Post 1, New Mexico Farmington Mission

We Have Arrived

 So We Can Go Forth To Serve
July 26, 2010

THE MTC

A milestone in our lives was to be at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah following seven of our eleven children's footsteps who walked through these sacred halls.

We had a wonderful time mingling with the young missionaries. It was exhilarating and faith promoting to share our life stores with the older senior missionaries, too. Where did these young people come from? What drive, courage, and determination brought them here. Its a wonder to behold.  No greater young men and women can be found on the face of the earth.

One such young missionary was Sister Langkilde's nephew, Gregory McDowell, who was going to the Mexico City North Mission. He had been delayed about five weeks due to visa issues, which enabled us to see him just before he left. (See above picture of us pointing to the map of where we were going on our missions!)

As I reflected on and absorbed the spiritual atmosphere at the MTC it gave me a foretaste of what the celestial kingdom must be like. The temples give us a spiritual glance but you don't mingle and associate with one another like you do at the MTC. This is truly a unique experience when you consider that everyone who enters must have a temple recommend, has a common goal, and is united as one in their desire to serve God and His Son Jesus Christ. What an honor, what a privilege it is to be found among such as these. To reflect on my life and all its twist and turns, it is truly humbling for me to be here. I owe it all to my god-send wife, a gift and treasure greater than rubies.

We really enjoyed the MTC classes that our group went through. The first week emphasized missionary work using "Preach My Gospel." They stressed knowing our purpose as missionaries which is to:    

"Invite others unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

As we finished our last class in the MTC , I had an opportunity to bear my testimony.  As part of my testimony I stated, "It would be worth another two years of service just to be able to come to the MTC again for two weeks."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

With many thanks and hearts full of gratitude, we would like to acknowledge all those individuals, friends, and family for helping us get on this mission.  First, we really appreciate our children's encouragement and help in getting us out of our house and distributing our stuff. Kristina and her family: for their selfless, untiring hours of service in packing and boxing. Jared and Lorralee and their family:  for their generous hospitality, love, support and bedroom.

Sister Langkilde shed tears when thinking of how everyone arrived early that weekend to not only attended our Sunday meetings and farewell but to also attend Lincoln's baptism. She really appreciated Bishop Huish’s hugs at the podium on Sunday.  It is still a very tender, gracious memory!

Michael: for his love and support and for his long trip back to Las Vegas on his motorcycle.

Marcene: for inviting the Higley's. That was such a nice treat/surprise!!!!

Joseph and Heather:  for their hospitality in Las Vegas and for putting us up for the night.

Irene and Steve: for the number of times they have given up their bed/bath as we were passing through Utah.

Andrea’s and Steve: for their hospitality in Washington, monetary support, dinner, fireworks, and fun time on the jet skis as well as Andrea’s prodding.

Jacob: thank you too, for yours and Sarah’s visit and root beer floats!

Joey Williams:  for pulling our fifth-wheel to Farmington, New Mexico. (Pictured above.)

Janelle's sisters:  Sally - for cutting, perming, and styling her hair; LeAnn - for arranging the farewell Mattas party, and Lana - for her farewell in Provo and the JDawgs dinner.

Our time here on our mission is rewarding and we are very happy. May our grandchildren remember we love them and we pray they will listen to the Holy Ghost and heed its promptings and keep the commandments. We hope they will pray always to resisting temptations and be desirous to be obedient and be prompt to mind their parents.

Our prayers are always with you. Thank you all so much. Now, on with the work and the glory.

THE MISSION FIELD

We have arrived at the mission office after a whirlwind of activities to get ready after such short notice. The first week in the New Mexico Farmington Mission field was mostly learning our assignments.

We are getting used to our cozy, bright and well furnished 5th-wheel at the Sundowner Trailer Park. It is only five minutes from the mission office which is on the end of the Stake Building on Apache street.

Our first day at the mission office was Tuesday, August, 6, 2010, which was a zone conference. President Spencer V. Jones and his wife, Sister Joyce Jones treated all the office staff to dinner after work in the office Sister Langkilde and I shared a prime rib.

Friday night, Elder Jones (Wendell) and Sister Jones (Carolyn) treated us to Subway salad, made up of romaine lettuce,  sweet onion, chicken, spicy sauce and a cookie. On the following Saturday we went to Arches, a new Chinese restaurant for dinner.

At the end of our first week we hooked the red pick-up to the trailer and moved it over about six inches, so we were within our allotted space. We had been using our holding tanks so we hooked up the sewer line attachment, then I went and got new boards to put under the sewer line coming from the fifth-wheel so the angle would flow DOWN. After finding all the release values, we finally got it working right. There was valve coming from the kitchen we were not aware of so our kitchen sink got backup up. I took a plunger to it, then I finally found the release valve for it, not know it was there kinda hidden under the trailer all the time.

The next Saturday, August 21, Elder Jones and I inspected four living units. These included the apartments and trailers where the missionaries live in the local area of Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield and Kirtland.

We reminisced about driving up to trailers together in our old encyclopedia book selling days. We especially laughed when we reflected on the time when he got bit by a dog after I had prodded him on to go through a home owners gate with a German Shepard on the other side saying, "just act like you are not afraid and nothing will happen". It didn't work! I love these two brothers (Spencer and Wendell, left to right in picture) President Jones and Elder Jones. When I ponder my situation as a new convert (three years), and having the fortune to roommate with them and the good times we have had then and since, it makes me so full of gratitude I cannot at times hold back my emotions and tears.

While we were gone, Sister Langkilde cleaned the trailer thoroughly—vacuumed the cornices, blinds, chair cushions, rugs, carpets, swept cobwebs, dusted fan, cleaned the bathroom/bedroom, and washed windows/screens on the inside. She also found a place on the mulberry tree to hang her wind chime. I have to admit it sounds nice, even though it was one of many extra things that she snuck into our trailer when we left Jared's house.

When we turned on the AC, we discovered what the four round, screw-in-and-out, ceiling fixtures were for when cold air came out of them. I had thought we only had one large central outlet but were delighted that there are actually five smaller ones too.

I couldn't figure out how to turn on the hot water heater or stove. We have been  just been eating lightly so we haven’t had to cook—boiled water in the microwave oven for oatmeal, cantaloupe, Slim Fast, soup & crackers, yogurt. I finally found the correct switch that lite up the hot water tank and filled up the propane tanks so we are in good shape now, with hot showers and hot food.

Now to our mission assignments. We start work at 8:30 a. m., lunch around noon for an hour (alternating turns w/office couples), then work ‘til 5:30-6:00 p. m. Time is going by quickly.

Sister Langkilde is doing referrals and recently assigned convert baptisms all on the computer. Plus, she even did some excel spreadsheet key indicator entries for me . Her referral assignment requires her to call the missionaries, give them the information, put the info into the computer, locate the address on the map, print it out and send it to the missionaries in that area (hard copy). She also was hand addressing the envelopes until she learned how to do labels ON THE COMPUTER. I am so pleased with her willingness to work with the computers. She is determined and is tireless in wanting to do everything to the point of perfection. I have not idea how she came to marry me? I am just so thankful she did.

Our office furniture came in on the 23rd of this month. We did a little office shuffle with the computers, etc. Sister Langkilde has a new computer with a 22" wide screen while I am using my small Toshiba laptop I bought from Jared. It is loaded with windows 7 and Vista operating system, so it makes me right up to speed. The Church only provides and supports four computers in a mission office. We have eight including mine and three President Jones has provided. Two are used by the AP's when they come into the office.

We’re loving it here! We’ve had a some light rain a few days. We shop at Walmart, Safeway, and Smiths (Frys in AZ). We’ve purchased milk, bread, eggs, hamburger, lettuce, drinks, cantaloupes, and ice cube trays. We’re trying to eat what we brought with us, too—tuna, Vienna sausages MRE ham and lots of soup. We have even cooked our favorite Chinese food, it taste so good to us. Sister Langkilde slipped out the other day and did laundry at 6:30 am and ironed white shirts, etc.

Last Saturday, August 21st, Elder Jones and I with our wives went to Durango and Pogosa Springs, CO and then came back through Dulce, NM keeping within our mission boundary. In part, to see the beautiful mountain country, but to always try and have a priesthood purpose, we inspected five missionary living units, too.

When we got back Saturday afternoon Sisters Barley and Clancy had planned a 7:30 p. m. baptism for Matthew Yellowhair. A new, ward mission leader, Gary Everett, who was recently called conducted. He had just gone through the temple recently after 20 years of inactivity. He is very gun ho, perfect timing! Sister Langkilde played the piano and I was asked surprisingly by Bishop Carter, who presided, from the Farmington 7th Ward, to bear my testimony. I am so thankful for my testimony that I am at anytime willing and desirous to bear my witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We attended the Farmington 7th Ward Sunday for the second time and Bishop Carter asked us to sit on the stand so as to be recognized. People thought we were going to talk but we didn't. However, after the meeting the Bishop asked us to speak on September 12 about guess what, missionary work.

Today Saturday, August 28th was a very special day. We had a Mission Conference. Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Gonzales of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy and our area authority, Brother Webb were in attendance, including of course President and Sister Jones. All the missionaries (young and seniors) were present. We were encouraged to be in our seats an hour before starting time. What a meeting, President Jones spoke on getting the spirit of the work, Sister Jones bore her testimony, Brother Webb spoke on his experiences as a mission president, Elder Gonzales spoke about the Atonement, Elder Anderson spoke for more than an hour on a variety of subjects including the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong in the chapel of the stake center that I could not hold back the flow from my tear ducks. I don't know where the water comes from, but sometimes it just pours and I have trouble holding back from not just bursting uncontrollably when I reflect on my life and where I am at.

We later had lunch, then went to the mission office to meet missionaries as they came for mail, and to have questions answered. What a privilege to be in their presence, to visit with and serve them.