WEEKLY MISSIONARY EPISTLE 10/2/16

Elder Larry and Sister Bev Elkington

Monday we spent preparing food for the branch FHE at Anasazi Valley.  We took 5 children to FHE.  We were surprised when they told us their grandfather, who we just baptized, had returned to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. We called him on his phone and he said he had to return to Arizona to complete an unfinished project for his employer.  He said he expects to be back to the St George area within a month. We purchased a copy of the Gospel Principles manual and mailed it to him so he can continue to learn the basic doctrines of the Church.

The branch president brought us 10 bags of potatoes to deliver to branch members who need them.  On Tuesday we visited 5 families to leave them a 10 pound bag of potatoes.  This gave us a chance to talk to them about attending Church.  We had some great visits and met one very receptive sister.  She said she would start attending Church.

Wednesday we delivered more potatoes and had a good visit with a branch member who has not been attending Church.  We emphasized the importance of bring his family to Church each Sunday.  We then left a prayer in his home and expressed our love for him and his family.  That evening we took one of the boys to Boy Scout meeting and then took him to Harmon’s for a gelato.

We got a call from and investigator who hasn’t met with us for a month.  She says she wants to be baptized, but she hasn’t attended Church.  Elder Elkington reviewed the requirements for baptism and emphasized the importance of taking her children to Church while they are young.  She indicated she would like to study with the young Sister Missionaries.  We got permission from the Mission President to have the sisters teach her. Maybe they will be able to help her attend Church.

Friday was Zone Meeting.  We attended the first part of and then had to leave for a doctor appointment.  Sister Elkington had a very red eye that hurt.  The doctor said he thought it was iritis.  Since he wasn’t sure, he prescribed eye drops that contain a steroid and an antibiotic.  The eye seems to be improving slowly.

We watched General Conference on Saturday and felt spiritually nourished.  We looked forward to another day of relaxation and Conference on Sunday .  Then at 8:00 AM this morning we received a phone call from a Native American woman saying she needed a ride to the hospital.  She said the family car had been taken by another family member and she had no way to get to the hospital.  She was experiencing severe abdominal pain.  We dropped everything and took her to the hospital.  We then watched the morning session of conference followed by a trip back to the hospital to check on her. We missed most of the afternoon session of conference because of assistance we provided to/for the member.

Our mission call says we are Member and Leader Support missionaries – that’s what we do.  And we love it!