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Archive for the ‘misson’ Category

A few weeks ago I was trying to come up with a good Family Home Evening. Our ward had organized a night when all of the youth would learn about how to be a missionary and were coming over to our house to give my family the first lesson. We were to feed them dinner and then listen to their lesson and help them feel like a true missionary. I decided to use some of the foods that I had to eat while I was on my mission. I served an LDS mission to both Cali Colombia and to Quito Ecuador. So, I went to our local Latino grocery store and found some items that would give them a taste of what I ate while serving in South America. I fried up some platain bananas. I made a bunch of rice. I bought some Guayava candy and made some agua de panela.

Before these young men and young women came over to our house, I thought I would try out all of these things on my own kids. Of course, they all turned up their noses and didn’t taste all of the items with curiosity. They knew the tastes would be different so they only tried a little tiny bit.

In any case, I decided to pull out my mission treasure box and show them some cool stuff from Colombia and Ecuador. While rummaging through my box of stuff, I came across this little poem. I don’t remember when I found this on my mission but it was perfect for how I felt while serving for 2 years. I thought I would share this little poem with the world on my LDS Family website.

——–

A mission is a strange experience
It is a trial and a test
A mission throws you at the worst
Yet teaches you the best

I’ve never been so happy
I’ve never been so depressed
I’ve never felt so forsaken
I’ve never felt so blessed

I’ve never been so confused
Things have never been so clear
I’ve never felt my Heavenly Father so distant
He’s never been so near.

I’ve never been so discouraged
I’ve never been so full of hope
I feel I could go forever
I think I’ve come to the end of my rope

I’ve never had it quite so easy
I’ve never had it quite so tough
Things have never been so smooth
Things have never been so rough

I’ve never traveled through more valleys
I’ve never ascended so many peaks
I’ve never met so many nice people
I’ve never met so many freaks

I’ve never had so many ups
I’ve never had so many downs
I’ve never worn so many smiles
I’ve never worn so many frown

I’ve never been so lonely
I’ve never had so many friends
Boy, I hope this is over soon
Gosh, I hope it never ends

———–

This month Blake Wight returned from his mission to Moscow Russia. Many of our family was able to come and listen to his talk in Sacrament Meeting. Blake is a good example of how to server the Lord by completing an honorable full time mission. The night before his talk in church, we sat down as a family and had a change to ask him questions about his mission and had him share his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Blake served 2 years for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The video below is the little unofficial reception after church.

It’s a good idea, perhaps even vital, that families find time to be together to pray, talk, sing and play games without the interference of the television and cell phones.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this coordinated event is referred to as family home evening. Families in the Church, similar to those of other faiths, work hard to bring harmony, fun and spiritual education into their lives, but a singular night set aside brings families closer together at a time when outside influences can tear them apart.

The Church’s official website, LDS.org, has launched The Family. The updated site offers three major components to help families improve the quality of their family home evening. They include prophetic counsel on the importance of the family home evening program, most memorable family home evening stories from members around the world, and links to resources to plan and create family home evenings.