The First to Return!

(From the June 15, 1990 issue of GUIDElines)

The First To Return!

The DeWitts were the first couple I called as Adult Tour Guides, just before they received their mission call.  Now, I have a letter announcing their return soon.

5-22-90 – Dear Bro. Parker – Hope this finds all well with you and yours.  We enjoyed hearing from you and the work at the Temple Grounds.

We have been assigned to help at the Liberty Jail our last two months here:  3 times a week for 6 hours a day.  We are looking forward to starting next week.  It’s about an hour drive away but beautiful country to see along the way.

Mostly we are writing to you about our (2) 17-year-old grandsons who will be working for our (3) sons for the summer.  They are exceptionally good boys and would love to be involved at the Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center while there.  In fact, one of the boys has been set apart as a Stake Missionary since just before his 17^th birthday.

We don’t know if they will need a recommendation from each of their Bishops or not.  They will be there soon after June 1st so if you could let us know it would help a lot.

Or maybe to be quicker you could call one of our sons to let them know of needed information.  (The mails are terrible in Mexico and they’d never get the word in time.)

We’re looking forward to seeing you again.

Love, Elder and Sister DeWitt

Fred Poyet Goes Home

For those of you who know Fred the story is sad.  His father passed away in March and his stepmother kicked him out.  He has finally made the decision to return to live with his mother and family in Puerto Rico.  He will be the only member there.  Sometime during the next few months, drop him a letter at (address).  Remember, charity begins with you.

“Charity toward all men is the ninth law of Priesthood leadership.  The term ‘let thy bowels be full of charity’ mean that quality of charity which is ‘the pure of love of Christ,’ so complete as to be felt in the very vitals of one’s whole body.  Charity is that longing to share the joys and sorrows of your fellow men.  It is the soul’s sincere desire to share the great blessings of the gospel with others.  It is the crowning virtue of all the laws of Priesthood leadership, because if we possess it we know that it can come from no other source than from God Himself.  It only blesses those leaders who are true followers of the Son of God.  Christ did not do anything but that which would benefit the whole world.  He gave His own life that He might draw all men to Him, and all men are persuaded to repent and partake of His goodness.”

Ben

May 16, 1990 – Bro. Parker, It was great to hear from you!  I hope you haven’t given up hope on me since I’ve been slacking on writing letters.  You probably won’t even get this until June because of the distance!

Well, I’ve been in France (Vandeouvre) for two weeks now and I feel like I’m out of the “culture shock” and settled and comfortable, ready to cruise.  The first week I was just walking around in a daize (notice the French spelling), totally freaked out, but now, I’m starting to understand what people are saying, and how to communicate.  It was kind of sad to leave Texas, where we had several people (3) who were ready and committed to baptism in May.  It’s hard to leave an area where you have grown so close to the people, especially when you go halfway across the world.  I probably won’t find out about them for another month.  Oh well!  Here in Vandoeuvre, my companion and I are working very hard.  My comp, Elder McCracken, is awesome.  He loves his mission, and loves the work.  I love him a lot.  We’ve got a baptism set for Tuesday and a “golden” that we are going to invite on the 2^nd, tomorrow.  The guy set for Tuesday is named Emmanuel and he’s a college student.  On the 2^nd discussion we asked him how he felt about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith.  He said that he knew they were true because of direct answers to his prayers.  AWESOME!! but he wouldn’t commit to be baptized because he had already been baptized and didn’t think it was necessary.  After about 45 min. of trying to resolve his concerns, we asked him if he wanted to know, right now, by asking God, if baptism was important and something he should do.  He agreed and said an awesome prayer and asked God about his baptism.  When we were done, we asked him how he felt and he said it was the same as when he prayed about the B of M and J.S.  We told him that that was his answer but he still would not commit.  We proceeded to lovingly thrash on him by telling him that God wouldn’t continue to answer his prayers if he didn’t follow his feelings, but he said he needed to think about it more.  So we left after committing him to pray that night feeling terrible and feeling that he had just denied the Spirit.  But when we came back the next day, we found out that in some way, God had given him the manifestation he needed and he was ready to be baptized.  This experience shows how little the missionaries actually do in someone’s conversion.  To commit Emmanuel to baptism, it was 99% the Lord, and 1% us.  The Lord really blessed us and Emmanuel with His Spirit.  God must have something planned for him to do.

On the light and hilarious side J, my comp was riding his brand new, two week old bike down a very steep hill with me behind him.  There was a sharp turn that he could not make because of his speed.  He hit the curb, ran into the corner of a house, and bounced off and hit the car parked in their driveway.  Seriously, he could have been seriously injured, but only broke his arm.  Although it wasn’t very nice, I couldn’t stop laughing because it was a very funny wreck.  So my comp is in a cast up to his armpit.

Bro. Parker, I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again; I’m so thankful for the Youth Guide Program and all it has done for me.  I’m thankful also for the time you and the other Directors put in.

If this goes in the newsletter you make, I want to tell all the guys who are out right now that I love them and wish I could write and keep in touch with all of them (Alma 17:2-3)

Thanks again, Bro. Parker, and tell all the Youth Guide “hello” for me.

I love you!  - Ben

Ben – The GUIDElines has been a two-edged blessing.  I have built it up until it has a mystique among those who are about to leave and they get so anxious to receive it that I have had to make up excuses so they can.  Recently, I have delivered them each a copy at their farewells, knowing that the month they leave they will not get the GUIDElines.  It’s like they are entering into a Guide “Brotherhood of the Work,” which carries with it the privilege of receiving the GUIDElines.  I even made the excuse that Ex-Presidents, because of their closeness to the Directors and goings on in the Program can receive it if they have a while until they leave, i.e. Paul G.  I’m sure there are all kinds of newsletters, and you may receive the benefits of others, and I hope you enjoy and use it to its full extent.  In fact, the amount of news and participation has encouraged me to consider publishing twice a month.  Here it isn’t even June 1^st and I am on Vol I, No 5 P4, with an EXTRA! already done.