Missionary Journal March 1971

March 1971 Summary

Another month has flown by. Great strides have been made on all fronts. It's a crime I didn't make weekly entries in this thing.

Monday, Feb. 22 Elder M. visited us for the last time. He left for home on the 26th. He expressed his fears that Liahona District would be dissolved and that the President would re-construct the Lamanite program. He also phoned the President and discovered that Elder Y. was remaining in Lapwai and I would be the new District Leader. As yet, we still didn't have a car.

Tuesday the President phoned me. He called me as District Leader and also included Oak Harbor in the district. He phoned early, around 7:00 AM. I was outside burning trash - it took me almost 5 minutes to get to the phone. Thursday I fired off a letter to the President expressing my feelings on the direction of the Lamanite program. We got a car. Oak Harbor also became part of Liahona district. Elder S. and Elder T. also came up from Oak Harbor.

Saturday we took the bus to Seattle for Lamanite District Conference. It snowed, and the trip down was miserable. At the conference I saw the first fruits of missionary work. I met L. H. a 7 year vet of the placement program. He's from Montana. He is poised and well educated--dedicated to his LDS, Lamanite heritage.

The following week I toured the district. Oak Harbor is a golden area. On Thursday I taught 2 2nds, a 3rd, a 4th, a 5th and a 6th and interviewed B. F. for baptism He was certainly prepared. We had a long talk. At first he wasn't sure about being baptized, but finally he decided he should. The Spirit testified strongly. We closed with a kneeling prayer.

Friday Elder W. and I went to Burnaby, B. C. with a group from Lummi Branch. We saw an Indian Pageant: "From the Eagles Bed." It was the MIA portion of an elaborate open house. The production was superb. I gather that BYU created much of it.

While there I met some AL-Can elders and learned of their methods and success. Proportionally they do better with Lamanites than we do, but their white production is poor by comparison. Elder B. S. laboring in Surrey, introduced me to what was there. We shall correspond.

On the way home the bus broke down. We were stranded in Canada. We got a tow back to the stake center. We remained there until rides came from Lummi. While we were there we helped clean up for Saturday's open house. The open house, by the way was the best I've seen. It was comprehensive, well prepared, and well attended. Friday was Zone Conference. As yet I had no written reply to my last letter. During our interview I got it....I began the task of trying to compile all of the areas of discussion in an attempt to make an orderly presentation to the President.

Meanwhile, Elder H. and I worked together 3 or 4 days a week. On Thursday or Wednesday, we bumped into the the AP's in Marysville. I presented them my ideas concerning our program. Elder H. and I committed ourselves. T. and I listened closely and responded positively. We had ground of mutual understanding... In the last week I've received volumes of informative helpful material.......

On Friday, March 19, we accompanied the students to the Regional Lamanite Conference. There we had the opportunity to talk to Brother Stewart Durrant for an hour and a half. He is the secretary to the minority groups committee in Salt Lake. I taped his remarks. Throughout the discussion he backed away from statements concerning policy. He did say we ought to teach everyone in our area. His comments on teaching the conversion lessons were apt. Using a story about his grandson, he illustrated his point. A few weeks after the flip charts came out, Brother Durrant visited his son in California. As was his custom, he gathered the children for a story. This time grandfather told them the first discussion. The next morning at breakfast the four year old ask to hear the story from the "Joey Book" again. Brother Durrant asked his grandson to tell it to him. The little boy told the story well, and tears welled in his grandfather's eyes as the 6th picture, where Joey is hit by a car, was explained. A little concerned, the young boy hurriedly flipped a few pictures until he had the spirit world picture: "Don't worry, Grand-dad, look. Joey is in heaven!"

We also must reach the Lamanite heart. Concerning missionary work, he explained it as a five circle affair:

1) Center circle; YOU. worthy, well-prepared, enthusiastic, etc.

2) Your love for the people in your area, ie the ability to reach others.

3) A plan, of course, is vital for success

4) The Church programs, MIA, Relief Society, etc. provide something for the contact to attend

5) The members, since they fellowship, etc.

This concept can be worked out in great detail.

The following morning and Sunday, Elder Warren and I prepared breakfast for the Swinomish All Indian Tournament. It was quite a thing! I also kept score in the Saturday afternoon games.

That evening we attended the baptismal service for R. and R. M, and 5 of the E.'s family.

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