Mini-Missions

Elder Jackson.  Called to serve: Chile.  Companion: Brother Gage Black.  One handsome future Elder!

Back in January we received a letter in the mail asking Trey if he would be willing to serve a mini-mission in the Mountainville 5th Ward.  Every future missionary (every young man and young women) was encouraged to fulfill activities that were designed to help them practice skills you would use on a mission.  They were asked to: have daily personal scripture study and prayer, learn the lesson from the pamphlet The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, present a Family Home Evening Lesson on the assigned topic, conduct yourself using behavior becoming of a missionary, review and discuss the Strength of the Youth pamphlet with your parents, cook a meal once a week, and do your own laundry for two weeks.  They would meet with recently returned missionaries during a Wednesday night activity and learn how to teach a lesson to an investigator.  They participated in a cultural night activity and ate different cuisines from around the world.  They were assigned a companion and area.  They reviewed the pamphlet and practiced teaching the lesson during the 3rd hour of church.  Then the companionships went to their assigned area (a home in the ward) where they learned about that place, ate food from that location and taught a discussion with their investigator family (ward member). 

What a brilliant idea!  I fell in love with it the minute I read the letter.  What a perfect way to help the youth see what a mission is like, but in a safe, controlled environment.  They could teach a gospel message and help strengthen their own personal testimony by reaching out and teaching others they already knew.


We quickly signed up to be a host family.  We picked to be New Zealand.  Other families were Louisville, Kentucky, Hawaii, Washington D.C., Chile, France, Japan and many, many other places.  There were 40 companionships and 40 host families. 


Trey met at the church at 5 pm and he and his companion, Gage Black, went to the Nelson's home.  He ate empanadas, chili salad and cookies.  Trey was the junior companion and he gave the first half of the lesson.  The Nelson's told him they were Catholics and didn't know much about the LDS church.  He was able to bear his testimony and said he had a great experience.  He came home glowing.

At our New Zealand house, we had the flag flying, pictures of the All Black rugby team up and the kids were sporting lava-lavas.  I cooked a meal of pork (instead of lamb) chops, squash, fruit with lots of Kiwi, rolls and the fabulous New Zealand favorite Pavlova for dessert.  We had the pleasure of hearing a lesson from Cole Johnson and Dylan Allen.  They took a piece of paper and tore it up and told us that other church's were like this torn pieces of paper.  They had some of the answers, but not all.  Our church was like the whole piece of paper because we had the complete truth.  They bore their testimonies.  There was a very special spirit.


I remembered back to the many times we were able to have our full-time Elders and even a few Sisters into our home for meals and lessons while we lived in Kentucky.  I loved their spirit and the example they were to me and my children.  I would honk and wave when we saw them pedaling down the street.  One time I even pulled over and shared our just purchased Little Caesar's pizza with them.  I would see them at Wal-mart and rush up and say hello.  Once I even met an Elder that had been in my Dad's branch in the MTC.  I would see them riding their bikes on cold snowy days and my eyes would fill with tears because of their dedication to the church and the Lord.  Missionaries are my heroes.  They work tirelessly spreading the Joyful News.  They bring light to those in darkness.  They talk to those who won't listen.  They are hopeful, happy and even homesick and they continue to preach and teach to all whom they meet.  I love missionaries.  I love my little brother Rhett who is faithfully serving and loving the people in Ecuador right now.  I love hearing my children pray for him and asking about his mission.  He should be their hero.


I am SO excited for my children to one day serve missions.  I will have 3 elders out at the same time and a little mini-elder Jackson waiting his turn, admiring his big brothers.  I will miss them terribly, but I know it is the only place that they should be at that time and it will change their lives for good.  It is a sacrifice.  It is hard.  But your life will be forever changed for the better because you made the right choice and went.  I am SO excited to one day serve a mission with Rich.  My dream calling would be to be in the MTC with all the Sisters and Elders.  What a place to get to be on a regular basis! I love the powerful feeling I get whenever I sing Called to Serve.  I love the message: Onward, Ever Onward.  Pressing Forward.  As Triumph Song we Sing.  That should be my personal motto.  It brings a smile to my face and warmth to my heart.  Press forward.  I love that.

And I LOVED this mini-mission experience and can't wait until Josh and Matt can participate too.

Dylan Allen and Cole Johnson