A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE MISSION PRESIDENT - EASTER



Today I have chosen to share a letter my husband wrote to our children and siblings, which shares a little about a typical day in our work here in the Great Mexico City Southeast Mission:

"Happy Easter from me and Lesa here in Mexico City!  We love you!  We miss you!  You and your wonderful families are the best!  I have thought to write you if not once, at least 10- times in the last few months!

As you know we are fully and completely engaged in the wonderful work of sharing the incredible message of Easter - of the Living Christ - 365 days each year!

Just a few quick thoughts....

This week Justin happened to visit our home and sent us a brief video including our tree swing under one of the trees.  This swing has inscribed on it the words "Out in the fields with God".  These words come from a delightful children's poem that has become a favorite in our family.  It reads as follows:

The little cares that fretted me
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields, above the sea
Among the winds at play.
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what might happen,
I cast them all away,
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay,
Among the husking of the corn,
Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born-
Out in the fields with God.
 -by Anonymous British

I send you this lovely and very positive poem because Lesa and I love it and because we both feel very much that we are truly "out in the fields with God" - here in the mission field...it is an incredible experience.

We are also "out in the fields with God" when we are in prayer, studying the scriptures, serving others as Christ would and, of course, when we are literally out in God's nature.  May we all find time to be out in our fields with God!

On Saturday morning we began with a missionary having a minor accident and requiring emergency surgery and hospitalization.  After addressing his needs, Lesa and I were out in the mission field all day at several baptisms that we could attend among many that we could not.

I will share just one of those experiences.  A husband and wife, five children and their grandmother (pictured above) were baptized.  It was a wonderful baptismal service.  As they did not have the funds necessary to take a bus, they walked an hour and a half to arrive to the church to participate in their baptism.

Afterwards we took the family home to their 20" X 20" home up in the hills of Mexico City that they have lived in for the last 15 years - all 8 of them!  While the home was small and humble, the family had a culture of love and respect that was palpable - and the gospel that they now have embraced is helping them to have an eternal perspective about their purposes as a married couple and as a family.

In their case they had seen the missionaries on the street and had actively approached them.  They showed a sincere desire to learn about the Church and about the blessings available to them in following the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Each baptism is special and every conversion story, while there are similarities, is truly unique.

Today we arose early to participate in an Easter Sacrament meeting before I left to participate in a six hour meeting with one of our area presidency, an area seventy, six stake presidents and two district presidents with whom I work as the mission president for our mission area which consists of these 6 stakes and 2 districts.  It was a productive and inspirational meeting during which we planned, in many ways, to advance the Lord's work within our mission.


After this meeting I left to the hospital to attend to the needs of our missionary recovering from the Saturday emergency surgery, arrange for my meeting with the physician and make calls to parents and Stake President to provide them with an update.

Later I went out to work in the evening with 2 missionaries in one of our Stakes.  We taught one investigator who is now committed to baptism, followed up on two recent contacts and visited with a member family that provided us with a solid reference of someone who may be interested in learning more about the gospel.  I try to get out and work with as many of our missionaries as frequently as I can.

Tomorrow morning I will meet with our zone leaders to evaluate our performance during the past week and plan for the week ahead.  Later in the day I will begin the process of planning for changes that are necessary as new missionaries arrive and departing missionaries leave.  This is a fairly complex process that involves a lot of prayerful consideration and fasting.  I truly try to understand do the Lord's will in assigning companionships, choosing trainers, identifying and training leaders, etc.  As arrivals and departures occur every six weeks, this process of changes and decision making comes around very, very quickly and keeps one humble and seeking the Lord's will at all times!!

So, where does Lesa fit into all of this?  Everywhere!  She is simply the best!  I love her.  I always have!  But now, to work by her side at all times is simply a blessing.

In between changes, Lesa joins me in interviewing (while I interview each missionary, she chats with the companion about health, family, learning English, their apartments, work on teaching skills, etc.) separately every single Elder and Sister in our mission and truly provides a wonderful "woman's touch" that is so essential to helping our missionaries in zone conferences and district council meetings.  In brief, I simply could not do this nearly as well without Lesa's support and inspiration.

Well, I suspect that I am now beginning to bore with what are truly some of just some of what keeps us busy every day and every night of every week of every month, etc., etc.  It is truly an incredible work and are pleased and honored to be engaged in it!

I will wrap up this brief note simply with my testimony that we truly have a loving Heavenly Father and a Savior in His Son, Jesus Christ.  I am continually amazed at the love we have been offered through the life, teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I testify of the truthfulness of the restoration of the gospel and of the continued inspired leadership provided by the Savior to his prophets and apostles - and of the reality of continued revelation and inspiration that occurs to men and women serving at all levels of this great work.  I know that this is God's work and that it is true.  I also know that the purpose of this great work is to bless the lives of individuals and families in this life and in the eternities!  I feel blessed to have this wonderful knowledge of the truth and to have this opportunity to share it so abundantly with others.

May the Lord bless each of you in your individual and family endeavors.

Love,

Lindsay


*******************************VIVA MEXICO**********************************







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