Thursday, November 28, 1968

I sent the following Thanksgiving letter to my family:

The wise author of Ecclesiastes has written: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Today is the season of thanksgiving, a moment when we step out of our regular busy-a-day lives to consider those things in life that are really important, a time when we draw a little closer to our Father in Heaven because there is the realization that all we have, all we are, all we can be is because of Him, the giver of all.

Now you are gathered as a family. A good family is one of the choicest blessings heaven can offer. Take a few moments to consider that. And if we want we make those relationships eternal. That is what I want, and I challenge all of you to help work for it. To Dad and Mother we owe our love, our devotion, our obedience. They have given us life and love and a home, and that is a debt we can never fully repay.

In thinking of Thanksgiving I made a list of those 100 things I am most grateful for. It is not my intent to bore you with them all, but I will share a few. I am humbled at the realization of how richly I have been blessed. I do not understand why, for I am certainly blessed beyond any worthiness of mine, but I thank God for it. The windows of heaven have been opened in my life. Chiefly is the gospel, the Savior’s tremendous sacrifice for each of us, the great love God has us-ward, testimonies, the Spirit’s influence in our lives, and the growth possible in the priesthood and within the Church. And then there is freedom, families, parents, friends, children, health, the beauties of nature, talents and abilities, opportunities to learn and to serve. All these things are what life is all about, really about.

The Prophet has spoken of these things. He said: "With all my soul, I plead with members of the Church and with people everywhere, to think more about the gospel; more about the developing of the spirit within; to devote more time to the real things in life, and less time to those things which will perish" (Conference Report, Apr. 1968, 144).

Enough of this epistle. It is hoped in this small way my spirit can participate with you this day, though I be absent in body. I hope this makes nobody homesick, for me we are too busy to ever worry about that. I leave with you all my love, my gratitude for all your support, and the knowledge I have that Christ lives and loves us and that this is His work and glory in which we are engaged. In His holy name I offer these few thoughts and ask His blessing upon all of you.

Sunday, November 17, 1968

The schedule here in the Language Training Mission and the great amount of walking we do every day dictates that for now I make entries in this journal only on weekends. I would prefer catching something of each day at the end of each day. That is impossible without breaking the rule about being in bed by 10:30. And so I will only look at highlights and overviews, hoping to remember the most important.

Thursday companions were changed in the district. The previous alignment was thus:

Elder Richard Kletting and Elder Steve Dickson
Elder Rolf Koecher and Elder Kent Gale
Elder Dean Cleverly and Elder Craig Rencher
Elder Dave Babbel and Elder John Sandberg
Elder Pat Redding and Elder David Perry

Now the Marília District looks like this:

Elders Kletting and Koecher
Elders Cleverly and Babbel
Elders Gale and Perry
Elders Redding and Dickson
Elders Rencher and Sandberg

My new companion, Elder Babbel, I knew last year at school. He lived in the same ward and same residence hall. I am certain already that we will get along beautifully as companions.

Yesterday morning I passed off with an aprovado the first discussion. Finishing that was a great relief. Elder Redding passed it off Friday and Elder Dickson passed it off just after I did. At this point we are the only ones who have passed it off. Yesterday we started the second.

Snow has fallen much of the weekend, although little remains on the ground. It is beautiful. Snow reminds me of children and Christmas. And it signifies purity.

Yesterday afternoon I went with Elder Redding to a Laundromat to wash clothes. We returned just in time to go to the old Women's Gym, where Marília won its first basketball game in the zone tournament (the first game we have played). Then we ate in the Wilkinson Center. Elder Babbel and I saw Captain Newman, M.D. and got back to the motel about 10:00.

A two-hour discussion on the gospel with Elders Kletting, Koecher, and Dickson followed. We spoke of personal revelation, faith, answered prayers, miracles, and such. When we finally went to bed, Elder Babbel and I talked somewhat longer. He has a great knowledge of the gospel. But this morning we woke up 45 minutes late. Oops! That will have to be watched.

Brother Terry Warner spoke with me one day at lunch. That was great. President Wilkins spoke in the leadership meeting Wednesday.

Since last Monday I have "lived my language," or "spoken total," every single day. In my whole stay here the longest I had ever gone before was two days. I decided why not a week. Now that I see how my ability to communicate is increasing, I think I may as well continue for the rest of my stay here, maybe even eventually including the hours outside the official day. I also feel I need to set an example as the Live Your Language chairman for the district. Yesterday was the first time the entire district has totally lived the program, but then the day was only 3½ hours long officially. They were to be congratulated on that. A few days I have been completely alone in my efforts.

This week we learned that we are leaving a week earlier than planned for Brazil because of the transportation problems Christmas Eve would create. Either December 17 or 18 is our departure date. That means only 11 weeks here and probably only making it through five discussions. But I am glad we are leaving earlier because I am anxious to arrive in Brazil.

Besides usual weekend letters to Karen and home, I wrote President Hal Johnson of the Brazilian North Mission and sent some passport pictures he had requested.

In sacrament meeting tonight I played the piano again.

Monday, November 11, 1968

Set precisely in the middle of our stay here in the Language Training Mission, the mission conference this past weekend was a great spiritual feast. Six weeks are behind us now with only six remaining until Christmas and Brazil. The great conference sessions make a good bridge between what is already past and what still lies ahead. Charity, or the pure love of Christ, was the conference theme. Moroni 7:47 was the foundation scripture: "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

In Saturday morning's opening session President Yarn, head of one of the campus stakes, and Robert K. Thomas, academic vice-president of BYU, addressed us. President Yarn developed the theme "Who is Christ that I should love Him?" My eyes filled with tears and the Spirit seemed very near as he closed in testimony enumerating all that Christ has done for us. In light of these things there are really no valid reasons why we should not love Him. Brother Thomas spoke of the different kinds of love and emphasized what charity was about.

The evening session Saturday was a talent show, which we did not attend.

Yesterday's morning session featured mission leaders on the love of companions, the love of leaders, and the love in general required of missionaries. The zone counselors over Zones I and V both spoke. President Taylor of the mission presidency then concluded.

Elder Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve Apostles participated in the concluding evening session of the great conference. He is at any time a wonderful source of inspiration. In his talk he ranged over a great variety of subjects, tying them together finally with his witness of the work. All that he spoke of related to our callings. Some observations he shared: find a way or make one; he can who thinks he can; the way to be nothing is to do nothing; love is a verb not a sentence. I am not sure I understood his meaning on that one.

Presidents Harris and Wilkins of the mission presidency both spoke—and Sister Wilkins also. All in all, it was a great two days of conference.

Sunday, November 10, 1968

Somewhere I blinked my eyes and two weeks slipped by. Now that we have moved into second level work and memorizing the discussions, time is really valuable. We must put at least 35 hours in a day, or so it seems. The weeks clip by at an unbelievable rate: by the time it is Friday I am still thinking in terms of Tuesday. Weekends are necessary to catch up with myself: little details like letter writing, laundry, scripture study, journal entries, and such as that.

Halloween visited the missionaries and the Great Pumpkin, sponsored by Karen, blessed our district. On the eve before Halloween a plate of homemade donuts were brought, and the district had a feast. Elder Burr had a trick-or-treat surprise for us Halloween night in the form of sacks of candy.

Beginning second level has introduced several changes into our schedules. Retention every evening is now held at BY High rather than in Allen Hall. Afternoon proselyting class is now conducted in Portuguese. We are given various situations or objections we might run into and discuss how to resolve them. Last weekend Elder Rencher and I spent many hours preparing our flannel board figures, plastic coating them, cutting and trimming, putting on tape, marking them.

The United States paused Tuesday to elect new leaders. Richard M. Nixon, the Republican candidate, will be the next president of the United States. Hubert Humphrey trailed uncomfortably close in popular votes, even leading at various times. George Wallace captured a significant percentage of the vote (I was told 14 percent) but managed only to carry three southern states. In Utah by margins of two-to-one liquor-by-the-drink was defeated, and Calvin Rampton, Democrat, was reelected governor. I was greatly pleased with the election since Nixon was my man.

Fast and testimony meeting last Sunday lasted two hours and 15 minutes. Elder Ostergar, who was conducting the meeting, could not turn it off. A great number of novos [new missionaries] spoke in what Portuguese they knew.

I have been called to be the Live Your Language chairman for the Marília District. Essentially it involves promoting the new speak total program, keeping a record of the district members who do speak total, and representing the district on the zone committee. The speak five program has been replaced by the Live Your Language (or viva sua lingua) program, which means total effort during the official day, 7:30 to 10:00 on weekdays. Either an elder speaks all the way or none. Individuals are recognized in zone meeting daily for the previous day’s efforts. Individuals and districts are recognized weekly in the leadership meetings.

Last Saturday night following the zone talent show, our district retired to the home of Elder Burr's girl friend for a pizza fest. It was financed by the cinco centavos we had been charging in class every time English was spoken. Elder Burr showed slides taken on his mission. Elder and Sister Welch attended also. We had pizza and root beer floats. Because of their great love and help for us, we presented both professors a little gift.

Elder Rencher and I saw Taming of the Shrew yesterday. Costuming, acting, and photography were all fantastic. And who can beat Shakespeare for excellency in script? I had seen the show once before. About the same time we were watching the show, Utah State was slaughtering BYU on the football field.

After living a week in the Lund Motel we were finally moved to the Rambler Motel on 5th West at 8th North. It is so much nicer and even closer to Allen Hall and the Wilkinson Center cafeteria. Before we had to ride the city bus every morning to breakfast, which was becoming expensive.

The district is now about half way through the first discussion. I have never studied so hard for so long in my life. Friday afternoon I presented all I knew to Elder Burr in 40 minutes, terribly slow. To pass all of it off it can only be 55 minutes. We learn generally about 50 to 60 lines a day and pass off that new section the next morning. If we make it within the time limit and mistake limit, we receive a blue mark on our chart. That is all both Elder Rencher and I have thus far.

Dr. Chauncey Riddle, my philosophy professor from last year, spoke in last Wednesday's leadership meeting. He is a giant of a man who holds my greatest love and respect. It was he who introduced me to what the gospel was really all about on a level deeper and more meaningful than I had ever known before. He delivered a stirring sermon, carried by the power of the Lord's Spirit that accompanies him. Afterward I went up and spoke with him—Elder Ballard also—and he remembered us and seemed glad to see us.

Brother Riddle emphasized the necessity of living by the Spirit. Then he moved into a discussion of stewardships. In the priesthood there are three basic relationships: father/mother, brother/sister, and son/daughter. In a temple marriage the priesthood stewardship relationship is one of father to daughter. The husband presides over the wife and the two together preside as a quorum over the family. He explained Cain’s and Abel’s situation. Their stewardship relationship was brother to brother. When Cain slew Abel he usurped priesthood authority he did not have by assuming a father role over Abel. The Lord appeared to demand an accounting for that stewardship. Cain was not meant to be his brother’s keeper. In Brazil we will be in a father role over the people there because, as representatives of Jesus Christ, we are duly authorized to act for Him even as if He Himself were there. The father stewardship is one more of blessing rather than just dominion over.

Brother Riddle also taught a lesson in how to deal with leaders over us we think are doing wrong. To criticize them is only to question the Lord’s ability to direct His own Church. Perfect obedience best helps that leader. Then if he really is doing wrong the Lord will remove him. It is not ours to ask an accounting of his stewardship.

From Brigham Young: "To be gentle and kind, modest and truthful, to be full of faith and integrity, doing no wrong is of God; goodness sheds a halo of loveliness around every person who possesses it, making their countenances beam with light, and their society desirable because of its excellency. They are loved of God, of holy angels, and of all the good on earth" (Discourses of Brigham Young, 280). Sounds like part of a description of one who is a disciple of Christ in truth and in deed.

The world has been beautiful recently. Yesterday the heavens were crying. Today a sharp blue sky clashed with the snowy peaks of Timp. The air was crystalline fresh. Stubborn leaves still cling to the trees that gave them birth but months before. The glory of God is manifest in all His creations.

Karen Stockton wrote the following poem last July:

A mission—separation—
Not a tearing apart
But a molding together
Through parallel growth.

Thoughts, hopes, dreams,
Cherished experiences, care
Woven, delicately yet strongly,
Into letters—a bridge across the miles.

Always present in the memory
A knowledge of past joy;
Fleeting glances in dreams
Of future joy to share.

Two years will pass by quickly.
It will be hard to leave
Your newfound life of service.
But old friends will welcome you
To a life—familiar—yet somehow new.

The past is gone.
But ahead lie bright horizons,
For old friendships
Made ever more meaningful
By growth and wisdom
In two years of blessings from God.