A Monster Transfer, Chick-fil-A, and More

 Dearest Family and Friends,

Just when we think we cannot fit one more missionary into the mission, 34 arrive and 13 depart. You can do the math. It's tricky to find a place for each missionary to serve and lay his or her head. Every transfer is really two or three transfers, and planning for it takes both of us, our two wonderful Assistants, and all of the dedicated missionaries in the office. When a new missionary arrives, they are assigned a great missionary companion to train them and help them make a successful adjustment to missionary life — someone to show them the ropes. Training typically lasts for the first 12 weeks in the mission field. We currently have 67 missionaries being trained. Some valiant missionaries are training two new missionaries. Zone Leaders and Sister Training leaders, our young missionary leadership, are training as well. 

Our mission has traditionally been about 40% sisters and 60% elders. Since COVID and the flood of reassigned missionaries, the percentage of sister missionaries has dropped in our mission. We now have 27% sisters and 73% elders. The actual number of sisters is the same, but a vast majority of the new missionaries pouring into our mission are elders. We do love the elders, but please, send sisters.

We had to execute the last transfer three days early because (surprise!) 20 of the 32 missionaries arrived two days early. So with less than 24-hours notice, missionaries packed their bags and got ready to move wherever they were needed. Of the 92 companionships, only 9 didn’t have some sort of change. Who else but the missionaries, called by the prophet and set apart with priesthood keys, would be so willing to do whatever is asked to best serve and fulfill their purpose? Barring any unforeseen glitches, the next transfer in December should be much calmer. 

We are still loving Fall (when all the leaves are dying - as Jim Gaffigan says), our flock of wild turkeys, exercising on our farm (technically it belongs to MSU), and the mission life. However, one couple in the neighborhood have fled Lansing for their second home in Sedona, Arizona since the temperatures have begun to drop. We think they are the smart ones! In happy news, we’ve met many of our neighbors and one young couple on the block operates the local Chick-fil-A. We’ve been thinking (and by thinking we mean scheming) about how to become their best friends. One thing we’ve heard repeated in the MLM is that we want to be a Preach My Gospel Mission. And if we fall short of that goal, we at least want to be a Chick-fil-A Mission — efficient, hard working, and with everybody smiling. The Chick-fil-A mission statement does include: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.” It’s good, but we still prefer: “To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” Here in the MLM, we endure joyfully. 

We recently concluded a three-day Mission Leadership Seminar. Pre-COVID, these seminars were done in person. We heard that they are normally held in Palmyra, New York. Of course, we met virtually. Elmer and I thought it was outstanding. We are probably missing out by not being able to meet with other mission leaders in person and create those friendships, but we don’t know any different way. We were asked by two members of our Area Presidency to speak briefly at the seminar. Being new to mission leadership, we mainly soaked up information and listened carefully. One of my favorite parts was to hear from all the mission leaders their ideas on:

1. What have we learned during this pandemic that we want to capture and retain and keep long after the virus has gone?
2. What do we not want to go back to?
3. What do we hope will come back that we used to be able to do that was helpful?

The use of technology to help us be more efficient with our time as missionaries and leaders was the big winner going forward — especially being able to have shorter, more frequent meetings with those who want to be taught and also for stake and area correlation meetings. No one wants to go back to knocking doors from 6-9pm. Most are happy to never have meals as zone conferences again. And many don’t want to waste any more time having meals in members homes. Rather than a meal sign-up, a better thing that was mentioned would be a sign-up to teach with the missionaries. JustServe opportunities for missionaries in greater community service opportunities was agreed to be an important thing to keep. Among the things very much missed and hoped for in the future: the ability to gather together for both worship services and activities and being able to meet in-person with members to help and strengthen them.

For those of you who are interested, here are the key points that Elder Todd Christofferson made. He is the Apostle who is over the North America Northeast Area and set the agenda for this seminar. 

• The gospel scholarship and scriptural knowledge of the missionaries should continually be increasing, especially the understanding of the Book of Mormon.
• All that we are learning during this global pandemic will hasten the work of the Lord.
• The safety of our missionaries is of utmost importance.
• We are leading a generation of missionaries who are honest, real, genuine, and who are filled with a great love for other people. 
• Right now, the bulk of the Lord’s finest missionaries is concentrated here. The work does need to be substantially strengthened in the United States and Canada. (He didn’t say this, but I thought, “Let’s go!”)

We went to our new ward for the first time on Sunday. It was wonderful to gather together. There were about 30 of us there, including the two of us, the three elders, and three sisters serving in the Meridian Ward. Many other ward members joined via Zoom.The two speakers both spoke on Zoom. There is something very pleasing about watching a person give a talk about the gospel from a front porch in beautiful Michigan. 

We hope you all are doing well and staying healthy. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. We feel them and need them.

We love you!

Elmer & Amy

We are a Preach My Gospel/Chick-fil-A Mission! Or as Elmer called it “Chicken-fil-A.” 🤔

A sunrise view from “our farm” — When the sun comes up on a clear day, it seems to rise in the east and in the west. Spectacular!

Elder Duersch — showing off one of Michigan’s 240 lighthouses

Here we are getting some steps right before most of the leaves turned yellow, orange, and red.

Sometimes we pick up 2 new missionaries. October 6th - Not officially a transfer, but Elder Snow met just about every missionary serving in the Lansing Zone his first two days in the mission.

Companionship study with the elderes — que fuerte!

Teaching via technology is pretty awesome, as are all our missionaries and friends!

JustServe is the best!

Sister Harris would like you to know that in Battle Creek (Cereal Capital of the World) sometimes the streets smell like Fruity Pebbles.

Sometimes we go to the airport and pick up 20 new missionaries. October 19th — Also not a transfer date but we made one happen anyway. 😅

This week we sent off our first missionary (Elder Clark on the right) to his original mission assignment and learned that the travel forms to foreign countries during COVID are a little tricky.

😢 but also 🥳

Great missionaries who finished their service in the great MLM — we are thankful for each and every one!

That one time we had three Assistants for a few days before Elder Griffin (next to President Heap) went home to Lehi. To help us so we don't miss Elder Griffin too much, we stay focused on finding great joy in the work like he did. We never heard him say anything negative. One time he was speaking about a tough assignment, and he said, “It was a little tricky.” That’s our new code word for when something has gone wrong or it’s pretty rough: Tricky!

Sometimes we go to the airport to pick up 12 new missionaries and get 11. October 21 - the official transfer day ⭐️

And then we go back to the airport to get the missing missionary! We are so glad Elder Baird made it, and so are his companions — not only because he knows how to cook. 

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