The Helaman Sons Letters Issue No. 12 – Easter Bulletin
The following is continued from an issue dated April 15, 1990:
Easter! What can I say? It is almost the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to the Guides. We ended up Easter Pageant week with a total of 50 referrals for the month! I’ll try to recap through my tears some of the things that happened.
First, we decided to change the Presidency and we called Brent, Jeff and Troy. So, behind everything else that was going on was this undercurrent of extreme excitement on the part of those three. Then, Shad, Paul, Jeff, Jason and Loren decided to get their endowments Saturday morning before Easter. So, all week long (Jason just called and we are trying to set up a time this Sat to go to the temple) there was this added undercurrent of excitement, you know, when do I get my recommend signed, what else do I need, etc.
Monday night was full dress rehearsal night for the Pageant and about 3,000 people came. Not much activity in the Gardens. Tuesday night about 9,000 people came and we received about 6 referrals. Not too exciting until all of a sudden we are noticing that the Youth Guides are outdoing the inside. We get six, they get three. Can you believe the inside getting only three referrals all night long? Whoa! Dude! Something’s wrong.
Wednesday night was “Mormon” night because most of the stakes in the area have Mutual that night and about 14,000 people came. Lots and lots of people, nine referrals. We are doing well, but that goal of 25 for the five nights is still kind of scary.
Thursday night will go down in Guide History as one of the best. We received 16 referrals, but they were so different and so great that it was just so wonderful. Aaron got 4-5, some on his own and others in conjunction with Bro. Bowden. Bro. Bowden is working this small crowd of ten, tiny Guatemalans as no one but he can do. First, he asked, “Todos los gentes son Mormones???” The answer came, “No!” So then he began to ask each one, “Usted, Mormone? Si. Usted, Si. Y usted. No! No? Catolico? Si! Oho! Come se llama?” And then, even though all of them had initially said they were Mormons, he found three Catholics and got three referrals before he was done. Those little three feet tall people were no match for him. In the background I was running (huff & puff) back and forth from the Rock to the Guide Room getting Libros de Mormon, referral cards, and pictures…someone had forgotten to bring everything out! Anyway, it was grrrr8! to watch Bro. Bowden work! He had served his mission in Mexico.
Brent had brought one of his teammates from the Championship college team and got him to mark the box. While he was grinning from ear to ear a guy walked up and said, “Can you tell me how I can have the missionaries come and teach me?” Ho Ho HO! Brent, calm, cool and collected said, “I sure can! Brother Parker can we use your pen to fill out this card?”
Leslie took her friends on a tour, got three referrals and is now our newest “on the spot by Bro. Bowden Guide!”
When the night was over, we gathered around the Christus and sang “’Til We Meet Again” and “I Am a Child of God” and then Elder and Sister Kimball spoke for a few minutes. It was very spiritual. (Put this last week together with an awesome Sunday Night Presidency change and spiritual meeting and the Kimballs are quoted as saying, “We have worked in all kinds of positions in the Church and seldom if ever have been so spiritually moved by a meeting.” They love us in no small part because of the guys they met at the MTC. Thanks! Guides.)
[A word or explanation. Up to this time in the program it was not that well known outside of the Valley. However, with 8-9 Alumni at the MTC telling everyone about what they had been involved in, and with us reaching out into the local Church community with firesides and Visitors’ Center Sundays, we were becoming much more visible. We decided to have the Alumni in the MTC meet with the new Visitors’ Center Director and his wife, and that meeting went so well that they were anxiously awaiting this wonderful addition to their assignment in Mesa. The Kimballs were the first Temple President and Matron at the Denver, Colorado Temple and he was a first cousin of President Spencer W. Kimball, so it was fun to sit with them and have them tell stories about their Church assignments before they came to us.]
Friday night we had 17,000 people to see the Pageant, nine referrals. Elder Ballard came, and it is always awesome when an Apostle comes to town, but more importantly for the Guides, Brother Jay Blair who is charge of all Visitors’ Centers in the world went on a tour with Michelle and Eric. [At that time we were trying to expand this wonderful program to other temples.]
I had been talking to Brother Blair while we were waiting for Elder Ballard and in the middle of our conversation he had asked for a tour! I was totally interested in him having one too! Then when he came back I told him we thought this was an excellent program and it should be spread to the rest of the Church and asked him for his suggestions on how that should happen. He said we should go through priesthood lines of authority, Elder Lyons our Regional Rep in charge of the Vis. Center and Elder/President Woolsey. [Elder Woolsey was called as a General Authority while Tempe Mission President.] So, it just happened that Elder Lyons was waiting for Elder Ballard, too, so we talked and he said whenever I was ready to let him know and we could get together with Elder Woolsey. It was a fruitful night, even without nine referrals and 17,000 people.
Elder Woolsey has changed a great deal. He is so humble and approachable. He is a great guy, now that he is a GA!
Saturday night was the capper. Not a very big crowd to start, ending with about 15,000. However, after the Pageant the lights that had been turned off so that they wouldn’t compete with the pageant lights, the ones at the Rock and along the back of the Gardens didn’t come back on, only the inside planter lights. It was DARK! However, with the use of a penlight at the Rock we received 10 referrals! Catherine sat in the dark and talked with a couple who had lost two children, one recently, and received two referrals. Eric got SEVEN on one tour, and as soon as they had cleared the building he bounced around about 3 feet off the ground for ten minutes! I think it was Aaron who had the penlight referral!
So, you can imagine what the week was like. Of course, Saturday morning the 8:00 a.m. session contained Jeff, Shad, Paul, Jason, Loren, Don, Brian, Dallin, and myself! I helped as an escort a missionary whose father and FIVE brothers missed his session! I could have tried to stop the show and had them look for them, but the temple was just too crowded. There were so many people at the temple that it was filled for every session.
I haven’t had as many spiritual experiences in the temple with this group, yet, as I did with you guys. With the changes and all I have been distracted some from my usual concentration. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to sit next to Jeff and feel the electricity surging through him in his excitement. Later in the Celestial Room. . . Oh! I almost forgot that Dallin got his endowments earlier in the week. I was scurrying to get some gum out of Sister Randall’s desk and make the 4:00 p.m. session when around the corner came Dallin! I was shocked and as soon as he saw me his beautiful smile that just lights up his face did its thing and I gave him a big hug. I had to go to the 4:00 p.m. but at 7:00 I dressed in my robes and sneaked up to the Celestial Room and with the changes in the endowment there is no lecture and the new endowees come into the Celestial Room first! I was sitting there and Dallin came into the room and my heart was so glad. We embraced each other and he said, “Now, what room is this?” and I realized how much he and I had missed by his not having been in the Program a little longer and going through the pre-temple interview with me. Anyway, just being in the Celestial Room with Paul, Shad, Jeff, Jason, Loren, Dallin, Brian…how much more could a poor old chubby guy ask?
[Dallin died in a tragic accident after his mission, which makes this memory of him in the temple so very precious. I created a whole tribute edition of The GUIDElines for his mother and family, with his letters from his mission to me, some Weekly Reports, etc. I’ll find them and add them to Helaman Sons Letters at an appropriate time.]
Now, to Sunday night. It was awesome, because Bro. Bowden has been waiting his whole Youth Guide career for a son of his to be the President. I had to talk like a Dutch Uncle to get him to even consider Brent, and I am glad he finally reconsidered. You know the Lord chooses the leaders of the Program, especially who He wants as President. I can bear testimony of that, at least as long as I have been here.
Those released at the meeting were: Jason, Elijah, Brent, Melissa, Jason, Brent, Brian, Richard, Katina, Shaleigh, Simone, Jeff, Laurie, Debbie, Tim, Emily, Randy, Troy, and Scott.
Those sustained as Guides in Training were: Trevor, Stuart, Doug, Steve, Meschak, Evan, Marc, Jason, Tim, Jay, Brent, and Lynor.
New Guide: Leslie!
Monday Night: Richard, District Leader; Katie, Records Specialist, Katina, Training Specialist.
Tuesday Night: Shaleigh, Records Specialist; Kathy, Training Specialist.
Wednesday Night: Robin, District Leader; Laurie, Records Specialist, Debbie, Training Specialist.
Thursday Night: Keith, District Leader; Leslie, Records Specialist, Tim, Training Specialist.
Friday Night: Jason, District Leader; Randy, Training Specialist.
Saturday Night: Aaron, District Leader; Curtis, Training Specialist.
As Zone Leaders: Eric, Mon/Fri; Todd, Tues/Thurs; Kyle, Wed/Sat
As Trainers: Paul and Brian
As Assistants to the President: Troy and Jeff
Released as President: Paul
Sustained as President: Brent
As you can see, it was a big night, as always. All of the releasings and sustainings were accompanied by wonderful testimonies. We’ve gone back to the three zone setup with Training Specialist and GTs. The only thing new is the Records Specialists and Bro. Bowden wanted to keep them in so the girls would have something to do. We also called Laurie and Leslie as Co-Chairs of the Ammonite Council, with Emily, Heber, Brent, Tiffany, and Jenny as helpers. Their job is to LOVE the Ammonites.
We started by singing and then the Sword of Laban and Ammonite of the Week. Then we talked about Easter and had a couple of testimonies. Then Bro. Bowden took over and when he is good he is so good. He let the Kimballs talk to us for a few minutes. They are awesome and so impressed with the youth of the Program.
Then he released everyone. Then he called each of the people right down the list and finally he teared up and said that since 1968 he had been waiting for one of his sons to be good enough and interested enough to be the President. And he wanted everyone to sustain Brent without any problems as to his worthiness or ability to be where he is. Then Brent stood and turned to his Daddy from the podium and said I just want my Dad to know how much I love him. He said, I don’t tell him very often and I just want him to know that I love him. Weep! Weep! Not a dry eye in the house!
The driving forces behind the Presidency right now are Jeff and Troy because they see each other everyday. But I can assure you that the Spirit bore witness to me several weeks or more ago that Brent should be our President now, even though it means that Eric, Shad, Geoff, Jeff, Brian and Aaron won’t be. You will see a remarkable resurgence of love and unity and diligence and happiness in the Program we haven’t had since Christmas. After Christmas, there was such a drop, not even the Great Craig could forestall it! Oh, Craig, I need to tell you that the Temple President shook my hand as I walked down the hall last week, and he didn’t let go. It was like he was an old friend and he said, to one of the brethren as we passed, “He’s here an awful lot, maybe we had better put him to work.” It was a total surprise and so uncharacteristic. I know it is because of his tremendous respect for the Guides and their devotion and attendance at the temple. Of course, the Fireside didn’t hurt relationships between the Temple Presidency and the Guides!
Well, finally, let me print the latest from David:
Hola! From the land of Chile. I am really here in a city called Puerto Montt. It is pretty awesome! The city is right by the beach. It rains quite a bit and I love it. I found that the difference between the way North Americans talk and the way natives talk (Spanish) is unreal. However! The Lord has blessed me greatly and I am learning more and more each day. You can tell the Guides that the mission field is tough. It is really hard. However, I have found all good things in life to be that way. By the time you get this, Easter Pageant most likely is over. How did it go? I pray for all of you often.
One of the most helpful things you could teach the Guides is humility. I can’t believe how many qualities I lack. I really am inadequate for the work. Please pray for me.
Well, I have been out of the Program for going on 3 months. I know that so much has changed and that a lot of people would not even know Ben, myself and some of the others. That is ok. I think some how that is a good thing.
Tell the Guides to be bold—Yesterday I committed my first family to baptism! They had been seeing the missionaries for four months. They knew it is true—but no one had been bold enough to commit them.
Also—WORK, WORK, WORK-- There is no substitute. Thanks for all you do for me and the others.
Love, David
I want you guys to keep up the good work. I hear form Craig’s mother that he is going to be teaching a Baptist minister and his congregation this month, after the minister read the Book of Mormon and thought it was true!
Also, you need to take a sense of humor with you on your mission. It seems Craig had to laugh out loud one night as he was picking broken beer bottle glass out of his shoes, while sitting in an apartment on the South side of Chicago.
I love you. We need to do something special for Bro. Bowden soon. More next month. Got any ideas?
Bro. P.
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