Missionary Rules

Always great to be with the young missionaries!  These 18-26 year olds put their normal lives on hold for two years, leaving family, friends, and everything familiar.  They email home once a week and phone home twice a year on Christmas Day and Mother's Day.  On their mission, each commits to live by very strict rules.  No dating.  No phone calls to girls.  No reading except for the scriptures and a few other approved religious writings.  No watching movies.  They commit to focus completely on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Missionaries are up at 6:30 a.m. to exercise, study the scriptures and prepare for the day.  They proselyte for about 10 hours per day, which means that they contact people and invite them to learn more about Jesus Christ.  They teach lessons.  They give service.  They work hard for 6 days a week.  On Pday (Preparation Day), they wash their clothes in a big tub of water and hang them to dry.  They grocery shop and clean house.  They iron clothes.  Then by the late afternoon, Pday is over and they are back to proselying then bed at 10 p.m.

The missionary work of the church is a miracle in that it works and the gospel is being spread throughout the world.  As of the end of 2016, there were 70,046 full time missionaries with 33,695 part-time missionaries.  (So exciting to know that LeRon and I are part of that over 70,000 missionaries!)  There are 421 missions worldwide and nearly 16 million members.  It is truly a "marvelous work and a wonder."

Elder McIntyre is finally back in Kenya after having served in Tanzania ever since he came on mission.  Good to see him again!  And then there's Elder Kyomya and Elder Jameson.  They were all in the mission office for a while today.  Nice to visit with these good missionaries.

Elder McIntyre and Elder Jameson.  Sometimes I get them mixed up and I'm not sure why.

Elder Mwashi (on right) is the newly assigned Assistant to the President, along with Elder Ellis (on left).  Elder Ellis has served in this capacity since March.

Elder Ang'ila was released from his mission last week.  We were at his ward on Sunday and there he was with his lovely mother.  So good to see him again!