New Responsibilities....

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for us as we traveled to Pennsylvania to visit with family. That and with Lucy Ann traveling back & forth to Montpelier, Idaho almost every week to care for her mother. But Daniel has been having some exciting opportunities as well (though he really missed being in Pennsylvania in his role as favorite uncle).

Daniel was called to be a district leader there within the CTM. That takes away from some of the limited free time he had to update us. But it is a good experience for him. When he was called they told him there were three kinds of missionaries – good, very good, and excellent. A good missionary hears about miracles but never sees. A very good missionary sees miracles done by companions. And an excellent missionary is one that performs miracles. I think we know which type Daniel wants to be. He is capable of doing it as well.

My "prophecy" of years ago has finally come to pass. Back in his early days, Daniel didn’t really want to put in the time on his piano practice. Sports were certainly more important. I kept telling him that someday he would be on a mission and asked to play to piano. He would then eventually regret that he didn’t practice as he we wanted him to. Well, bingo, the time is now. He was asked to play for their devotional and finds he is just a bit rusty.

Last week was Daniel’s first birthday in the mission field. It was tough on him. And, it was tough on us. But, that’s one down, one more to go! He said he did have a good time even though he missed being with family. That’s one of the good things about a mission is you get to value your time with family more.

Speaking of family, many of you know that Daniel had a sister Megan who died from brain cancer when she was three. This was long before Daniel was born, but I’m sure he got to meet with her on the other side of the veil before he was born. Anyway, he’s had an interesting experience with Megan since being on his mission. I think in general missionaries have a greater opportunity to be close to angels and those in the spirit world. In Daniel’s case, he has found that Megan is watching over and (with the Lord’s help) protecting him on his mission, and she is happy he is serving a mission. He has been impressed to tell us that Megan especially misses and loves her Mommy. She is looking forward to a later time when she can be back together with us. This experience has greatly strengthened his testimony of the Lord’s plan for our salvation and how it allows us to return again to our family members who have gone before us. Needless to say, his experience brings us great comfort and joy!

So the days are quickly passing, and Daniel is looking forward to leaving the CTM and getting about the Lord’s work in earnest. He has had some great teachers who have been helping to prepare him. His love for the Brazilian people is already evident. His language skills are coming together and the wisdom behind having the missionary training center there in Brazil is obvious. He’s already reading the Portuguese language version of the Book of Mormon. And, he and his companion were allowed to go out proselyting. He was able to speak with people and share his testimony. They were able to place several Books of Mormon. He had the chance to feel how the Spirit can help him with a less than familiar language. Again, a great opportunity that came about because of the Lord’s wisdom in having a missionary training center in the field.

Let me close with his closing words:

I love this gospel and know that it is the true church. I know that Christ is our Savior and our Redeemer. I know that the Book of Mormon changes lives because it is the true word of God. I love being a missionary!