A banner headline reads: MISSION PRESIDENT BUYS IN !!!
President Bailey called Elder Kimball and said get the Directors together I want to talk to them. Therefore, Sunday morning, July 15, 1990, we met in Room 8 at the Visitors’ Center at the request of President Bailey and discussed the past, present, and future of the Arizona Temple Visitors’ Center Youth Guide Program.
He told the Directors that for now the Program would continue as it was. He said several of his missionaries had asked him how the mission would change under his direction and he said he didn’t know, only that there would be changes. He said he had talked to eight Stake Presidents and had received their complete support for the Program.
He said he felt good about the present leadership and that we had his complete support. He will be glad to help us in any way he can. He said the Stake Presidents told him that their very best missionaries came from the Program.
The rest of the meeting went like this:
1. Stake Presidents would be the ones to set their youth apart, without exception. If they were reticent then President Bailey or Elder Kimball would give them a call! That is the way the Mission President wants it.
2. He wanted to know who the officers of the Program were and how they were called. We explained that the Directors called the President and then the President decided who his counselors were and called them.
3. He wanted to know who was set apart. We told him that the Presidency was set apart and no one else.
4. We discussed the New Era and the feature article they were going to do on the Guides. He would have rather had them wait awhile, but said his wife had told Brother Romney to go ahead and send down a reporter. I guess, he said, that shows you who is running the mission!
5. We reviewed the agenda for when the reporter form the New Era is here. He said he wanted us to invite several Stake Presidents to meet with the reporter. (This was fun for me…calling those Stake Presidents and saying, “President Bailey would like for you to meet with the reporter from the New Era this Saturday at 1:30. Would that fit into your schedule?” Uniformly, except for my stake president, they said, “Whatever you would like for us to do Brother Parker.” My stake president said he would see us on Sunday, his Church work day.
6. “Since we are obviously going to have to be ready to share the Program with the world,” President Bailey said, “we need Job Descriptions for each of you Directors.” “In other words, if someone dropped a bomb in this room and you were gone, who would run the Program?” Good Question!!! (I wanted to tell him the youth would just pick three more dummies and go forth as always!)
7. He said there was something about Arizona that was unique. He said that throughout the state there was a unique bond between leaders and their youth. He had lived all over and had not found the same kind of closeness anywhere. In fact his son asked if he couldn’t go to Arizona and leave from there on his mission. He asked why and his son said that he had good ADULT friends there who cared for him and that’s where he wanted to leave from.
WRAP UP OF THE EVENTS
FROM JULY 15 – Whenever I get this printed
BRETHREN…JULY HS BEEN
EXHAUSTING!
This has been the hardest issue to get out. So much has happened since last issue … There have been so many things on my mind and happening in the Program that I am just going to ramble on about them for awhile here and try to bring you all up to date. Let me apologize for getting this out so late. Each of you is aware of how much energy it takes to make everything happen in the Program…right…well, on top of a FIFTY-REFERRAL GOAL for July (which we made, by the way), there comes the new MISSION PRESIDENT and a visit from the NEW ERA. Plus, during all of this all of a sudden there is an Ammonite Explosion, new Guides in Training passing off their tours, a SPECIAL VISITORS’ CENTER SUNDAY for the New Era reporter in the 36th Ward and a WHOLE NEW PRESIDENCY plus 4 new DISTRICT LEADERS.
VEGA – MEXICAN DINNER
In the middle of all of this Vega decides he wants to put on a MEXICAN DINNER FOR 70 and in honor of our new status with the Mission President and with the New Era coming, we had to have NEW TAGS printed for everyone…WHITE ONES, no less, with no reference to the Visitors’ Center, just YOUTH GUIDE on them…well, I’m getting ahead of myself.
(And I just discovered in all this mess I deleted the regular first two pages of GUIDElines for this month that I have to re-input!)
I have you up to date with the Mission President’s visit and meeting with the Directors. The next day we changed the Presidency. New President is Keith Bacon, with Tim Penrod, Curtis Nielson, and the Awesome Trevor Barrett as his Zone Leaders.
TREVOR ACHIEVES RECORD REFERRALS
I say Awesome Trevor Barrett because he now has referrals for 8 weeks in a row on Monday night! I don’t think that has ever been done in the Program. (He had to DJ a dance last Monday and missed coming until Thursday, where he got two more referrals.) He was my choice for President because of his constancy, the obvious fact that he is right on now in the Program and has captured the admiration of the Guides. But, after long discussion and mainly because we hadn’t met with the Mission President yet, and the fact that Barrett is in a different mission, almost a different world and has to drive 80 miles roundtrip to the Center, we decided it would be best that he serve as a Zone Leader for now. I feel mildly disappointed, but good about the decision and feel it was truly made by the Lord. (I don’t give up easily if the Spirit has borne record to me. In this case, the Spirit pointed to Keith as our new President. He has been working real hard and I think he will grow a great deal from this experience. We may not have time to cycle Barrett through because he got his papers last week and sends them in Monday, Aug 6!)
BULLETIN !
ERIC JARVIS TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED TO ARIZONA TEMPE MISSION ACCOUNT VISA PROBLEMS. VISITORS’ CNETER SISTER ACTUALLY SEES HIM IN CHANDLER ZONE MEETING!
You know how Don and I used to work out the details of a change in leadership and then clear them with BB (President Bailey wants us to call him Brother Bowden, Alma 57:21)? Well, BB now calls the President and the new President calls everyone else. I still think the Directors need to be actively involved in this process to keep errors from happening that you only learn from experience (Right? Douggie! That was a round week for Flake!)
Anyway, we got it done by late Sunday and I was able to get a Roster done for the meeting. It went very well. The only glitch was all the parents of the Zone Leaders were there except no one had invited Sister Bacon to come! The meeting went on and on because each parent was given the opportunity to bear testimony, which I enjoyed, but it did run late. And it was very well received.
NEW ERA ARRIVES !
Not that getting a new Presidency was enough for one month we had to get ready for (THE AWESOME) Mary Robertson of the New Era. Newt Kempton is the photographer that BB decided on and he wanted to meet me at the Center on Thursday evening for a 15-minute look at where he might be taking pictures. Well, he turned up with his camera and spent over an hour taking pictures of the Thursday Night District…Trevor Barrett, Leslie Bigler, Jason Bagley, and Trent Allen. Mostly, Trent Allen worked while the others got their pictures taken! Don’t be surprised if they are a front cover picture when the article comes out next summer.
TODD HATCH GETS ENDOWED !
Friday morning Todd Hatch took out his endowments. He is the first of 40 that I wasn’t able to go with. My boss wouldn’t let me off!!! (I went by the temple on the way to work and left my pre-temple letter with Sister LeSueur, Ben’s Grandmother, to give to Todd.) [Meschak Tenney got his last Friday (July 27) in a rush before the temple closed and was unable to let me know in time, so I missed his, too. 41]
MARY TAKES PROGRAM BY STORM
… AND VICE VERSA!
At noon Mary came in on her flight and was met by a group who took her out to lunch. Later that day we met the photographer for pictures. The Gardens were full of Guides and GT’s dressed to kill and with ready smiles. I told them that anyone who wanted their picture taken should be there on Friday evening. He also wanted a pictures session on Saturday at 7 a.m. so I invited the leadership and Eric Richardson to come. Eric because I promised Jeff I would do my best to get his little brother in the New Era again. I always keep my promises.
We got a group picture near the steps to the entrance of the temple, plus lots of other shots. He was supposed to send 150 to the New Era for review.
SATURDAY A MARATHON DAY !
Saturday a.m. we all got there at 7 or so and the first thing we (me and Kempton) did was get on the roof of the Center and get some shots near the Referral Pond (otherwise known as the Reflection Pool). Then we took tour groups with the (Trent) Allens as our family.
Afterwards we all got together in Room 3 to hear from BB, the Kimballs and Paul Whetten, our new Mexican Guide from the Colonies. Then Mary took them one or two or three at a time into Room 8 for interviews. It was grrrr8! It was also fun being in charge for me. I arranged the whole morning around time for me to get in a session at the temple!!!
Of all people in the world to hit it off with, since I arranged a special 45-minute interview with the Infamous James Boddy, it turns out Mary and he are BOTH L I B E R A L S !!! He even went off to SLC this week on his cycle and it doesn’t take much to wonder who he went to see. (He got back yesterday [Friday, Aug 3] and came to the Center for his night. In a PPI with Evan Vance given by Tim Penrod and I we talked about James and that we had to do something to help him get a referral. Well, he did it himself last evening! I tell you guys, referrals are coming at a pace of 1-2-3 a day, regularly! Even to those who don’t get them. Thanx for your prayers.)
MARY MEETS STAKE PRESIDENTS !
At 1:30 p.m. we met with the Stake Presidents from Kimball (Driggs), Central (Hakes), Chandler Alma (Hatch), and Tempe (Ray) Stakes. It was Awesome to hear the Presidents talk about the Program and how much it had done for the youth in their stakes. President Ray has even offered to host a Tempe Tri-Stake Youth Fireside (like Gilbert) on the last Sunday in September.
The Mission President and his wife were there also along with President Allen (Monday Night District Advisor). It was a good meeting with some very positive individuals.
MARY MEETS GUIDE/MISSIONARY MOMS !
At 3:30 p.m. we met at David Porter’s home to interview Sisters Porter, Matheny, Larsen, Householder, and Freeman. That was fun. All the mothers wanted to do was pass around pictures of the boys and tell about them. Mary enjoyed it but realized after a little while that it was a lot more fun for the mothers than it was for her! It was good talking about the boys. They have been out from 6 to 21 months with old Householder coming home in October.
I can’t tell you guys how supportive your parents are of the Program. They love you and your involvement in the Program so much they can’t stop talking about it. Of course, they know the demands, but they wouldn’t have had it any other way.
WILD THINGS HAPPEN
AT VISITORS’ CENTER
After that we all went our separate ways until Vega’s party that evening. Mary and Leslie and some of the Guides took pictures out by the sign on Main Street at the Center and rolling in the grass and a lot of candid stuff.
DINNER – WHAT CAN I SAY?
EXCELLENTE !
The Mexican Dinner went well. Lots of kids and lots of good food. They stayed until 9 or 10 p.m. The Saturday Night District (including me) went back to work at the Center and for more pictures.
SATURDAY NIGHT DISTRICT
(WITH THE LORD’S HELP)
CREATES MIRACLE FOR NEW ERA!
During the evening, a storm came up. We decided to retire to the Guide Room and pray for it to be moderated and that those who wanted to come hear more about the Gospel would be able to. Well, it was moderated and Emily Good was able to achieve her Set A Date goal with a wonderful guy who said, “That means that the Bible and the Book of Mormon go hand in hand in teaching about Jesus Christ. Right?” Emily, amid tears I am sure, said, “RIGHT!”
Sunday morning’s Mesa Tribune carried an article with the headline:
E. VALLEY ESCAPES FURY
OF SEASON’S WORST MONSOON !!
“The National Weather Service said Saturday’s monsoon thunderstorm was the worst this season, but in the East Valley it appeared to be full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
David, you asked for me to do all I could to ensure that the Guides were experiencing miracles. Well, it was my suggestion that we have a prayer circle, hold hands and pray away the storm. However, it was Kyle Thornton’s magnificently humble prayer and the faith of those Saturday Night Warriors that did it!
“15,000 SRP customers, 15-20,000 APS customers were without power.” “Hail the size of GOLF BALLS fell in north Phoenix..” “69 MPH winds at Deer Valley Airport.” “It rivals the first one in late June, but it’s certainly the worst one as far as damage,” said Bill Estle, a Nat. Wea. Serv. meteorologist. But he said most of the rain missed the East Valley. “It’s one of those things. Most of the rain went to the northeast of you; consider yourself lucky,” Estle said.
“The thunderstorm formed over the McDowell Mountains northeast of Phoenix and started moving into the Valley about 7 p.m.,” Estle said.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning about 7:15 p.m. when the winds started hitting the East Valley.”
And about that time, faithful Youth Guides, believing in miracles and that someone out there needed help getting to the Center, retired to pray.
For your further edification, Brethren, Tuesday night had done the same thing the week before. In fact, during the evening hours at the Center while storms may rage in other places, you can find peace.
MARY ENJOYS VOLLEYBALL !
I forgot to tell you that on Friday night the gang went and played volley ball at Kiwanis and took Mary along. They went out for a late snack afterwards. She love it all!
Late Saturday they all went bowling and over to Keith’s for a party until the wee hours. Again, Mary loved it all!
SUNDAY SECOND MARATHON DAY !
Sunday a.m. Les and I picked up Mary and went to Jeff Richardson’s in Tempe for breakfast and a family interview. It was a lot of fun. The Richardson family is in for a long Guide Party with Eric just now entering and Jeff just leaving. Jeff gets to stop in Phoenix for 40” on his way to Argentina and I have a feeling he will be greeted by a C R O W D ! (I’m having Eric deliver this Jeff. Also, I have chosen Eric as a future leader in the Program and I am going to do everything I can to give him the widest experience. He, Robin, and Shaleigh will coordinate the Guide Program’s Tempe Tri-Stake Fireside on Sept 30th. He’s AWESOME!)
MARY GETS “REST OF STORY”
At 9:00 a.m. we met with President Udall and President McGrath at our stake center with Kyle, Catherine Pitts, and Steve Jones. Steve was set apart at that time. President Udall came through as an example of how much trouble we can have with a stake president that appears to like the Program but who is really very lukewarm in his support. He bragged about what the stake was doing in the Youth Alert and ADAM programs, and when it was over Mary said she could see why we might have trouble with some stake presidents. Whereas the other Presidents were anxious to come on Saturday to meet with us, he had to do it his own way. He even had forgotten about us and kept us waiting for a half an hour! I was disappointed but knew it would happen this way and felt like all I had thought about our stake was verified in this one meeting.
VISITORS’ CENTER SUNDAY
WHERE WERE YOU GUYS?
At 11 a.m. we went to the 36th Ward for a Visitors’ Center Sunday. We learned by sad experience that all of you guys who did such a wonderful job at these things are not here anymore. The youth part did not go very well, even though everyone tried hard to make it come off. There is no substitute for experience, sometimes. The kids (36th Ward) were rude and obnoxious.
However, the adult part went well enough that the Stake President, Olsen, got up afterward and encouraged strongly they send their kids to the Program.
Afterwards the kids all went down to the Center and took more pictures and later Mary came to our house for supper.
MARY BLUBBERS AT SNTM
VOWS (HOPES) WORLDWIDE PROGRAM
RESULT OF NEW ERA ARTICLE !
The SNTM was a good one. Mary bore her testimony and cried and said, “I’m supposed to be an objective reporter, but I love all of you and the Program so much that I am going to do all I can to make sure the whole world knows about you!” (I received a letter today I will print later.)
SPECIAL TESTIMONY MEETING
STEPS TO ENTRANCE OF TEMPLE
FULL OF GUIDES AND TESTIMONIES !
Afterwards, we were all still wound up so we adjourned and met in front of the entrance to the temple on the steps for a testimony meeting. Of course, Randy Morris started it out and in fact after I left he bore another testimony! Then Jason Haws, and I could see that this was a special meeting, so I pulled rank, bore my testimony and went home leaving them to finish whenever. It went on from 9:30 until after 11 p.m. Doug Carpenter commented that he felt like there were angels surrounding them during that time. I believe it!
After that, Mary went to Doug Pospisil’s home and interviewed him and Mike Harter until 1:30 in the morning.
Next morning she was gone on the 8 a.m. Delta flight to SLC.
PRESIDENCY LETTER TO MARY
Sister Robertson:
As a standard of excellent in the Church, “The New Era” has brought many youth closer to Christ through its inspiring articles and features. We, as a Program, hope and pray that through the “New Era” our Program can expand throughout the Church and change the lives of many youth, as it has so powerfully here in Mesa.
The Arizona Temple Visitors’ Center Youth Guide Program has grown quite rapidly in the past years due to youth who strive to do the Lord’s will through missionary work. Also, the Program, by leaps and bounds, has prepared its youth for missions and other daily practices, such as communication skills and leadership opportunities.
We, as a presidency, would like to thank you for playing a major role in bringing this Program to the different temples and their visitors’ centers around the country and perhaps the world. Also, an even greater thanks is given for the additional fervor and enthusiasm your presence contributed to the Program. Your pleasant and lively personality has made your visit here in Mesa a memorable and exciting time for the youth.
May the Lord bless you in your journalism studies and your career.
Thank you.
The Youth Guide Presidency:
Keith Bacon, President
Curt Nielson, Zone Leader
Tim Penrod, Zone Leader
Trevor Barrett, Zone Leader
Catherine Pitts, Secretary
MARY’S LETTER TO ME
Dear Brother Parker, 7/27/
I just wanted to express my thanks to you for making my stay in Arizona so enjoyable. I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet you and your family, as well as your family of Guides. I’m grateful that I had the chance to see the Guide Program in action and catch the Spirit that your wonderful Youth Guides possess. Right now I’m transcribing all those interviews, so it’s as if I’m reliving the whole experience. I can’t say enough good things about the Program. I’m afraid that I’ll run out of superlatives talking about it. And of course the Program and the Guides deserve every bit of praise. Hopefully, the Program can be expanded one day, so that more of the youth can participate in it Church-wide. I hope that my article might be a catalyst in the process.
Thanks again for all your help and support. I wish all the youth of the Church could have such fine leaders and such an inspiring program to help them develop the missionary zeal! God bless you.
Love, Mary Ellen Robertson
Romans 1:8-10 See you at Christmas!
P.S. A special thanks goes to Leslie for being my guide all weekend. I couldn’t have asked for a better one! (I put this one in for a little guy in Japan! Hi Ry!)
The week of the 22nd through the 28th is pretty much a blur! I had to take Monday and Tuesday off (from the Gardens) to rest up and on Saturday, I went to the last session of the temple before it closed for two weeks.
I need to tell you that I went fully expecting the Spirit to confirm my decision to quit the Program, but it didn’t. I received the impression that I shouldn’t only not quit but that I should endeavor to expand the Ammonites.
Sunday was exhausting because we had two Farewells, Kyle’s and Troy’s. They were excellent. I decided for the first time ever in the Program to dog a meeting and missed the Presidency meeting that night. (For shame, 18 months and no staying power. Okay, I promise 18 more months and not a meeting missed!) My excuse was that Sister Flores is dying and as her Home Teacher I needed to be there.
So at the end of the SNTM meeting we were sitting at 48 referrals…two short. Monday night got a storm that sent them inside to watch a video. (Remember, Trevor couldn’t make it that night so they got dogged.) They only worked 20 minutes the whole night and received two tours. The wind even blew the new picture of the ROCK and broke the glass and loosened the frame.
Tuesday night was AWESOME! Sister Becky Good is down from the Y and is the replacement for Lyrica, except she is really good at it (Tsk! Tsk!) I talked to her early in the day and asked her to call around and see if she couldn’t’ stir up some excitement. She did! They brought cookies, punch, brownies, and cold water, set up on a card table by the ROCK. (Some little Mexican kids from the Barrio on 2nd-3rd Ave. came through and almost wiped them out. One little guy had his mouth and both hands full before they could get him to gently “go away.”)
They had already set a goal of ten referrals for Tuesday night, last week. They had been praying for it and working toward it. They had 100% Cards and Study Time and knew they could do it.
Well, this is Monsoon Season and I have told you above about the storms that have been averted. Well, we all knew that one would have to come at some time, and it did on Tuesday night. At someone’s request we retired to the Guide Room and held hands and prayed.
No referrals, 8::40 p.m. and the rain came down in buckets! It almost obscured the temple from view. However, just before it started, a faithful Zone Leader, doing all he could to set the pace (Tim Penrod), found a group of basketball players, all young, coming back from Pioneer Park and promised them if they took the Tour he would given them cookies and punch!
He took them around front when the rain started and then into Room 8 for a session with the Referral Cards. There were about five families represented. He ended up with 7 referrals!
Meanwhile, Shaleigh Kimball was giving a tour in the rain, and so was Mike Harter. They were soaking wet, but loving it. Shaleigh ended up with a referral!
And Laurie Whitley got up enough courage to invite a friend at work to have the missionaries and had a referral in her pocket she was saving just in case!
That was NINE for the night. You guys who have been out for awhile will not believe the numbers of referrals that the Guides can get when they are working and the Lord is bringing people down!
Sister Kimball disallowed 7 of them and allowed two so that we would be able to make our referral goal of 50 for July. Tim is going to work on the families of these boys to see how many more he can get for the month of August.
VISITORS’ CENTER RECEIVES 30
REFERRALS FOR JULY !
GUIDES MAKE THEIR GOAL
AT CLOSING TIME ON THE
L A S T N I G H T !
July has now eclipsed Easter Week in referrals and everyone is stunned! We aren’t sure what is happening, but believe better training on the ROCK and INVITING has made a difference, but not the difference.
August has started with a whimper for the inside. We have 5 in the first 3 days, and they had only one yesterday. Our goal for August, unofficially, is 30 (26 for last August and a 15% increase of 4 = 30).
Again, let me apologize for getting this off so late. I read your letters about all the challenges you have on your missions and when I am deep in all of my troubles I have a hard time relating the advice you have given. “Stick in there.” “Keep going even when it is so tough you want to quit.” I think, “There isn’t anyone to confide in who can do anything about it.” I keep forgetting the Lord. I send off you AWESOME missionaries and I have a hard time learning the lessons you are learning on your missions and in the MTC.
After a long afternoon talk with Kaleen Knight, I have decided that there is no way anyone will deter me from doing what I think is right for the Guides, even if I have to work around “channels.” There is something here that is bigger than we sometimes realize. I enjoy so much hearing from you guys and learning about the lessons you are learning that will make you more successful missionaries and more successful husbands, fathers, leaders in the Church and friends to each other and to me.
Remember, above, I went to the temple resolved to quit and go back to whatever I could find in my stake or ward? While at the temple, completely exhausted and dozing heavily, my mind just would not clear up enough to get the confirmation I needed. After resting for awhile and feeling a little better I had the impression that we should call some more leaders for the Ammonites and get that going better. Since then I have decided that goes for the whole Program.
Some of you can remember how BB gets a little weird at times for unexplained reasons. Well, that’s where we are now. I remember when I first came into the Program Don and David and some of the rest of you would get together and decide on the direction of the Program and then just being to make it happen behind the scenes. Well, it was anathema to me at that time and I had a hard time with it. In fact, I may have frustrated some of it for quite some time.
Well, I am at that point now. We don’t study the Missionary Guide as a Program, we’ve had horrible record keeping and the Guides going out are, I believe, less prepared for their missions’ practical problems, than were you. I believe they are probably better prepared in actual teaching situations with the recent training they have gotten. But, there is something lacking that we used to do. I can’t fully explain it, so I am going to try and meld what we used to do with what we are doing now to send out even more A W E S O M E Guide/Missionaries. I had the impression this week that in the not to distant future, Guide/GAs will be interviewing graduates of the Program from around the world, reminiscing about their Guide days and commenting on how much better they were prepared for the lives from having been in the Program. Quite a thought, huh?
Spent some time at the DQ with BB last evening (Aug. 4) and he told me we now have a new Advisor for Thursday night, Eli Fenn, who is just back from Mexico where he taught the Missionary Guide to missionaries. That will be good for us and seems to be an answer to prayer. I feel kind of like Don used to feel when we get others involved, though. I don’t want them to become involved in the leadership, it is complicated enough already.
BB was back to his somewhat normal self. He explained that the last two weeks had been “hell” for him, refrigerations going out in his cars and house, lost sales, alternators, just yukky stuff. Pray for him, please. He does such a huge job. I know he does, but I just wish he would let us help more.
For instance, he wants to do a book for every Guide, which will have their Weekly Report, Star, Moon, Sun Test, etc. Well, he fails to recognize that the District Book already has that. To make books for everyone will be an added burden, but I think we can get it done.
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