johnson

  

“Success is not the key to happiness – Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you’re doing, you’ll be successful.” Anonymous.  I have loved my mission and I love all of you.  Till we meet again.  Elder Logan Magnusson

  

The fellowship of the unashamed – “I won’t give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.  I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me.  And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.  My banner will be clear.”  Torrey L. Korab.  Elders and Sisters, let’s strive to do all that we can.  I love you all.  Take care!  Elder Isaac Pack

 

“The laughter of the world is just loneliness reassuring itself.”  Neal A. Maxwell.  Don’t be ashamed of the gospel.  Go forth as the people of Shum and conquer!  Elder Tyler “the Turtle” Shumway

 

As I prepare to leave the Canada Vancouver Mission, it is with some regret because of the several new investigators we are currently teaching.  Missionary work has always been foremost in my mind since the moment I knew the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am a ‘forever missionary.’   Sister Blair Bryan

 

Whether wearing a badge or not, those who love the Lord are always missionaries.  “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  Galations 6:9  Stay faithful always – We love you!   Elder and Sister Hayden

 

“…Choose you this day whom ye will serve;  but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15  Many blessings are given when we serve our Father in Heaven faithfully.  Thank you Elders and Sisters for your friendships and helping make our time in the Canada Vancouver Mission very memorable.  May all of us continue to share the Gospel, keep the commandments and endure to the end.  Elder Everett C. and Sister Florence LaNae Ovard

 

We testify that the Lord keeps His promise as found in Doctrine and Covenants 84:88.  “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”  Work hard, be obedient, and trust in the Lord and you will receive these blessings, too.

Elder Nicholas and Sister Janet Welch