Reflections of my first year in the mission field... Dave

 

Reflecting upon the last 12 months since we entered into the Mission Training Center in Provo has been very interesting.  I could have never scripted a mission experience like this.  To be honest, everything was new for Joanne and me, but what a ride this has been so far.

After a brief MTC experience we arrived in Frankfurt, Germany and got settled into our new life and routine.  Joanne has always been the more social one in our marriage.  That aspect of our time in Germany became important for both of us as she led out in helping us get integrated into the senior missionary family here.  There were about 25 senior missionary couples in Frankfurt serving in Europe Area or Frankfurt mission assignments and getting to know them was enjoyable.  We would travel on weekends together and the more experienced couples took us to some of their favorite places to visit in Germany.  It was so nice to have their guidance and company during these first couple of months.

As Joanne became immersed in her assignment in the Europe Area Church Communications Department and also took over the production of a weekly senior missionary newsletter (The Wegweiser) she became busy.  She also got involved in refugee outreach efforts, the German culture class and the weekly Book of Mormon class.  Our network of friends began to grow and we really enjoyed our associations.

 I was assigned nine missions in Europe to provide mental health support for missionaries and their mission leaders.  My case load gradually began to grow to where it became very busy quickly.  We made time to take off on multi-day trips with our friends. As long as I have my laptop and phone, I can fulfill my calling from anywhere.  My missionary sessions take place over the phone using video apps to talk as close to face-to-face as we are able. 

At a little over five months on our mission I escorted a psychotic missionary home to the USA that I have documented in another post.  On that trip through the grace of God, I was able to be at my mother’s bedside when she died. We then planned to return to the states together in a month or so for the memorial services.  

Little did we know that a month later our mission experience and the world would be turned upside down by the COVID-19 virus. No services were held for my mother due to the virus and her remains were buried with their friends, John and Susan Gordon, attending the graveside event.  By mid-March, twenty-one of the senior couples in Frankfurt were evacuated back to the United States.  We were asked to stay in Germany by the Europe Area Presidency to provide mental health support to the missionaries and their leaders that were not being evacuated like nearly all the other missionaries in the world.  My workload increased quickly with the missions that were hit early and hard by the virus. The stress of quarantine for these young missionaries was powerful and they needed help to cope in healthy ways. My fellow counselors work from the US to cover their missions and are still doing a remarkable job in that service.  While my schedule increased in intensity and emotional demand, and we stayed in our apartment, Joanne’s missionary world was totally disrupted.  Most of her good friends were gone, the Area office was closed, the social activities were discontinued, and Sunday meetings were cancelled.  We couldn’t travel outside the state of Hessen in Germany and things were scary with virus concerns.

I stayed busy with my work and Joanne had to redefine her role on the mission.  It was a rough time.  We relied on each other and on the Lord as we prayed for our missionaries, our family and friends.  We all experienced this virus in different ways and we know full well that challenges have abounded for all of us.  We are so grateful that to-date none of our children or grandchildren have been seriously impacted.  Our children are still employed and their spouses and their families are safe, for which we give thanks every day. 

The almost five months of only having a few fellow senior missionaries left in Frankfurt was an unusual time. We couldn’t have much contact with them due to virus restrictions and we couldn’t travel outside of the German State of Hessen where we live.  The whole thing with masks was odd, especially since there were so few available initially.  Joanne began sewing them for ourselves and then for others here and then refugees and sent some to Will and Val and the boys in London.  Now face masks have become regular accessories to everyone’s attire.  Worn under the chin, on the neck and around the wrist for easy access. It is amusing to see everyone’s choice of placement, mine is in my back pocket.  Germany is still quite strict on mask usage in stores and public transit but neighboring countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands are very lax. 

During the height of the quarantine and virus spread throughout Europe, my biggest concern was the mental health of our missionaries throughout the missions.  I did numerous Zoom firesides with most of my missions trying to share with them ways to thrive not just survive during the lock downs.  More recently, Joanne and I were asked to teach at three different zone conferences in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission.  Different countries were more restrictive than others in the quarantine, such as Italy and other countries versus Sweden and other Scandinavian nations were very lax.  Germany was somewhere in the middle, we were never restricted from leaving our apartment or walking or driving.  In Serbia, seniors were not allowed to leave their apartments and had to have food delivered. 

Shortly after the exodus of the senior missionaries I was asked by the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City to be the chairman of the Europe Area Health Council.  This council is made up of all the Area Mental Health Advisers (AMHA) and Area Medical Advisers (AMA) and their spouses in addition to the In-field Representative (IFR) and his wife. Previously, this group of 12-16 met weekly in a conference room at the Area office but now we meet over Zoom bi-weekly.  While I was not at all eager to be in this role, it was important to have someone chair the council who was still in Europe and who could better coordinate care for our missionaries.  The last six months has been challenging to be tasked with keeping our group organized and functional during a time of great need.  The welfare of our group and the stresses that most of them experience working remotely from home is a concern too, it is particularly hard for them in many ways.  Their missions have really been turned upside down too, like so many others in the world.

In looking back on the first year of our mission, we could have never guessed all the twists and turns it has taken.  We feel it is a great privilege to be here on the front lines of the Lord’s work in Europe.  We have been eyewitnesses to many, many miracles large and small.  We have personally seen how our loving Father in Heaven is involved in the details of our lives and seeks to bless us and help us grow.  One missionary at a time I try to make a difference and help in any way I can. 

Many mission presidents and their wives and missionaries generously take time to thank Joanne and me for our efforts in their behalf.  It is heartwarming to receive these when they are sent and helps recharge our batteries.   It is interesting to me how God helps in so many things large and small.  From literally lifesaving situations to small thoughts about upcoming presentations, questions to ask in counseling or therapeutic options to pursue, the Holy Ghost guides this work. 

Part of our self-care is to travel when we have a day or two available.  That has been greatly restricted due to the virus, but in the last couple of months we have tried to get out more as the boundaries have reopened between EU countries.  As long as I have my cell phone and my laptop, I can really work from anywhere so traveling is usually accompanied by doing my work from hotel rooms.  Most recently we have had two occasions to travel to the Netherlands and have fallen in love with that country and culture.  Likewise, our first trip to Switzerland was absolutely amazing, renewing and beautiful.  Unlike other countries where you spend a lot of time touring castles, palaces, old town centers and museums, in the Alps of Switzerland you see the majesty of God’s creations on display boldly and so wonderfully. 

We look forward to the remaining months of our mission with anticipation and faith.  We love our associations with other senior missionaries and the young missionaries and their leaders who we serve.  We don’t have any idea what the Lord has in store for us and what the future holds for our chaotic world and the pandemic that still rages.  We are here and we are willing to do all in our power in our small way to move His work forward in Europe.  We miss our family so much and not being able to hug each of them is hard.  However, we firmly believe that our service in this season of our lives is blessing our family in ways that we couldn’t do any other way. 

More than ever before in my life, I can testify that God does live and that He loves us unconditionally.  I have a deeper love for our Savior Jesus Christ and marvel at His love for us and the wonder of his atoning sacrifice and resurrection.  There is peace in Christ even in our most challenging moments. This has been taught to us so powerfully as we reflect on our first year on the mission. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.