Senior Couple journal — New Zealand Hamilton Mission
May 3, 2015 to May 9, 2015
Dear friends and family,
Happy Mothers’ Day (a trifle late) to all mothers and future-mothers who receive this email. We love you all. Sister Taylor had a wonderful Mothers’ Day, being loved by her “adopted” sons and daughters here in Hawera, the full-time missionaries. She also was grateful for thoughtful remembrances from home.
Today I (Elder Taylor) was called to serve as District Councilman in the Taranaki District, with stewardship responsibilities over Hawera Branch and Stratford group. This will be a sweet and wonderful assignment, as we know all of these great saints very well and will look forward to serving them in a different capacity. I was also called to serve as the Young Men president in the Hawera Branch. Sweet is the work!
1/ Scripture joke of the week: Did you know that the Lord encourages us to participate in equestrian sports? See the explanation below.
2/ Church history quiz of the week: Which apostles in this dispensation served for the shortest and the longest periods of time in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles? Answer below.
3/ Update for the week: I was asked to speak at the Hawera Branch New Beginnings program a few weeks ago. There were 4 young women present, along with their parents. I love these young women and am proud of the courage they show every day in living the gospel standards despite incredible peer pressure to do otherwise. I concluded my remarks by emphasizing the importance of having daily individual spiritual habits in their lives, such as scripture study, obedience to the commandments, acts of service, and prayer. The first letters of those 8 items spells out D-I-S-H S-O-A-P. I had made little cards for each of them, with DISH SOAP and its meaning printed on them. The message seemed to be well-received, and there was a sweet spirit present throughout the program. A few days after the event, one of our young women leaders asked one of the Beehive girls if she remembered what Elder Taylor had talked about at New Beginnings. She quickly responded, “Yes, DISH SOAP!” She then added, “And I think I know why he chose to talk about DISH SOAP. We use dish soap to get our plates and glasses squeaky clean, and we can use prayer and scriptures to get our lives squeaky clean and pure!” The “squeaky clean” analogy had not crossed my mind; it was just a catchy mnemonic that I devised. I was grateful for the insight of a wonderful little Beehive.
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4/ Answer to the scripture joke: In D&C 62:7, the Lord says, “I, the Lord, am willing, if any among you desire to ride upon horses or upon mules…” We have divine approval to “horse around”. :o)
5/ Answer to the Church history quiz: The apostle who served the shortest length of time in the Quorum of the Twelve (only 2 years and 2 months) was Elder Alonzo Arza Hinckley. He was ordained an apostle on October 11, 1934 by President Heber J. Grant at age 64, and he passed away on December 22, 1936. He was President Gordon B. Hinckley’s uncle. The apostle that served the longest in the Quorum of the Twelve was Elder Joseph Fielding Smith. He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for 59 years and 10 months (April 7, 1910 to January 23, 1970). He then served as President of the Church for 2 years and 5 months.
Much love from two happy missionaries in New Zealand,
Elder and Sister Taylor
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