Marlin and Mike

(From the June 15, 1990 issue of GUIDElines)

Marlin

5-21-90 - Thank you soooo much for your letters and support.  Bro. Parker I have an incredible amount to write about but I’m so sorry that today I have just run out of time.  To give you an idea I had to write 9 people today but I only had time to write home and a small note to Kyle T. and you.  Next week I should have more time; Thus, I will for sure write you in more detail next week.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!  Please take care, and I’ll write next week.

Your Eternal Brother, Elder Marlin P.

Mike

5-15-90 – I decided to write you a quick note in 15 min.  I am boarding a train back to my area in Enmouth.

I’ve now been in the area of Enmouth for 5 months.  I’ve grown so much.  The Lord has shown me the great plan of life and salvation of which I am immensely thrilled with this knowledge.  My companion, Elder G., is like a Cleon Skousen – He is very knowledgeable in the scriptures and in these last days.

For the past few weeks I have begun to ask myself why aren’t we baptizing many, many people each month here in Enmouth or rather in this mission.  Basically, I’ve narrowed it down to one basic thing – “Iniquity & Unbelief.” – many times I find, the Lord cannot bless us because of disobedience and lack of faith.  Mormon 9:20-21.

One of the major keys to the success of a missionary is the way he uses all of his resources.  One of these main resources is member work – getting members involved in missionary work.  For one thing – this kind of work helps the members and the investigators gain a stronger testimony of the gospel.

For a whole week I prayed unto the Lord that He’d bless one of our strong investigators to know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet.  At the end of the week, a miracle took place.  Julia even surprised us.  For a long while her Mom had been giving her a lot of pressure concerning being baptized.  We asked her at what date she would like to set her baptism for.  She said, “Well if I’m going to get baptized I might as well get it over with.”  She wanted to be baptized next week.  We were both speechless.  The Lord had truly blessed her.

We received a phone call from her this morning and she said she was going to have to put off her baptism for 6 weeks.  Her Mom had been giving her a lot of pressure.  Soon though she will be baptized.  We set-a-date with her for July 1^st.  Excellent…. [I guess the train arrived!]

5-23-90 – Another one of our investigators, Jim B, Church of England, came up to us in town center and said, “I think I’ve found out what I’m looking for.  I want to become a member of your church.”  Again we were speechless.  The Lord’s Spirit did truly bless him.  He is getting baptized in a week and a half – June 3^rd.

Thank you so much for the great letters you send me.  I hope to write more soon.

I know that obedience and faith are prerequisites to “Awesome” miracles.

Love, Elder Mike P.

P.S.  Tell the Youth Guides to – Work! Work! Work!

Mike:  I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to get a letter from you.  Instantly, I am transported back to Room 3 at the Visitors’ Center and all the good times we had there in devotionals and singing and all that good fun.  Room 3 is no more, and in its place are three small teaching rooms.  However, Room 8 now has living room furniture in it as does Rooms 7 & 9 and so when we go in there it feels real comfortable.  There aren’t as many people in the Program as there was last summer and fall, so it doesn’t get as crowded as it used to.

I hope the Guides around the world will say an extra prayer for your Julia and Jim and their baptisms.  This weekend I hope to be able to put together a book with all of the letters I have gotten so far and the advice they have for the Guides.  I have been trying to think of a name to call it.  After just looking in the large unabridged dictionary I have decided to call it the GUIDEPOST…kind of a play on several words.  It will be an information center, kind of like a newspaper, e.g. the Washington Post and it will be made up of letters, which I believe the British call the mails, the Post.  Postage stamps, etc.

I told my boss today that if he was going to be a President of a multi-million $ corporation then we had to set aside some time each day to study the Missionary Guide!  He said he would be glad to look at it and see what it was all about.  I have wanted to try it out on one of my bosses, and this is as good a chance as any.  I’ll keep you posted. [There’s that word ‘post’ again!]