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Homecoming talks – December 2015

Grandview 10th Ward — Provo Utah Grandview Stake

The first talk is the one shared by Elder Michael Taylor. Sister Susan Taylor’s talk follows next.

Elder Taylor — What a privilege it is so speak today, to hopefully share with you the incredible missionary spirit that we have enjoyed for the past 2 years. thank you to family and friends who are here to support us. I would share a few of the reasons why senior missionaries are so blessed. First, there is no such thing as a “bike area” for seniors. We were blessed with a Toyota Corolla during our entire mission. Next, there are no transfers for seniors, at least in our mission. We didn’t need to worry every 6 weeks if we were going to be shifted or transferred to a new area. No packing and unpacking. We became residents of Hawera, New Zealand. We even registered to vote! Next, I was blessed with the same companion for my entire mission. Not only did I have the same companion, I had the BEST companion available in our mission. Having served as a young missionary, I know the trauma that surrounds transfers and new companions, and what a joy to have had Sister Taylor at my side for our entire mission. Once or twice she considered asking our mission president for a new companion, but gratefully I was able to convince her otherwise. Next, senior missionaries never feel unneeded, unloved, or under-utilized. There were no “down times”. At one point in our missions, Sister Taylor held 8 callings simultaneously, 2 district callings, 3 branch callings, and 3 mission callings. And we were not unique or special. We were just “available”, and we loved the service. Next, wardrobe selection every morning was very simple. My most difficult decision was which of my 4 ties to wear with which of my 6 white shirts. And finally, and with all seriousness, the greatest blessing for us as a senior couple was the being surrounded, every day, by the best young people on this planet, our young full-time missionaries. Where would one look to find a group of young people equal to them? Dedicated disciples of the Lord, hard-working, righteous, clean in mind, spirit, and body, sacrificing their all day after difficult day. We were with them in district meetings, zone meetings, missionary coordination meetings, preparation days, missionary lessons in investigator’s homes, and rescue visits. We were lifted by them, inspired by them, blessed by them. We loved them. We semi-officially adopted 1__ of these wonderful young people as they served by us in the Hawera area. They are eternal friends. Twenty or thirty of them are here today — shake their hands, brothers and sisters. You will readily recognize them — they are the ones with the image of the Lord engraven in their countenances, radiating the light of a consecrated servant of the Lord.

My hope today is to convey the wonderful missionary spirit that we have been immersed in for 2 years. I would like to do that by sharing with you wonderful of the many miracles that we watched unfold during the last year of our mission. Miracles, you ask? Yes, miracles as Nephi defined them. He said to his brothers, when they mocked him concerning the building of a boat, “..if the Lord has such great power and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me to build a ship?” If the building of a ship was a miracle, the saving of a soul is just as miraculous.

This miracle unfolded in January of this year. Two dedicated, faithful sisters missionaries serving in Hawera were planning their next week. They had heard that the annual “Gypsy Fair” was coming to town on the next Monday. Inexplicably, they felt spiritually compelled to go to this fair. Reason and common sense dictated otherwise. First of all, the fair was on Monday, the preparation day for missionaries. To give up the precious few hours of preparation day was indeed a sacrifice. And what was this “Gypsy Fair”? There is a group of self-proclaimed gypsies that travel New Zealand in home-made motor homes that look like something out of a Harry Potter movie. They roll into town, invade a city park, set up their booths and stalls, and peddle trinkets and cheap paintings and inedible food. What possible good could come from these sisters attending this fair? The spirit persisted, and they listened. On the given day, they put on their regular missionary attire, their prominent name badges, grabbed their missionary bags with pamphlets and copies of the Book of Mormon, and headed to the fair. Can you picture how these two sister missionaries stood out at a gypsy fair? Amongst the dread locks, the sandals, the gaudy jewelry, and tawdry clothes, two radiant, clean, conservatively-dressed young women, proudly bearing the name of the Savior on their nametags?

We leave these sisters for a moment as we go back one week, in a small hamlet called Eltham, just 20 minutes north of Hawera. A wonderful young married couple (somewhat of a rarity in New Zealand), Tom and Stella Filipo, were considering going to a “Gypsy Fair” in Hawera. It actually held little appeal to them, but they thought their two young daughters might enjoy it. They had never attended one before and decided to take a chance. At the fair, Stella and the two little girls quickly lost interest, and told Tom that they were returning to the car. Not understanding why, Tom told Stella he was going to browse a while longer. He knew he was not going to make a purchase, and he was as bored as Stella had been, but still he lingered. Suddenly, he became aware of two very remarkable young women approaching the booth. He immediately recognized their nametags, having seen similar young men and women in the home of his grandmother when he was a small boy. He stepped up to them and asked, “Are you Mormons?” Can you predict the rest of this story? Names, addresses, phone numbers were exchanged. We had two magnificent young elders serving in Eltham, and they were soon at the door of Tom and Stella Filipo.

Unbelievably, Tom and Stella lived just one block from the elders in Eltham, 2 houses away from a very active member of the Church, and across the street from an inactive LDS family, yet Tom and Stella had remained “undiscovered” until the appropriate time had arrived. The elders found that Tom and Stella had been having conversations about their lives, their marriage, their children, the lack of spiritual pursuits in their lives, and what changes they could make to improve their lives. The answer to all of those questions, and hundreds more, came in the form of wonderful, called and set-apart young missionaries bearing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I pause now in this story to ask all of us a few questions. Are we sensitive to the nudging and enticing and whispering of the spirit as were these two young sisters? If they had not been strictly, precisely, exactly obedient disciples, would they have received those urgings? Do we have times in our days and weeks when we pause and ponder and listen and heed? Do we often do as Tom and Stella did, asking the hard questions of ourselves, such as “…what lack I yet…”, “ Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” “…where can I turn for peace…?” The sisters’ listening, and Tom and Stella’s asking led to miracles. Such can be the case for us.

Another question — was the meeting of Tom and the sisters at the Gypsy Fair mere coincidence? Happenstance? Certainly not in the minds of all of us who were intimately involved in this wonderful story. Alma 13:24 states that “..angels are declaring the glad tidings of the gospel at this time in our land, yea, they are preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive [Christ’s] word.” We know that many spiritual means had been used to prepare Tom and Stella for the glad tidings that were brought into their lives. No luck, no chance, but divine influences.

During February and March, Tom and Stella were taught and they absorbed the gospel messages like sponges. Everything felt familiar and comfortable to them. Members were invited to sit in on the missionary lessons, including Sister Taylor and myself. Testimonies were born, and two new testimonies took root. Tom and Stella were welcomed at church and were quickly immersed in branch and district activities. Tom’s family included some inactive LDS cousins, but they encouraged him. Stella’s family strongly discouraged her from pursuing the gospel, but she persisted. The two magnificent young elders that were serving in Eltham were the perfect missionaries for Tom and Stella. They not only taught, but they befriended. They became unofficial members of the Filipo family.

Mid-March, a baptismal challenge was issued and accepted. One hurdle remained. Tom had smoked for many years and knew he needed to stop. When taught the Word of Wisdom, he set a goal. He set a specific date on which he was going to stop, and when the Lord’s help, he did just that. He later recounted how he began to feel so uncomfortable with a cigarette in his hand, and the stark difference he noticed when he was with the elders and his family in his home contrasted with how he felt out in a shed behind his home, smoking. Tom trusted in God, no patches, no gum, no programs, just explicit faith in God’s ability to help and heal. The elders had promised Tom that if he truly desired to stop, for the right reasons, the Lord would give him the ability. Two magnificent scriptural promises came forcefully into Tom’s life “I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say” and “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.”

Another question for all of us? How does our faith and dependence on the Lord compare with Tom’s? Do we second-guess, doubt, deny, rationalize, or just simply believe, trust, and follow? Can we, along with the father of the frenzied young man in the New Testament, say, “Yea, Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.”

I must interject a sweet experience that occurred with Tom and Stella’s 7 year-old daughter, Mynaro. In March, when Tom and Stella were still investigating the church, Stella received a phone call from Mynaro’s principal at school. The principal told Stella that they were all happy to have students who were excited about and devoted to religion and things of faith, but she felt that Mynaro was taking things a little too far. Mynaro was taking the missionary pamphlets that the elders were leaving in the Filipo home and passing them out to her friends at school, and was also inviting all who would listen to come with her to her new church. At 7-years old, this little girl had caught the spirit and power of the message that her parents were embracing, and she was internalizing the lessons and songs she was hearing at Primary. “Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Oh, that we could all have the innocence and purity of a child.

In early April, I had the sweet privilege of interviewing Tom and Stella for baptism. What a joy to interview these true converts. They loved their missionaries, they loved the social aspect of the church also, but they were converted to the Lord, to the Book of Mormon, to the restoration, to the doctrine. The cornerstones of the restored gospel were now the cornerstones of their spiritual lives, the Savior, the reality of the First Vision, the restoration of the priesthood, and the Book of Mormon. To have a married couple, with their children, fully converted to the gospel, come into the fold is a missionary’s dream. This dream became a reality.

The day of the baptism in late March was sweet beyond description, full of the “joy of the saints” mentioned by Enos in the Book of Mormon. Both Tom and Stella bore their testimonies at the service. Listen to Stella’s testimony: “I would like to share my testimony with you that I know my Savior lives. I know that through his Atonement, we can be healed, forgiven, and redeemed. I know that we can grow in knowledge, can realize that we are not perfect, and that we make mistakes, but we can try to live as He lived and love as He loved. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that in times of doubt I can turn to the scriptures and find peace and be uplifted by the truth’s of the scriptures. I know that I have a Heavenly Father that knows me and loves me perfectly. He knows how hard forgiveness is for me but he has sent wonderful people to my house to show nothing but Christ-like love toward us.” A new convert? She sounds like a seasoned veteran in the camp of Israel.

The ripple effects of these baptisms soon became apparent. While Tom and Stella were being taught the gospel, they had one of their nieces, Sophie, staying with them for a few weeks. She listened to the missionary lessons, and carried the spirit of those lessons with her back to her home in Auckland. She became converted and requested baptism. She elected to come back to Hawera to be baptized. Tom, now a brand-new priest in the Aaronic Priesthood, baptized Sophie. Can you imagine the sweetness of that baptismal service? “O remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. And if ye should labor all your days, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with them in the Kingdom of my Father. And now, if your joy shall be great with one soul that you have brought unto me, how great shall you be your joy if you bring many souls unto me?” Tom and Stella were the speakers at Sophie’s baptism, giving beautiful messages on faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. They had been members of the Church for one month!

Another question for all of us? Are we missionary-minded, as were Tom and Stella? They communicated frequently with Sophie as she was being taught, encouraging, lifting, building. And all this as they were building their own faith. Do we overcome doubt with faith, hesitancy with testimony?

This ongoing miracle just kept getting better. In June of this year, a brand new branch, the Stratford branch was formed in the Taranaki, and its boundaries included the town of Eltham. The formation of this new branch is another miracle that perhaps can be shared at another time. Tom was called to serve as the First Counselor in this new Branch Presidency. Stella was called as the Primary President in the new branch. They had both been members for 3 months. I had the sweet privilege of conferring the Melchizedek Priesthood on Tom and ordaining him an elder. The spirit was strong. Magnificent blessings and promises were pronounced under the influence of the Spirit. Tom stood up after the blessing, shook hands with all of us in the circle, and then sat down again. A member of our district presidency then set him apart as the 1st Counselor in the new Stratford branch presidency. More spiritual blessings and gifts were promised. Tom stood up, shook all of our hands, and then joined us in the circle to assist in the setting apart of the new 2nd Counselor in the branch presidency. Can you sense the joy that was present in that circle of priesthood holders?

In July, Sister Taylor, in her calling in the district Primary presidency, went to Stella’s home to train her in her calling as Primary president. Sister Taylor said there was nothing she could teach Stella that she didn’t already know. Stella shared with Sister Taylor that she had read the chapter on the Primary in the Red Handbook twenty times she being called to her position. Twenty times. How many of us have read the applicable parts of our handbooks more than once?

Later in July, arrangements were made for Tom and Stella to travel to the New Zealand temple to participate in baptisms for the dead and to receive their patriarchal blessings. A miracle which occurred on that splendid day will perhaps be told later. Listen to Stella’s description of this day: “This day in Hamilton ranks as one of the great days of my life, right up there with the birth of my two daughters and the day of my marriage to Tom. It has been amazing!”

My message today, brothers and sisters, is this: Can we even imagine the eternal blessings that will flow from the fact that two sweet, dedicated sister missionaries gave heed to the promptings of the spirit to attend a Gypsy Fair, and that a sweet couple followed promptings that they didn’t even know were promptings, to do the same? Can we not do the same in our daily lives if we will slow down, ponder, specifically pray for guidance, and then have the courage to follow the guidance that comes.

Testimony.

Outline of talk:

Privilege — share missionary spirit — gospel principles
Gratitude — ward — family and friends — missionary friends
Seniors blessed 1) no bikes — Toyota 2) no transfers — no 6 week jitters — Hawera 3) Same comp — not only same BEST — no trauma — joy — she considered asking 4) never unneeded, unloved, underused — SRT 8 (2/3/3) — not unique or special, but AVAILABLE 5) wardrobe — 4/white 6) seriousness — greatest — where? — obedient disciples of — hard work, righteous, clean in M, S, B, sacrifice — DM, ZM, MCM, PD, lessons, rescues — lifted, inspired, blessed — loved — adopted ~ 100 — eternal friends — many here — easy
Hope to convey spirit 2 years immersed — 1 of many miracles — Miracles? Unexpected LC’er wrought by faith — Many! — Alma 26 Mx3 we have witnessed in this land, for which we will PHNF — not spectacular or grandiose, but as meaningful and life-changing as any miracles read about in the scriptures
January — 2 dedicated — serving in Hawera — planning — GF — compelled by spirit
Reason and common sense said NO. Why?
Monday, closely guarded time
GF — self-proclaimed — home made motor homes — Harry Potter
Roll in — evade — booths stalls — trinkets — cheap paintings — inedible
What good could come? Spirit nudged — responded
On Monday — dressed — name badges — BOM, bag
Can you picture? Amid dread lock, sandals, gaudy clothing, 2 distinguished, clean, bearing name of JC
Leave — back one week — Eltham, 20 minutes north — wonderful young couple T&S F — considering GF
Held little appeal — two daughters might enjoy — never before — take chance
At GF, Stella and girls quickly tired — left — inexplicably, Tom lingered — bored, no chance of buy, BUT
Suddenly, saw 2 remarkable… — recognized badges — years ago in grandma’s home
Are you Mormons? — can you predict? — names, addresses — 2 wonderful elders soon on their porch
Just one block from elders, 2 houses from active member, across street — HIDDEN until the appropriate
T&S had been conversing lives, changes — answers to these and 100 other…in the form of 2…GOJC
PAUSE, ?s — sensitive to nudging, whisperings? If they had not.. strictly, exactly obedient
Are we hearing? Live our lives in preparation? Do we inquire of the Lord?
What lack I yet? What wouldst thou have me to do? Where can I turn for peace?
Sisters listening and T&S asking led to miracles. Such should and can be the case for us.
Another ? — Coincidence? Happenstance? Not in the minds.. — Alma 13:24 “angels are declaring the glad tidings of the gospel at this time in our land, yea, they are preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive Christ’s word” Any doubt that T&S had been prepared. No luck, no chance, divine influence.
During Feb, Mar — T&S taught, absorbed — comfortable, familiar — members invited, including us
Testimonies shared, 2 new testimonies took root — welcomed at church, quickly immersed
Tom had inactive LDS family encouraged — Stella family discouraged — Perfect missionaries
Taught AND befriended — unofficial members
Mid March — invitation extended and accepted. One hurdle — smoke, knew he needed to …
WOW — goal — set a date — prayed fervently — stopped — later recounted..shed..stark difference
No patches, gum, programs, just explicit faith (other methods aren’t bad) Elders had promised Tom…
I the Lord am bound, I can do all things
Another ? — how about our faith in the Lord, compared to Tom’s? Second guess, rationalize, facade
Or do we trust, believe, follow? Father of frenzied… Yea Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief
Late March — sweet privilege — interview. What a joy — enveloped — loved elders and members, BUT — converted to Lord, BOM, restoration, doctrine
4 cornerstones were now their cornerstones — Savior, 1st Vision, BOM, prophets and apostles.
To have a married couple — 2 daughters — converted — missionary dream — reality
April — sweet beyond — “joy of the saints” Enos BOM — Tom and Stella both bore testimony
Stella — “I would like to share my testimony with you, that I know my Savior lives. I know that through his Atonement, we can be healed, forgiven, and redeemed. I know that we can grow in knowledge, can realize that we are not perfect, and that we make mistakes, but that we can try to live as He lived and love as He loved. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that in time of doubt I can turn to the scriptures and find peace and be uplifted by the truths of the scriptures. I know that I have a Heavenly Father that knows me and loves me perfectly. He has sent wonderful people into my life and into my house to show Christ-like love towards us.” New convert? Seasoned
Another ? for us — Stella said she had turned to the scriptures and had found peace and had been uplifted by the truths found therein. Is that a daily habit in our lives? Daily peace, daily uplift, daily truth.
Ripple effect — Sophie staying during teaching — she listened — carried spirit back to her home
Converted — requested baptism — came back — Tom, new priest, baptized — imagine sweetness? Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. And if ye should labor all you days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring.. how great shall be your joy with him in the K of F. And now if your joy shall be great with one soul.. how great.. many?” We felt that joy.
Tom and Stella were speakers — beautiful — F, R, B, HG — ONE MONTH!
Another ? Missionary minded? T & S communicated daily with Sophie — encouraged, built, lifted
Do we overcome doubt with faith — hesitancy with testimony?
Another ripple — 1 month after baptism — Mynaro 7 — call from principal — We love it when, but Mynaro has taken it.. Seeing the joy in… — wanted to share it — pamphlets, cards — inviting all to come and listen & go
Embraced, internalized, Primary songs — Suffer the little children to come.. — That we.. innocence courage
Miracle just got better — June of this year — branch — Stratford — included Eltham — another miracle later
Tom — 1st counselor in BP — Stella — Prim Pres — 3 MONTHS — Necessity, no, hand of Lord lives
I conferred & ordained — Spirit! — Magnificent blessings — stood up — shook – sat down
DP member — set apart — More blessings — shook — joined us to assist 2nd — Sense the joy
Ongoing — In July Sister Taylor — training — Stella knew all that was shared — Primary section 20 times — 4 month
How many of us have read our handbooks that pertain?
Late July — arrangements — BFTD — PB’s — another miracle for another day — Stella’s description “This day in Hamilton ranks as one of the great days of my life, right up there with the birth of my two daughters and the day of my marriage to Tom. It has been amazing!”
November, a beautiful exclamation point as we drew near — Tom baptized Mynaro, I confirmed her — impossible to describe — not just for Mynaro, but for the miracles that..
My message today — imagine the eternal blessings, flow from the fact that 2..heeded.. GF..sweet couple followed promptings..didn’t even know were promptings. Could we not, should we not, slow down, ponder, pray specifically, have the courage.
Testimony of four cornerstones, over and over, investigators, less actives, active, meetings.

Sister Susan Taylor — Amazing and overwhelming to be in this sacrament meeting today with this many people. We haven’t seen a gathering of this many saints in over two years. What a blessing it is to partake of the sacrament and to receive the uplift and renewal of our commitment to our HF and to the Savior. Isn’t it just fabulous to be a Latter-day Saint and to have that great privilege weekly in our lives? I have thought a lot about this talk and wondered how to sum up all the experiences of a two year mission in one sacrament meeting talk. I guess the answer is that I can’t. But I would like to share a few experiences with you that I hope will give you a taste of the experiences blessings we received while serving on our mission.

I have to start by expressing what an honor and joy it was to serve in New Zealand where my dad served his first mission over 75 years ago and where he served many others times as the temple president, mission president and general authority. The ripple effect of his efforts are still being felt today. We associated with many people who either knew him or their parents or grandparents knew my dad. And they honor and revere him still today for the gospel and blessings he brought into their lives. I wonder if my dad had any idea of the consequences his choices would have through the years. I am so grateful for him and that he is still here with us
today.

NZ is a beautiful, green country of 4 1/2 million people and over 6 1/2 million cows. As many of you have come to know, the people and the cows are two of my favorite things about New Zealand. And not necessarily in that order. In 2 Nephi 29:7, “Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the
Lord your God have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea:and that I bring forth my word unto the children of men…”
For the last two years we have been serving on an isle of the sea. I can testify that the Lord has remembered His people who are on the isle of New Zealand. In New Zealand are found some of the most faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Let me share with you two stories from the lives of some wonderful people we met while serving in New Zealand.

Lisa Tamati was baptized in New Plymouth New Zealand exactly one year ago. Lisa was a person of faith and was raised a Catholic although she had questions regarding the religion while she was growing up. Lisa’s husband, Paul, was an inactive member of our church. They were good people and lived a good life although religion had not been much a part of their married life together. These two had seen the missionaries out and about in their neighborhood on occasion and knew who they were because Paul had served a mission when he was younger and active in the church. They had, however, never talk with the missionaries. On one particular day, the Tamati’s saw the missionaries in their neighborhood as they were driving out of the area on errands. Lisa commented to her husband that if the missionaries ever came to their door, she would like to invite them to come back some time and have dinner. Her husband didn’t say much and hoped her comment would be forgotten. A few hours later when they arrived back home, however much to their surprise, they found those same missionaries in their home talking to their son. So Lisa, true to her word, invited the missionaries to come back in a few days for dinner. When the day and time came for the meal, Paul was not very thrilled that the missionaries were coming into their home. But at Lisa’s encouragement and stating that it wouldn’t hurt to have them there just this once, he determined to be was gracious to the missionaries and they actually enjoyed a delicious meal and time together. The missionaries brought such a good spirit into the Tamati home, that they were invited to come back another time. This started Lisa’s journey towards baptism. Lisa studied the gospel with different missionaries for the next year. She had many questions that needed to be answered and she made many changes that needed to be made in her life. Elder Taylor and I met Lisa at a critical time in her conversion when she was trying to overcome a long time habit. We were privileged to work with her and to see her make some critical changes. We saw miracles take place in her life as she showed faith and courage. Over time, her questions and longings were answered and most importantly her heart was changed. As she grew in her testimony of the gospel, her husband, Paul, rekindled his testimony of the gospel also. He came back into full activity and fellowship even before Lisa was totally converted to the gospel. Several weeks before her baptism, her adult son, seeing the amazing changes in his mom, started a sincere search of the gospel also. What a joyous day it was when Lisa went into the waters of baptism and stood next to her husband, Paul, who baptized her. Her son followed a few months later. Although Lisa’s mother was not happy that Lisa was being baptized, she did attend the baptism and was so touched by the spirit, that she wept. Over time, her heart has softened towards the church as she has seen the good changes in her daughter. After her baptism, Lisa bore her testimony and stated that learning about and accepting the gospel felt like coming home to me. She said, “my faith is stronger than it has ever been. Twelve months ago, I would have never thought that I would one day be baptized although she was now able to identify experiences and things that had happened in her recent life that had
prepared her for hearing the gospel. She testified of the great happiness that had come into her life through accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ and being baptized. She also recently expressed gratitude and amazement for the Sabbath Day and how thankful she is for the way their Sundays are now compared to how their Sundays used to be. Lisa is full of joy and radiates the light of the gospel in her countenance. In a few short days this story will come to a full complete circle as this wonderful family will enter the New Zealand temple and be joined together for all eternity. One of the first two missionaries who went to the Tamati home that day, commented after learning of Lisa’s baptism, “who would have thought our first visit to their home would have resulted in this?” (Elder Andrus) In Jacob 5:71 we read, “Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. …and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit,…behold ye shall have joy with me…”
I am grateful for the joy that the Tamati family has found and for the joy that the missionaries and those of us who were able to work with Lisa and Paul on their journey to the gospel have found. ( Another scripture or quote here?)??

Another faithful disciple of Jesus Christ that we met on our mission is a young missionary we were blessed to serve with. This sweet missionary came from a very difficult background. He was raised in a broken and troubled family. Some of his young life he lived with his mom and then other times with his dad. He lived off and on with his younger siblings and at times with a grandma. Both of his parents had problems with drug use and his mother is an addict. His home life growing up was anything but stable or nice. This Elder is the oldest child in the family. At some point in his childhood he attended Primary sporadically and was baptized.
Unfortunately, through his family circumstances, from age 9 on, he was completely outside the church and away from the influence of the gospel as he struggled to survive through the difficulties of his life. At age 16, through the influence of good friends and his own testimony that was started way back in his Primary days, this young man embraced the gospel with open arms and full church activity. His testimony was strengthened and he saw the hope of a better life and better way through the gospel of Jesus Christ. In a few years, he started his plans and resolve to serve a mission. Because of this young man’s sensitivity to the concerns of his
younger siblings, his mission plans were temporarily interrupted until he was confident in the care and arrangements for his younger brothers and sisters. He then entered the mission field in New Zealand with great faith and hope placing the care of his family in the Lord’s hands and placing his focus on bringing others into the joy of the gospel. Although never hearing from his family except from his 15 year old sister, he served faithfully. A few months into his mission this
fine Elder received the bad news from his bishop that his 17 year old brother had been involved in and apprehended for a very serious crime. As a District of missionaries and friends, we fasted and prayed for this Elder and his family. His companion and Elder Taylor gave him a priesthood blessing. This sweet Elder was filled with unbelievable faith and commitment as he once again confirmed his desire to continue serving as a missionary and devoted disciple of Jesus Christ despite the continuing difficulties at home. If there ever was a young man who could have had many reasons not to serve or continue on in a mission, it was this young man.
However, not this missionary. He radiates assurance and light. He is an example of the believers and true followers of Jesus Christ. This wonderful Elder is the ultimate example of the scripture found in Alma 38:5,8 which states, “…I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions and ye shall be lifted up…” “and… never until I did cry out unto Lord Jesus Christ…did I find peace to my soul.”

Brothers and sisters, what did these two amazing souls realize? What caused them to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ? What had they internalized that caused Sister Tamati to forsake her upbringing, her past life and to some degree even her family, and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ? What did this young missionary realize and know that allowed him to step beyond his very unfortunate upbringing and family difficulties to come on a mission and share the gospel of Jesus Christ? I think they realized what Alma teaches us in the Book of Mormon (Alma 38:9) when he says, “…there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.” I also think they believe what Alma pleads with us (Alma 13:27) when he states, ” And now, my brethren and sisters, I wish from the inmost part of my heart yea, with great anxiety even unto
pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance; But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name… Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.” (I need a little quote or statement to tie this all up here and will lead into the next part.)

A few months ago through Facetime, our granddaughter, Haylie, who has waited anxiously every day of our mission for us to return, asked me a question. She said, “grandma when you arrive home from your mission and see everyone again, are you going to cry? I quickly responded, “yes, I think I will cry a lot (which I did) because I will be so happy to see everyone again. Haylie, then said to me, “I’m going to cry too and then I’m going to hug and hug and hug you.” I believe there is someone else who is going to cry and hug and hug and hug us when we return and see Him again. That is our loving Heavenly Father who I testify knows and loves each one of us individually. We are His children and He wants us to each return to Him someday through living His commandments and doing those things that will allow us to live with Him again. His desire for each of us is that we would be a devoted disciple of His son, Jesus Christ.

I will be eternally thankful for the wonderful experiences we have had on our mission, for my amazing companion and husband. Our lives individually and our marriage have been blessed and changed forever through our mission. And I verify the truths that were stated in our mission call which said, “greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you serve Lord in this labor of love among his children.

I bear my testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is His church on the earth Joseph Smith was a true prophet, The Book of Mormon is true, Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet today.

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