Weekly letters sent from Branch 41 branch presidency members
to the missionaries assigned to Branch 41
First week letter:
Dear missionaries:
The Missionary Training Center is the greatest place on earth to realize and understand your true potential here on earth! You have begun your journey and you are headed toward exaltation in the presence of God. Your mission will be one of the greatest experiences along that journey. You will have many other experiences also that will help you set a foundation for your life and that will support you as you journey in that direction. During your time at the Missionary Training Center, you will have the opportunity to:
- Strengthen your conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Come to know your Heavenly Father and your Savior better
- Feel the great joy of teaching God’s children through the power of the Holy Ghost
- Learning how to love others more than yourself.
There are a few things that will make your stay at the Missionary Training Center more meaningful and more rewarding. You will have your agency to make choices; you can choose to “always be found doing things that please God” or you can choose to not take advantage of the sacred, brief time you spend here, regretting the fact that you could have done much better. Our Savior set the ultimate example of loving his Father enough that He always did only those things that pleased the Father. Here are some suggestions that will make a significant difference in using your time and efforts wisely here at the Missionary Training Center:
- Be obedient to all rules, especially the rule about going to bed on time and getting up on time
- Stay focused during personal study time. Take a 5 minute break every hour.
- Take careful notes in your study journal concerning important truths learned about gospel topics and spiritual experiences related to your Book of Mormon study.
- Strive for complete companionship love and unity. If you experience conflict, find a private place to pray together, talk together, and work through the challenge. Ask for forgiveness and understanding and move forward. Any other path than this can lead to friction, loss of the Spirit, and contention.
- Make good use of the time from 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm each night. Remember, you are devoted, set-apart disciples of the Lord. Maintain dignity and reverence toward your sacred calling at all times.
- Strive every moment to “BECOME AS CHRIST IS”.
We love you and are proud of you. You are here to serve the Lord. We plead with you to give the Lord your very best!
With much love,
President Hall, Brother Taylor, Brother Chandler (Branch Presidency of Branch 41)
Second week letter:
Dear missionary: President Hall would like you to consider carefully the following important items:
We are happy with your progress at the Missionary Training Center. You are serving your Savior well. You have been a focused, hard-working, obedient missionary. You are a missionary that we can trust, and we know you will always do your best. We are very happy with your progress. You and the other missionaries in your district have the potential to be great, valiant missionaries. Those you meet in the mission field will see the love you have for Lord, and sense your dedication to the cause of Christ.
We love the experience of Nephi. He was pondering in his heart concerning the vision of the Tree of Life of his father and he desired to know the meaning of this dream. As he sat pondering, he was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, or the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the great teacher and He asked Nephi what his desires were. The Holy Spirit is also the spirit of prophecy. Nephi asked to behold what his father had seen. He was then shown a marvelous vision and even saw the personage of the Holy Ghost. I believe this is the only recorded account in the scriptures of a person seeing the Holy Ghost. What we have learned from this is how important it is to ponder, study the scriptures, and to specifically ask for answers to gospel questions. The Lord loves us and wants us to know the truth of all things. We would invite you to study 1 Nephi 11 in the next few days.
We love you and all the missionaries in our branch. Stay strong and focused on your mission purpose. Your Missionary Training Center service will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will touch your heart. Be sure to record your thoughts each day that you are here. May the Spirit be with you for the rest of the week.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
President Hall, Brother Taylor, Brother Chandler
Third week letter:
Dear Elder or Sister __________,
What a privilege it has been to have you in our branch! You have been an exceptional missionary, obedient and diligent in every regard. Your mission president and his wife are very blessed to have you coming to serve in their mission. Can you imagine how many lives you are going to bless during the next several months? You have learned many valuable lessons during your three weeks here at the Missionary Training Center. Here are a few more things to carry with you as you depart for your assigned field of labor:
- The Savior spent every minute of his ministry looking for those He could bless. He blessed people emotionally, physically, and spiritually. As you are serving, constantly be spiritually alert for those you can bless. Listen to the promptings you will receive.
- The Savior was OBEDIENT to the Father’s will exactly, precisely, consistently, and fully. Be the same. Rather the rule be small or large, insignificant or life-altering, always be found doing the right thing. Let no one or no influence persuade to step away from choosing the right.
- The Savior worked HARD, every minute of His ministry. He was continually teaching, blessing, inspiring, lifting, and edifying. Do not waste your precious time. President Ezra Taft Benson said many times, “The thing we often overlook about missionary work is that is it WORK!” When you think you have done all you can do, do a little more.
- The Savior loved and served His companions. Even when His companions (The Twelve) did less than their best, the Savior still encouraged, taught and loved them. He included his companions in all He did, and He always prayed sincerely for them.
- The Savior realized His total dependence upon His Father. He honored the Father, prayed to the Father, and gave the Father all the glory and honor for the miracles that occurred. We must do the same as we serve both the Father and the Son.
May the Lord bless you abundantly as you begin your wonderful service. Keep your eye single to the glory of God, and the Lord will use you as a clean and worthy instrument in His hand. Our prayers and love go with you.
President and Sister Hall, Brother and Sister Taylor, Brother and Sister Chandler
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