WEEK SEVENTY-FOUR December 1, 2014
We have two new WMLs, one in each ward, who really show
missionary zeal and are doing such a good job with the ward members, ward
missionaries, and the young missionaries. Both bishops are very supportive as
well. Surely the Lord will bless them for their heroic efforts.
Visited with the Four family and finished Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland’s “The Only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent,” (CR, Oct
2007). Brother Four has been reflective with the new information presented in
opposition to long held beliefs. We have been taking turns reading paragraphs
and discussing the meaning of each as we have progressed. This completes two of
the three addresses of Elder Holland that we felt inspired to discuss with this
family (first being “Mormonism 101,” delivered at Harvard Law School, March
2012). We have found these addresses have allowed for greater participation
than the discussions which we have already completed. Next week we will start
on “My Words … Never Cease,” by Elder Holland, CR, May 2008. As we finished a
wonderful discussion that brought much clarity to his mind, Brother Four closed
with prayer. As he was ending he felt to ask for special blessings upon us,
that we would be sustained by the Spirit, led to the honest in heart, have our
minds enlightened as we taught with power, and enjoy much success in bringing
others to Christ. He also thanked the Lord for “bringing Elder and Sister
Haddock into their lives and their willingness to accept the call to so serve
and bless our life.” He is now fully at ease with us bringing the Book of
Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price into our discussions
for needed clarification.
Brother Forty-two sent us a thanksgiving greeting from Queens,
New York where he has moved. He told us he is meeting with the missionaries
there. We in turn sent links to an electronic Thanksgiving message to which we
received a number of well wishes in return. For example Brother Four responded,
“Thank you Elder and Sister Haddock, what a beautiful greeting! We enjoyed
Thanksgiving Day immensely considering it was the first one in our own home, so
we know what gratitude really is. We hope that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving
celebration in good company as well. May the rest of your week and weekend, be
blessed and covered by the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
We enjoyed Thanksgiving at the Six family with the Thirty
family also with us. As we were leaving Sister Thirty said, “You have been such
good friends. We have really enjoyed the relationship with you this past year
and are going to miss you. We are hopeful we can stay in touch.
We had planned for some time to take the Two family to the
Newport Beach Temple for the family sealing, but the husband has been working
out of town several hours away on ridiculously long shifts. So with only a day’s
notice we received word he would be in town and there was a race to get all the
documentation signed by the stake presidency. The president was out of the
country, one counselor on a plane, and the other counselor getting ready to go
to the airport. But somehow it all came together.
The spirit present was strong and true, rich and fulfilling,
as the mother and father approached the altar for this sacred ordinance. Later
as the children entered the sealing room they gathered with their parents and I
wish I could have taken a photo. The five of them in white gathered together in
that sacred room was priceless. Although I don’t have the photo to prove it, I
suspect the picture has been imprinted in my mind forever. What a sweet
experience to go from baptism, to Melchizedek priesthood ordination, baptisms
for the dead, the endowment and then the sealing with this dear family who we
have willingly adopted as our own.
We were to pick up a sweet member couple for lunch with her
brother in Lake Arrowhead, where we enjoyed our honeymoon nearly fifty years
ago. We haven’t seen the place since. But when we arrived the brother looked
horrible. He had an impacted tooth which has now abscessed and swollen up the
left side of his face something awful. Finally had to go to emergency even
after his visit with the dentist. So he is home in terrible pain but was
insistent we take his wife. We had a delightful visit touring the area and
answering a barrage of questions about being a Seasoned couple. The brother and
wife were fearful of serving but said after talking with us they were ready to
go themselves. We drove around the lake, entered the beautiful and unusual Lake
Arrowhead Ward chapel, and walked the lakefront stores. There is only one surviving
structure from our time here. Sometime in the late 1970s there was so much
infestation in the building structures they used a controlled burn to destroy
all of them and rebuilt.
Sister H conducted the sharing time in the Lake Forest Ward
primary using missionary work as the theme. She enlisted the help of the sister
missionaries.
We had another good meeting with the Six family. I’m afraid
that the three of them believe the church is true but are having a difficulty
seeing it as the only true church. We have run into this conundrum repeatedly
in our missionary service. The purpose or even need for priesthood authority
just isn’t, other than through inference, really spelled out clearly in Sacred
Writ. Even the Book of Mormon does not present the case very well.
Sister H’s cousin, also serving as a Seasoned couple
missionary with her husband shared some verses in Isaiah relative to the fast.
As I read them I saw a different application for Brother Four and his daily
Christian service in these same verses, Isaiah 58:6-77, which I shared with
him. Brother Four responded warmly, “Thank you Brother, I was feeling a little
down until you sent me this message. Thanks for the reminder of He who supplies
all my needs and to just give thanks. I needed that. Man, I sure am going to
miss you. I deeply care for you like a close brother. God bless you and your
wife for the Spirit that you guys have and display on a daily basis.”
