News Item: The Iron Rod March and April 2010
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
On the first Monday in June nearly 45 years ago I checked into the old Mission Home in Salt Lake City to begin my mission. A few days later on June 10th, I attended the temple for the very first time—that’s the way it was for practically all new missionaries then.
A week later I found myself on a train speeding south out of Edinburgh for the Scottish border town of Hawick. My mission president, David B. Haight, had issued his final instruction to me before boarding that he promised would bring great happiness if followed and great distress if I did not, “Don’t fall asleep and miss your stop!”
I arrived in that small city lost, scared and greener than the grass that adorned the surrounding hills. But waiting there to greet me was my first companion, Elder Joseph Peterson from Burley, Idaho. Standing over six feet tall, he was not hard to spot above the shorter Scots. He had a warm and friendly smile and hands so large that his welcoming handshake and hug just engulfed me. His hands were later trained in the art and science of orthopedic surgery.
Elder Peterson took good care of me. He had us up every morning at 5:55 A.M. We read scriptures, had study class, prepared ourselves and were out the door and working on time every day. He was kind and friendly to all we met and although not everyone wanted to hear our message, he was recognized and respected by the people of that community.
To my surprise I discovered that Elder Peterson was not only my senior companion but was also the branch president of the Hawick Branch. In that capacity he was responsible to organize the Sunday School, Relief Society, Primary and Young Men/Young Women Organizations. Our days were kept busy and full with branch responsibilities and our missionary proselyting duties.
Knowing how busy our schedule was each day, there was no thought to ever sleep in and get a late start. In the Salt Lake Mission Home we were taught a statement attributed to Benjamin Franklin: “He who rises late trots all day.” Think about it—doesn’t it feel like you are trying to catch up all day long when you get a late start? It was Ben Franklin who said, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealth, and wise.” You’ve heard that. More importantly, the Lord said, “Cease to be idle…cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.” (D&C 88:124)
Elder Peterson “did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness.” (Alma57:21) We lived the schedule and in so doing I was busy and I was happy. But my time with Elder Peterson was far too short. Transfers came and other companions were not as quick to observe the schedule required in our mission. In those circumstances I found that I was not as happy as I had been with Elder Peterson nor did I progress as I had under his tutelage. I was feeling the distress that President Haight promised would come if I fell asleep and missed my stop.
Fortunately, I was eventually transferred to a new city and companioned with a district leader who lived mission rules with exactness. I was once again happy and not idling away my time. I came to recognize the power that comes in obedience to a small thing like keeping the mission schedule. Obedience to the mission schedule allowed me to grow in knowledge of the gospel, love of the scriptures, increased testimony of the Restoration and a desire to share it with others.
May I pass to you the counsel my mission president gave to me those many years ago? “Don’t fall asleep and miss your stop!” Live the schedule—don’t sleep through it. “By small and simple things great things come to pass. And by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bring about the salvation of many souls.” (Alma 37:6-7) If you take advantage of the time given you to study the gospel and serve the Lord as a missionary as outlined in the daily missionary schedule, the Lord will bless you to witness many great miracles in bringing souls unto Him. I promise blessings of happiness and productivity through this very simple act of obedience.
Love Always,
President Merkley
New Arrivals
Elder Stephen and Sister Sandra Bertoch – Salem, OR
Elder Cameron Dunn – Coquitlam, BC, Canada
Elder Masen Ensign – Bountiful, UT
Sister Claire Hanson – Panama City, FL
Sister Vaieli Kalanise – Tarawa, Kiribati
Elder Scot Robinson – Brownsville, OR
Elder Sean Virgen – Lehi, UT
Sister Wendy Zuccato – Red Bluff, CA
Elder Spencer Troseth – Holden, UT (WELCOME BACK)
WELCOME TO THE OTM!!
Baptisms for February, 2010
Ft. Smith
Alma RoseAnn Marie Allocco
Ft. Smith Jarrod Alan Lamb
Megan Teneile Lamb
McAlester Jarom Alex Little
Terri Diane Murdaugh
Joplin Stake
Ft. Scott LeRoy Ross Cox
Neosho Hayley Autumn Parton
Parsons Ariel Katherine Gharmalkar
Rogers Stake
Bella Vista Hannah Elise Von Bose
Hattie Alayne Von Bose
Bentonville 1st Adlein Hadley
Deanna Robin Paczocha
Jacob Brandt Patterson
Little Flock Nelsina Jimmy
Ohner Rainer Jimmy
Rogers 1st Misko Sohse
Rogers 3rd Branch YSA Regina L. Immel
Springdale Stake
Fayetteville 2nd Serena Lee Perry Phillip Vaughn Scovel
Fayetteville Univ Aerial Skyles
Robin Lee Skyles
Har-Ber Matthew Olinger
Tahlequah Morgan G. Young
Springfield Stake
Bolivar Hanna Elizabeth Wimberly
Springfield 1st Linsey Carol Combs
Springfield 2nd Dewayne Nickolas Pesek
Kassandra Marie Pesek
Tyler James Pesek
Springfield Univ
Laurence Alexander Williams-Pettis
Stockton Autumn Kate Alden
Springfield South
Branson 3rd Spanish Guadalupe Lopez
Mt. Home
Mafalda Elena Casacadero Fernandez
St. Robert
Eldon James Terrell Byrd III
St. Robert Daniel Lewis Bennett
Tamela Joy Bennett
Tulsa East Stake
Brookhollow Thai Sailue Xiong
Tulsa Stake
Bartlesville 1st Minnie Hughes
Bartlesville 2nd John Edward Watkins
Riverside Judy Carol Fowler
Brandy Kaye Johanson
Sarah Beth Wallace
BAPTISMS February 2010
(COV) Other/unknown 2
(MD) Media Referrals: 0
(MR) Member Referrals: 12
(PM) Part-Member Family 21
(T) Tracting: 0
(Mil) Military 0
(Self) Self 1
(OTM’d) 5
TOTAL 41
Member Referrals = 155
March Birthdays
01 Mar Elder Matthew Anderson
02 Mar Elder Herrin
03 Mar Elder Payne
04 Mar Elder MacDonald
06 Mar Elder Miller
08 Mar Elder Petrich
11 Mar Elder Davis
20 Mar Elder Argyle
20 Mar Elder Kowalk
21 Mar Elder Sattler
26 Mar Elder Enfield
27 Mar Elder Joyner
28 Mar Elder Blaylock
April Birthdays
03 Apr Elder Otterstrom
04 Apr Sister St. Clair
07 Apr Elder Glasmann
09 Apr Sister Koning
10 Apr Sister Moore
11 Apr Elder Draney
11 Apr Elder Grigg
15 Apr Elder Morrison
15 Apr Elder Buhler
16 Apr Sister Garff
17 Apr Elder Shaw
20 Apr Elder Joshua Johnson
21 Apr Elder Bowers
24 Apr Elder Barnett
28 Apr Elder Borrowman
Departing Missionaries
Sister Whitney Day
Elder Scott Ellison
Elder Kellen Hallows
Elder Shannon King
Elder Skyler Silcock
Sister Tukemau Tanielu
Return with Honor
A Message from your Vehicle Coordinator
Elder Bear Bowers
ASSISTANTS’ MESSAGE
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