GUIDElines - September 19, 1990 - Letters from Jarvis and Richardson

ELDER JARVIS

Bro. Parker,

How are you doing on the other side of the border? Yep, yep, ye.  I got my visa, and I am in an airplane that just left Mexico City and is leaving for Torreon, an excellent mission.  Well, sorry for not writing too, it sees like all the Guides are saying that.  It either means that it is because of a busy schedule, or they put a girl friend's letter 1sst, or just lazy like I had been.  No, all the Guides missionaries are harvesting like crazy, from the sounds of the letters.  Well, in the MTC, I had a companion.  Now the 1st couple of weeks everything was cool.  But after awhile,I would always get to see Elder Driggs, Elder Duffin, Elder Murdock, Elder Richardson, and other, Elder Bowden, etc.  Guides now missionaries in the halls at dinner times, large meetings for everyone and we would say 'hi' and things.  One night my companion asked how he thought our companionship was going. I told him I thought okay, then asked him.  He said you have a lot of friends from Mesa you say hi to and stuff and that he felt left out.  He joined the Army in 11th grade and I guess didn't have very good friends there, from what he was saying.  That just made me appreciate the good friendships we all have as Guides.  I never realized it until then that there is something awesome that we build together as Tour Guides, and I am very thankful for all the love, service, friendship, brotherhood, and especially example everyone is to me.  Especially at the MTC.  Well, adios,

Elder (Har-vie-s) Spanish accent
Elder Jarvis

Thanx!, Marlin, for saying that kind one word.  You're AWESOME!
P.S.  Tell Todd Hatch he almost made it to Torreon in his mission call, but Tempico will be awesome.  Mexico es bien chido.

ELDER RICHARDSON

I hope you can read my handwriting. [I could, barely!]

Does Dalin Crandell qualify for GUIDElines? [Yes.] [Dalin was killed in a tragic accident later and is memorialized in a special edition of GUIDElines for his mother.]

There's not enough time in the MTC to do all the studying you want.  I will get into a subject andin 30 min have to stop.  I have never had a great scriptorian knowledge and I want to gain it, but there's not enough time for that.  But that's not the purpose for me being here either.  It's part though.

Sorry this is so short and messy, but I have a lot to do.  I don't know if I totally fulfilled whatyou wanted me to do in the letter but I will continue to try to help the Guides there at home by what I learn here.  (You don't need to put in what's on the envelope - you can do whatever you want w/it.)

Bro. Parker, this is interesting, and you might already know, but it seems to me to be a lot like the Guide program.  We learn the discussions almost word for word and then personalize it! :) Sound familier?  It's like learning the Tour.  It's fun and it brings back good memories when I got through the tour real quick!

[Now for INSIDE the letter!]

Bro. Parker - 7/1/90

I got tired of writing on the back of the envelope every time I thought of something to say, so I'm just going to write it as it comes on paper.

Today has been great and real interesting.  We released President Pinegar and sustained President Richard K. Klian (sp?) formerly from the Germany Hamburg Mission as the new President.  It was just like a Guide meeting, too.  The sustainings and releasings brought back a lot of memories as well as the standing and singing of Called To Serve and the mentioning of the scriptures Alma 53:20-21 and Alma 17:2-3 by President Pinegar when he gave us his last minute counsel.  It was a great meeting.

Also I just gave a blessing (there seems to be a lot of that going around) to Elder Jarvis who was having kind of a difficult time.  He is doing great and just wants to be his best.  He has so much love and shouldnot waste time being discouraged.  My roommates and companion helped out.  It was a very humbling experience.  And I learned a lot of things.  I realize more how much we depend on the Lord (and others) for support and how in turn w/ the spirit we need to be.  I like to serve like that and I hope it is a righteous desire.  I want to be worthy and the best I can be to be able to use the POWER of the Priesthood.  You really feel a lot of love, giving those blessings, for the people in the circle and for the one receiving it.

I am so happy to be serving a mission, the Lord and others.  There is no greater work and thanks to all my friend's great examples for helping me so much!  You are a blessing in my life.

Sunday, August 5, 1990

I need to write before I leave the MTC.  Sorry it has been so long, but I've been waiting for the GUIDElines to come.  And I won't get any more mail before I leave (tomorrow).

[A thousand apologies for the lateness, again, of last month's GLs.  I just counted how many more letters I have to input, there are 14 more, and it is already the 16th of September.  I have almost reached my limit, gang, and can't beleive a man of only 45 (46 next month) is so exhausted!  I will do better.  I promise.  Don['t stop writing, that would defeat the purpose of the GLs!  I'll just pick up the speed a little.]

The MTC has been an incredible experience!  It's going to be hard to leave and I can't believe how much I have learned and grown here.  I have been blessed greatly here th teachers and an awesome district, all of whom show me so much love.  I have learned so much from them.  I had a good foundation to stand on before I got here, and if you can believe it, I actually found some things, actually a lot, that I need to work on and improve.  I need to learn not to doubt - Mormon 9:21, 25 so my prayers may be answered and believe I can do things.  I need to increase my faith to be a better missionary and be able to call down blessings from Heaven.  (There's lots of scriptures that I have read here on that.)  Also I need to be more humble to be guided by the Lord - D7C 112:10.  And then I shouldn't ever be content with where I stand, meaning I should always be striving to improve - 2 Nephi 28:24-28.  The scriptures really have opened up to me here, more than ever, and I really feel I need to work on these four things the most and I pray for them every night.

But the biggest lesson I have learned here is obedience.  I sure hope I can take everything I've learned into the field and apply it.

I'm excited to get into the field and learn and grow and help others.  There is nothing else that I would rather be doing than this.  I love this mission already and I hope to see you soon!

Love, Elder Jeff Richardson

P.S.  It has been so great to have been able to share this experience w/Elders Duffin, Murdock, Driggs, Jarvis, Bowden, Williams, Crandell, Western [who?], Gibson, and others who were here from the Program.  They are great people and great friends.  I am so lucky to be associated w/ them and to have been able to strengthen the bond we shared at the MTC.  They were all a great support to me!  I love them dearly.  If anyone wants my address (it's the same for Elder Murdock), Argentina Trelew Mission, Casilla de Correo 251, 9100 Trelew, Chubut, Argentina.

(This is just a thought, it means nothing, do with it what you will)  Brother Parker, please don't put this in [overruled] -- since I've been here, I was impressed a couple of times and it wasn't anything big, but there is a quote by President Benson which says, "The heart of pride is competition." And I don't know, but that made me think of the Sword of Laban.  Maybe there is another way to get others to pass out cards, etc.  Because some people can get hurt.  But if no one gets hurt, I['m sure it would be fine.  I liked the S. of L. when I was there.  Do whatever.