Missionary Journal 1970

January 16, 1970 

Wednesday was the final day of classes in the Salt Lake Mission Home. 

I was called to give the closing prayer after our last class. After lunch Elder S 

and I spent the first part of the afternoon shopping. Yesterday 10 missionaries

left SLC for the PNW. President W. and his marvelous wife were there to meet us. 

The President radiates a very special feeling of warmth and spirituality. 

I know I’ve been sent to the PNW because it is the best in the church. 

Surely the “field is ripe and ready to harvest.”

                                             

Pacific Northwest Mission Home, Mercer Island, Washington

 I might mention the flight from SLC to Seattle was interesting. I gave the 

1st and 2nd discussions to Sister S. Time passed quickly. It was Elder C’s

 first flight. He certainly enjoyed it! After dinner we had a testimony meeting.

Elder S. bore a beautiful and slightly tearful, testimony. It brought me to 

realize once again how powerful the Spirit is through simple, humble people.

Elder A., a truck driver by trade, bore testimony to that same truth. These men 

have great faith and became close to the spirit as they exercise their priesthood.

This morning we received “final” instructions. I’m on the ferry to meet Elder V. 

now. I’ll labor in the Puget Sound District of Zone 5. I’m anxious to get to work.

Puget Sound - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puget_Sound

Puget Sound is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and  part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and two minor connections to the open Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca—Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and          Deception Pass and Swinomish Channel being the minor.

February 1, 1970

I’ve been out in the field two weeks now.  I feel like missionary work is all there is to life!  I have a lot to learn about being a missionary.  One must certainly turn to God for strength out here. The PNM does away with junior and senior companions.  Missionaries are co-equals.  Each week one elder is “1^st elder” and makes the decisions.  But before becoming a co-equal an elder, (greenie) must pass off all of the requirements in his “Start Chart.”  This includes; memorizing the six discussions and 27 supporting scriptures; read ½ of the New Testament; reading the missionary handbook; etc.

Elder V. and I set up deadline dates that would have my discussions memorized in two weeks.  I met every deadline and handed in the chart to my DL today.  I put in about 50 hours of study in my first two weeks.  I stood in on the confirmation of two young converts on my first Saturday in the field.  That morning I had passed off my first discussion. 

Boyd Williamson baptized Bill on Jan. 7, 1967

On Tuesday I received a letter from Boyd.                                                              

On Monday Elder V. and I taught our first contact, Mr. A.  He’s a J.W. but not baptized.  He knows his scriptures and is sincere.  His son is going to Frankfurt with the Army.  Mr. A., Jr. is golden!

Elder V. has been out since July.  He’s an enthusiastic missionary with 25 baptisms to his credit already.  He has only been in Bremerton a few days longer than I have.  We have a lot of groundwork to lay before we will find abundant success.  The past two weeks have been dedicated to cleaning up old referrals, etc.

I taught my first lesson on the 19^th (my birthday!) to K. and A.O.  K is golden (It was a 3^rd discussion).  I also taught them the 4^th and 6^th with Elder S. 

Teaching K. was a great experience.  He was baptized yesterday morning.  I stood in on both confirmations.  K. is going to marry A.’s sister, R.  K. was very receptive to our message.  He is sincere and was converted by the Holy Ghost as he studied and prayed.  

I’ve been finding I can study very hard here.  I did find breaks necessary, but I stayed alert so long as I remained awake.  Study made me tired.

President McKay died Jan 18.  It came as a surprise, but not a shock.  I was able to tape the memorial program that afternoon.  On Thursday I taped the funeral. President Joseph Fielding Smith was named to succeed David O. McKay.  I find myself defending the calling of such aged men into the Presidency very often.  Certainly, they are blessed with strong and alert minds. 

                                          

                                             David O McKay                                        Joseph Fielding Smith

This past week flew by.  It began when I gave a talk in Bremerton 2^nd Sacrament Meeting.  It was a fired up missionary session. Elder V. spoke and T. H and an RM from Brazil spoke also.  The spirit was warm and strong. My testimony touched E. V. too.  He admonished me not to make the same mistakes he’d made.  I must, in short, learn humility.  I’m just not very humble.  I know I’ll be an outstanding missionary as I overcome that challenge.

Bremerton, Washington - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremerton,_Washington

Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 37,729 at the 2010 census and an estimated 41,405 in 2019, making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap. Bremerton is connected to downtown Seattle by two ferries: a 60-minute ferry that carries both vehicles and walk-on passengers, and a 28-minute Fast Ferry that carries passengers and a limited number of bicycles.

There is a value in memorizing the discussions.  It gives you confidence as you teach.  I feel writing this diary will force me to evaluate my work more thoroughly.  Hopefully, I’ll be honest so as to improve myself.

Bill's Missionary ID card