Missionary news

If all goes as Hermana Henrichsen directed, this message will appear on her blog.  She asked that I give her address:

Hna. CS Henrichsen

MTC Mailbox #344

ECU-QUI 0925

2005 N. 900 E.

Provo, UT 84604

 

She says that another good resource is "DearElder.com.  All you need to know is the person's name and your message will get to the missionary.  Plus, it's free.  She says "Cool, huh?"

 

Sue told us prior to entering the MTC that one of her on-a-mission friends had told her she would quickly be called by the people of the Quito, Ecuador Mission "Little Sister Fire-ball"  (but in Spanish).  I think you will agree with me from her first letter that she's already catching fire.

(from her second letter, undated,after one week at MTC) - (The first letter, written the day of arrival, went to Caroline's house and I haven't seen it yet)

"The MTC is such an amazing place!  I'm so excited for when you both will come here and experience the wonderful opportunity it is to learn, work and feel the Spirit here.  Dad, thanks for being such a good/wonderful/spectacular member missionary...

 

"I've enjoyed my companion, Sis. Hickey, so much.  We've really motivated each other and sustained a great attitude.  We love what we've learned and really just have been trying to do our best to soak it all up, apply it to our lives and learn how to best teach others.  I feel like I should just send you my journal, though even that wouldn't do justice to what we've just learned in the past week.

 

"I see John a lot too.  I think we've seen each other everyday, so that's kind of fun.  Sometimes I'm not good at remembering to call him "Elder Henrichsen" though.  "John" just pops out so easily.  We've actually had class on the same floor in the same building this week, so I stand by his classroom whenever my comp. needs a bathroom break (Pretty often.)

 

"Plus, I have a new comp.  Sister Malio.  Hopefully I'll be able to help her be as pumped up about the MTC as Sis H and I have been.  It's kind of sad to lose a comp when you've had such a good relationship and just been together for one week, but I'm sure there's some new things I need to learn from this companion.  Plus, it's an opportunity for us to spread the welfare message around all the more.  Challenges = Opportunities! 

 

"Sister Hickey and I have been learning about our welfare calling all week.  Part of our mission is to go teach/train the leaders and members of the church in the Quito Mission concerning self-reliance.  As we learned about SR, I came to have such a testimony of it's importance and wonder why everyone doesn't learn this.  But there's such packed schedules anyway.  We focused on D&C 104:11-17 and D&C 58:26-28 for the main SR principles.  We really do have important stewardships to fulfill.  The church and members would be so much better if they could stand strong and be more independent.  Self-reliance is truly a characteristic of our Heavenly Father.  Of course, part of self-reliance is using your resources, such as families, the church, and Heavenly Father.  Anyway, we teach leaders and members how to become SR so that they can then do more to bless the poor and the needy.  This applies to those not only in need of temporal help, but spiritual.  The 6 steps are:  1) Identify current circumstances; 2) set a goal/make a commitment; 3) Make a plan - specifics!  Start right away!;  4) Identify resources; 5) Continue to communicate with leaders;  6)  Follow-up and re-evaluate.   The amazing thing is that this applies to problems whatever they may be -- at a world, stake, ward, family, or individual level.  The thought of how much more effective the missionary program would be if every missionary was SR is simply baffling.  And the blessing of fast offering to people who give and receive is so amazing.  I really do have a testimony that this is how the Lord will help us to become one and truly build Zion....

 

"I know I am here as a servant of the Lord.  I have felt the Spirit magnifying my efforts as I've put forth my all in obedience and diligence.  Our Father in Heaven loves us so much and specifically preserved us to do much good on the earth at this time.  I loved learning that we had mission prep. class in the pre-existence (See D&C 138:55-56).  I know, without any doubt, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and the Way back home.  Thanks for helping me to be able to be an instrument to help bring others.  I love you?

Hermana CS Henrichsen

 7/31/06

"I want to write and let you know that all is well.  I am so happy to be here and learning so much.  I have another new comp. today, Hna Jackson.  We are now a threesome.

"I had my final RC training today and talked with a 7 y/o who wanted a free Bible.  It was very sweet and cute.  I told him I had my first very own Bible when I turned 8, too, and promised him that as he read it with his family, they would be blessed.  I was very impressed with his birthday desire...

"I love you so much!  The gospel of Jesus Christ has brought so many blessings into my life.  Thank you for teaching it to me in word and deed.  It truly is an honor to give this time completely to the Lord and serve as His representative.  Hna. CS Henrichsen   

 

 

Send letters to:

Elder John Henrichsen

1871 E. Del Rio Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85282

 

Now, I don't have an e-mail address to send John's excerpts to, so I'll just add on to Sue's at this time. 

 

"12 July, 2006

...Elder Richard G. Scott was presiding at our welcoming meeting.  He was there because his grandson was reporting for his mission...  One thing that one of the counselors talked about particularly struck me.  He spoke on becoming a missionary:  He said that it is a process not an event.  This is something I had been thinking about ever since I was set apart. I kept thinking to myself " I don't feel like a missionary"  Now I realize that as I learn and grow everyday and am obedient, that I will continually learn how to better be a missionary."

 

"18 July 2006

"The classes here are wonderful.  The teachers are excellent and inspiring (they're BYU students - of course they're awesome).  Pres. Kolhert, the MTC President and his wife were the Mission President of the Ohio Cleveland Mission about six or seven years ago.  I told him greetings from the Chardon Branch.  He said that brought back a lot of memories.

"So the first week of the MTC  has been great.  I have learned a lot and my testimony has been strengthened.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  I love you!

 

25 July 2006

"It's wonderful to be here at the MTC.  There are a lot of great missionaries here.  There are also several here that still have some growing up to do.  There are several who don't understand obedience.  They think that the rules are just in place to make their lives miserable - they don't understand that by following them they will receive blessings.

"In PREACH MY GOSPEL there is a chapter about Christ-like attributes. One that I've really been working on is Charity.  One way that I've been working on this is increasing my understanding of the Atonement.  If our loving Heavenly Father could willingly give His Son, Jesus Christ to enable all mankind to return to Him, how much easier should it be fore me to just love everyone?  Another thing that I am doing is praying to have Charity.  I never realized before that Charity is a gift of the Spirit and that it is something that I have to ask for.

"I still often wonder why it is I am on a mission now as opposed to four years ago.  I think sometimes I was given the extra time to prepare a little better.  If that was the case, I fear I wasted my opportunity by not using my time effectively.  Other times I wonder if I just needed to have more time to grow up.  The only conclusion that I've come up with is that I don't know, but that the Lord does.  I may someday begin to understand or maybe I'll never know in this life, but I do KNOW that I am supposed to be here right now."

 

"31 July 2006

 

"Well, today was our last full day at the MTC.  We leave tomorrow at 5:30 am for the airport.  Time has gone by so fast here...  I have a lot of mixed emotions right now.  I'm excited, anxious, tired, sad to leave my friends in my district, and a little apprehensive about the unknown.  I'm excited to get out there and do the Lord's work.

"I met a Senior missionary today that is a descendant of Ernest Henrichsen.  I was at lunch and Elder Adams asked me if he could visit with me.  It turned out that he had actually met Christie Sue and talked to her about it.

"I went to Sue's classroom today to tell her good-bye.  When I got there the door was closed and I knocked. The teacher opened the door and I asked him if I could tell my sister good-bye.  He said sure and he even said I could give her a hug - that that would be OK.  So she came out in the hall and I wanted to get a picture with her.  So I gave my camera to my companion and I put my arm around CS.  Before doing this the hall was empty, but as soon as I had done so two other teachers walked out of another class room.  When they saw me one said in a very concerned voice "Elder, you can't do that."  I told him that she was my sister.  They asked if I had any identification (I think they were joking, but they might have been serious).  I just pointed to my tag.  We talked with them for a while, and they were really nice."

 

"3 Aug. 2006

"So, here I am in my first area.  I'm in the Buckeye Zone -(Mom's note:  Interesting since Ohio is the Buckeye State.) it's about 1/2 hour west of Phoenix.  My companion is Elder Stapley; he's really great.  It's been pretty cool here the last few days - only about 100 degrees.  The mission goal for baptisms this year is 1,000.  Last year that number was reached and this year we're on track to pass that mark.  There are about 160 missionaries in this mission.  We cover three wards in our area and on Sundays we're at church from 6:30 am to 5 PM with all the meetings.  Everything here is great."