74. A Peaceful Sunday! "Out of small things proceedeth that which is great."

I believe tonight, I'll just say a few personal things.  At times I probably will tell some about our life today.  My husband Wayne is a Temple Ordinance worker, and he has already gone to bed to be able to get up, Monday morning, at 4:45 a.m., to get ready to be at the Temple at 6:00 a.m.  He stays until the 11:20 session is done, usually about 1:30 p.m.  I usually try to go to an ordinance session on Monday morning, as I want to go at least once a week.  I've heard there is a second new Temple film, and I'm excited to go.  I love the Temple, and remember a wonderful blessing I got over 60 years ago, from Brother George E. Miles, a Patriarch, for whom I typed blessings when I was around 18 to 20 years old.  (What a blessing that was to me!)  His wife had died, and in those days, the Patriarch spoke slowly and it was written down by hand.  He always kept his train of thought, and never asked to have anything read back to him.

In that blessing, he said that if I would do Temple work, and genealogy work, that my ancestors on the other side would be instrumental in helping me live a long life to do that work.  I wrote about that in a past blog, # 13.  I am past 79 years old today, and in quite good health.  If my mother had lived another 3 months, she would have been 91 years old.  I have been interested in genealogy, and Family History as it is now called since I was 16.  I was a Temple ordinance worker for 2 or 3 years, but I had a problem and had to have an operation on one foot, and since then have not worked at the Temple, but worked at the Family History Center, off and on for around 20 years.  I've seen so many changes come, and they are continuing to come, and it is a challenge to keep up with technology.

This is a photo of Patriarch George E. Miles, no relation although Miles was my maiden name.  I knew him when he was 87 +. years old.  He lived to 102.

Today one son in Oceanside, California, had a regional conference in which Pres. Henry B. Eyring and another General Authority spoke.  He said it was a lot about missionary work.  McKay said they have a program in their area in which young Aaronic Priesthood men go out with a clipboard, in their regular clothes, (not white shirt and tie) and ask people if they would like to have a visit from the missionaries.  Yesterday that produced 5 investigators in their stake.  They use as a reference Sec. 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  It will be interesting to see what new things come about in "hastening the work."

Our daughter Pam had a Stake Conference in which Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke, and these are some of her notes:  (They live in Bountiful, Utah.)

"Today we had the opportunity to have Stake Conference. The special speaker was Elder Jeffrey R Holland. This was an amazing opportunity because Miriam and I were able to sing in the choir.  (She went up after and introduced herself, and he said "You look like an Eckman," and then saw her daughter -- who looks like her, and said "It looks like another generation of Eckman's is coming along".  Pam has seven children, so that was a true statement!)

Elder Jeffrey R Holland spoke mostly to the youth and about the importance of families.

He also mentioned that this is the last dispensation and that the keys to the gospel of Jesus Christ will never go away again. We are down to almost extinction. If we allow the young generation to fail then we will become extinct and the end will come. We need to help our youth become strong members and hold on to their values. The Family is the first line of defense to make this possible. If we stay strong as a family we can conquer anything and the adversary won't win. Be built on a rock and sure foundation because then you will stay strong against the storms in life. The church and ward family are there to help you overcome weaknesses. We need to stay strong together and serve one another and the winds and storms will blow over us.

Elder Holland asked the youth to pay a different kind of tithing. He explained it this way. Say you knew you were going to live for one hundred years. He asked the youth to give him 10 years from the ages of 12 to 22 to the service of the Lord. To stay faithful and use the Lords guidance in their lives, because these are the years they will make the most important decisions of their lives. He also encouraged the youth to listen to their parents and leaders because they may have made bad decisions and can help you not make the same ones they did. Learn from their previous experience.

 One of the decisions for young man that is not negotiable is serving the Lord on a mission in those 10 years. A mission is one of the best decisions you can do with your life. A mission changed his life to wanting to serve the Lord.  He mentioned that his father was a convert, and that he didn't have Family Prayer and Family Home Evening in his home in his youth.  He said that going on a mission, and his Mission President are what made him what he is, and that that is where he got his testimony.  Missions will help you testimony grow more than anything else you can do with your life at that time. The ripples you will cause from missionary service will go on forever and bless the rest of your life for good. Be a disciple of Christ. Be an example.

At the end of his talk he gave a special blessing to everyone in attendance as well as any family wherever they may be. You were a part of this blessing and can receive these just as if you would have been there. He encouraged us to become more like the Savior. He blessed us that if we tried that we would become more like him. He blessed everyone with health and that we would receive answers to our prayers if we truly would ask we would receive his blessings. He talked about the loyal woman of the church from the beginning and that we have always strived to do service and we are being blessed daily for our efforts to raise up our children unto the Lord. If we as women continue the blessings would be poured out on our children and the lives of those we touch. 

He encouraged the youth to stay pure and if they would keep the commandments they would see many blessings happen in their lives. He said that there would be angels attend us all our days if we would stay true and faithful to him. We will never be alone. We always have him to guide us."

         (End of Pam's notes)  

Elder Holland is extra special to us, because he grew up in my (Pal's) home ward, and my mother was his Sunday School teacher.  He knows us by "Wayne and Pal", and it is a wonderful feeling to know his history, and how he loves his home town of St. George, Utah.  He is about 7 years younger than Pal.

 Two experiences I think I'll mention today.  On Friday night, Wayne and I went to our local hospital to visit 3 elderly people in our ward who were in the hospital.  On our way out, in the dark, around 7:30, a young man approached us in the parking lot, and said that he had been in there visiting his brother who had apendicitus, and he had loaned his car to a friend.  The friend had said that he would be right back, but it had been 3 hours, and he couldn't get in contact with him, and would we please take him to his place which was just on the edge of town.  Wayne said, "of course", and he got in the back seat.  I was a bit nervous at first, but there wasn't anything really to be afraid of.

    Anyway, we got talking, found out he had been working at a restaurant, but many there were on drugs, smoked, etc., and he quit as he didn't want to be in that type of environment.  He had gone to some college, but was taking this semester off and looking for another job.  He also said that he was living with a friend, and that he had been living with his parents, but he and his father don't get along, and had a falling out.

    Wayne, as he usually does, asked him if he is LDS, and he said yes, and that he had served a mission.  He had served in Riverside, California, and had been home 4 years.  He also said he goes to the College ward, and he seemed rather lonely and at loose ends, without any solid plans.  It made me feel sad for him -- because he had been living with his parents but he doesn't get along with his dad -- who knows which one of them, or both, who caused the problem.  But I was glad we had given him a ride.  We don't even know his name.  -- It just gave me the thought that some missionaries return home, and then have a few difficult years.  On a mission you know what you need to be doing, and do it and feel peace, but when you come home you truly do need to organize and conduct your own life, to keep the good momentum and feelings you have while on your mission.

    And another experience we heard today in Sacrament meeting.  One speaker told of her friend, Elder Nate Anderson (older now) who, when he was on a mission, had a companion who was very discouraged about missionary work, and wanted to go home.  On one day, the missionary just sat aside, and didn't even take part in the missionary meetings, etc.  That night on their way somewhere, they passed a park, and saw two teenage girls sitting on a park bench.  They stopped and talked to them awhile.  In the conversation, they asked them if they had heard about the Mormon Church.  They said "yes", and one girl said she was a member, but hadn't been active for awhile.  The missionaries got the name of the other girl, who said she was interested, and encouraged the inactive girl to come back to Church.

   Later that night, they got a call from the Mission President's wife.  She said that she had got a phone call from the mother of the inactive girl.  That girl was a runaway -- and had been missing from home for awhile (I don't know how long), and that she had gone home that very night, and made up with her parents, and wanted to come back to Church.  The mother had called the Mission Pres.'s wife to thank her for whoever the missionaries were that had talked to those girls.  Also, it rejuvenated the missionary who was discouraged, and he got interested in missionary work again, and filled a successful mission.  So that contact got them a new investigator, and helped the runaway girl, and also the missionary!  Such a success story.  We never know how much good just one conversation with someone may be!

It is so true that by small things, great things come to pass.  In D & C 64:33 it says:  

Wherefore, by not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.