Letter from Mom and Dad - April 3, 2011

Dear Family,

We are getting ready for our new assignment.  Much time has been spent in organizing and packing in preparation for our departure to New York.  We have also spent time in studying and reviewing the materials sent to us by the Mission about the historical sites where we will serve.   In all of this “busyness” we want to be certain that each of you know how much we love you and appreciate your support and encouragement.    We are so grateful for your faith and testimony and your interest in what we are doing.   Besides serving the Lord we are also serving our great family.   We know the promised blessings given to senior couples will bless, uplift, and strengthen each member of our family. . . .So you might say we are a touch selfish for we want these blessings for our family

The Church sent us 3 rather extensive manuals to read and re-read so that we can become extremely familiar with all that took place in these “Church Historical Sites.”  While we also learn from “Preach my Gospel,”  The Church Historical Site program will be where we will spend most of our time.   It is important that we teach the truth as presented in these manuals so that the Spirit may bear witness to member and non member visitors of the truths and events that took place in the Palmyra area --- there are many.  

The purpose of our assignment is to strengthen the faith of members and to interest others in the restored gospel by increasing their understanding of the significant church history events, sites and people---and the associated gospel principles.  Particularly interesting is the focus on the member visitors.  We are told to --- “Strengthen the faith of members by increasing their understanding of the reality of historic events and the blessings of restored gospel principles”.  

As we have pondered this purpose with regard to the members we have considered the REALITY of the visit of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ to the earth.  The all powerful God and the actual creator of this Earth and our Savior came to these sacred places and spoke and taught and opened the dispensation of the fullness of times.  This message and its transcendent importance, needs to be planted deep into the hearts of each member individually.    We are instructed in the materials that this is the “filter” we need to place on all presentations in the Historic Sites.  The result is that members may have their testimony strengthened and deepened and non members may feel the Spirit and seek to know more.

The MTC called and gave us our specific arrival time 10:00 AM on April 11.  Time is getting close.  We are getting anxious, excited, nervous and all those things. 

After having our talks in Sacrament Meeting early, everybody now says “are you still here?”  I guess we need to get on our way.  

We just keep studying and packing and getting stuff ready.  We would never get the stuff into two suitcases if we were going to China.  Especially if Grandma did the packing!!(:

We have listened to Conference with a little different view.  It has been uplifting and helpful.

We love you all,

Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen

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