Reflections

Upon reflection of my mission experience with Joanne, I can wholeheartedly say that it was a wonderful adventure.  I had hoped and prayed that our mission together would be a sacred time in our lives as I felt my mission to England as a young man had been for me.

From the beginning of the preparations for our mission there were serious obstacles. My diagnosis of prostate cancer nearly derailed the whole thing.  Thanks to divine intervention, we were still called to serve in Europe even though the medical department at church headquarters had advised against it.  It became very clear to Joanne and I quite early in our mission experience that we were serving exactly where God wanted us to be.

Wonderful experiences, week after week kept piling up the whole time we served.  I tried never to let a special experience pass by and take it for granted.  I have tried to thankfully acknowledge God’s hand in our lives every day. 

The COVID-19 pandemic created massive challenges but at the same time, we saw God working to bless his children and his missionaries greatly.  While face-to-face missionary work stopped completely for a long time, teaching sky-rocketed with the use of technology.  The prophetic changes in the systems of the church prior to the pandemic enabled a smooth transition to at-home discipleship.  We felt privileged to be asked to stay in Europe instead of being evacuated back the USA with most of the other senior missionaries. 

We made so many new friends and had regular close contact with the general authorities who led the Europe Area as well as employees of the church who work in the Area office in Frankfurt, Germany.  Joanne and I were blessed with good health the whole time we served and were protected from COVID. 

While we thoroughly enjoyed day trips and multi-day adventures as tourists, that is not what made this mission such a wonderful journey.

In reviewing this blog, one may understandably conclude that we spent a lot of our time traveling and sightseeing.  Actually, it was the experiences we had each day between our outings and even while we were away that were the most awesome.  My lifetime quota of castles and cathedrals has been met.  However, the beauty of God’s creations always energized Joanne and me.  For example, the Alps of Switzerland and of Austria took my breath away in awesome wonder.  To me, each testified of the existence of a loving God.

My regrets are few.  I wish had been able to do a better job helping some of the missionaries who had to return home early from their missions.  I wish I had kept a comprehensive record of the special experiences I had.  I regret not having been a better companion to Joanne, although she never asked for a transfer to my knowledge.

Joanne was absolutely amazing in her service.  Her positive, can-do attitude blessed me and by extension those that I served.  She was a good friend to other sister missionaries and great worker in the Europe Area Communication office, BYU Pathway and English Connect.  As we were confronted with new challenges and uncertainty in serving in Europe during the pandemic, she always rose to the occasion.  I love her with all my heart and am so grateful for her willingness to go on this adventure together. 

Our last days in Europe included traveling to Northern Italy to present training to the various zones of missionaries in the Italy Milan Mission.  We spent almost a week traveling throughout the mission with President and Sister Browning whom I had grown to love.  I had worked with so many of their missionaries during our mission that it was a tender mercy of God that I could see them in person and that Joanne could hear their gratitude for what I had tried to do in counseling with them.  What a joy to finish our mission with them.

I can’t really speak about the sacrifices we made to serve our mission because the blessings of serving so vastly outweigh the sacrifices.  They are not even worthy of mention in my opinion.

I don’t know if Joanne and I will have an opportunity to serve another mission together, but if we do, I hope it will be as meaningful as this one was to both of us.  I am thankful to my Heavenly Father and his son, my Savior, Jesus Christ for our mission.  I saw them work mighty miracles in the smallest of details and in the largest of challenges.  It was an honor to be an instrument in His hands during this time in my life.

To my posterity that may read these words, please believe this:

-       God lives in the heavens and labors on our behalf tirelessly.

-       Our brother, Jesus Christ, gave His life that we may live again in eternal peace with our families.

-       There is nothing in this fallen world more valuable than cultivating a meaningful relationship with our Savior and Redeemer.

-       I know of no better way than serving others and learning to love each other more fully and forgiving each other liberally.

-       The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is upon the earth and that path will lead us back to God’s presence.