Brethren: I’m sitting here about midnight on a Tuesday evening with my headphones on listening to my Warriors of Light tape over and over and just wanted to write a little to each of you as the Spirit directs me.
I am so thankful that you have each responded to GUIDElines in a positive way. Perhaps I haven’t clearly stated the goals I have for this publication. I recently went to my 27th high school reunion, the only one I had been to since graduation in 1962…long before you guys were born. I had a wonderful time renewing old friendships and trying to catch up on everything. So, when the GUIDElines came into being, I had a vision. The vision is that I could honor my promise to David to keep everyone informed on what is happening to them and at the same time begin something that we might all remember as “sweet.” (You guys taught me that word. The first time I heard you say it my reaction was that it looked like I was working with a bunch of “pansies,” full of love and sweetness. It didn’t take me long to realize that true brotherly love is sweet…in fact, that may be the best word for it!)
We all know we can’t ever go back to those wonderful days as Youth Guides when our missions are over. And, like it or not, Assistant Directors don’t last forever. However, there isn’t any need to lose track of those we went through the training and trenches with. So, I hope you will each treat the GUIDElines with special care, sharing your missions with each other through it, and building a solid, on-going, caring unit that will support you all in the future.
I tried to teach each of you as leaders about fealty. That is the deep bond of friendship and love people can develop who work together intensely in some cause. Being a little older and with a few of those old hang-ups, I get a funny, warm feeling when you write in your letters that you love me. I love you, too. I believe I love you as Helaman undoubtedly loved his Stripling Warriors…and I know he couldn’t have loved them more that I do you. Therefore, because I love each of you I am going to do my best to continue to serve you and perhaps give you the benefit of some of the things I have learned on the path, and know that I will learn so much from you, too.
I hope you understood the front page about the changes in the temple endowment. When you have a testimony and significant things happen in the Church, it is incumbent upon each of you to find out anew that we are led by prophets. When you have that assurance, then share it with the rest of us. Changes in the endowment make big waves throughout the Church. I felt I should reassure you, as if the First Presidency wasn’t enough, that Bro. Parker says, “Right On!” I got my new recommend this week and could cheerfully and without reservation support the General Authorities of the Church.
Marlin…what a wonderful letter. You have a difficult mission. I am proud that you have taken it on head to head with all the faith and power at your command. I hope to hear of your success in your next letter. I felt impressed in the temple recently that each of your Ancient Warriors, in some spirit world way, has instant communications with his brethren. Therefore, when one of you needs greater sustaining at any one time, I feel they can unite with the Holy Spirit in your support. My heart leaps with joy every time one of you commits to the Guide temple attendance standard! You certainly will be blessed throughout your life. I can see some of you as the kind of men Heavenly Father wants as Temple Presidents, a few years hence! Wherever I am, here or THERE, know that I will be with you in spirit.
Roberto…how you have been blessed already! I am not surprised; I just wish you had been involved, heavily, a little earlier in the Program. I see your mother each Sunday and she smiles and shakes my hand with such a knowing feeling. She is so proud of you and is such a loving and warm-hearted person. I remember when you were talking to that woman during an evening at the Gardens saying, “No, I have been well trained and I am not afraid to go on my mission!” Write often to keep us posted on your success.
Brent…Yes, I too, will remember that particular session when you, Craig, and I stood in the Celestial Room and discussed the mysteries. Being a convert, I know how much your sacrifice has meant to the sister you baptized. It means everything. I appreciate the wisdom you shared in your letter. May the Lord continue to bless you.
John…You asked, “UNSA NA?” Lots! We are planning a special Mother’s Day SNTM, a sunrise testimony meeting on May 19th, a Chapel Session at the temple on Thursday, May 24th at 7:00 p.m., a potluck for the guys going away in a few weeks…plus the regular stuff! Nuff? I enjoyed your testimony and pray for your safety and continued growth, daily. You are a wonderful example of one trying to live a Christ-like life. I know you have excellent, loyal, and loving friends here. May you be blessed.
Mike…Quit that crying, you’ll be looking like me before long. I am glad you are in San Diego. I can get the GUIDElines to you quicker. Those overseas receive it from their parents in most cases because I can’t afford to send it straight to them. I will share your message with the Guides. Keep up the good work.
Aaron…Thank you for your spiritual letter. It seems to be a maxim that missions are rough on missionaries. Every one of you has written back saying it has been rough. It appears that missions are for growth and if there are some baptisms then that is icing on the cake. However, I am only corresponding with guys who have been out a year or less. Maybe it gets better, l a t e r. I hope each one of you guys reads your letter carefully. When I talked to the guys about their Ancient Warriors it was in an attempt to get them to think about how Helaman and his Warriors would approach a problem. It may make your reading of the scriptures more meaningful, knowing that your spirit has a spiritual partner to help. I see no reason why you shouldn’t have a Warrior, too. Enjoy him!
Craig…Thanx! for the picture of you and David at the MTC. It is grrrr8! for me to be in the middle of you … he thinks you’re awesome… you’re of the opinion he’s close to perfect! You’re still a legend, with 50 referrals in ten days at Christmas. You realize the whole Program got 53 in April. I hope you will take renewed courage and knowledge into the fray, along with your Warrior and create a stir in your area. I am amazed at the amount of personal growth all of you guys are experiencing…and that you are recognizing it for what it is.
EVERYONE…I am going to take your words of wisdom, since I already have them word processed, and create a book for the Guides that I can either leave in the Guide Room or pass around among them. I know you have written each of them some words of wisdom, but perhaps if we publish them on the mountaintop they will be used more fully. So, be assured that your letters are regarded as treasures by me and I will faithfully pass on your words to the Guides.
I would like to put more pictures and graphics in the GUIDElines, but I have decided the words are more important right now. I don’t want to compete with the Reader’s Digest or the conference issue of the Ensign, but I hope you will use the words of your brethren, read them over several times, and put their suggestions to use in your mission. I’m outahere until the SNTM. It oughta be good enough to add another page to the GUIDElines, and then they are off to you around the world. Fun, huh!
[Letter from Russell in Poland to Laurie, reprinted at her request.]
“No one ever hurt their eyes looking on the bright side.”
I tell ya, I thought the last few weeks were awesome(they were), but this past week was even sweeter! Last Thursday night, Pres. W. was over here again (in our class), and came with us back to our room. He asked us to give him a blessing. It was so amazing to feel that power of the Priesthood so first-handedly. There’s no doubt that the blessing did more for us (experience, experience, experience!) than for Pres. W. It was a terrific experience, and we grew a lot closer as a District because of it.
The next day we were going to lunch, but I got called to the front desk so my comp and I went. We got up there and saw Doug sitting there by himself. He looked so lonely, I wanted to cry! He had surgery on his foot, his G-ma died, and one of his very good friends is having knee reconstruction. Anyway, his district left that morning without him because he had to stay two extra weeks! He was having quite a rough time. As we talked, he asked for a blessing, too—whoa! It was so great to be able to talk to him for awhile and feel him cheer up.
There is no doubt that Priesthood power is real. I just hope I’m always worthy of it! That was one of the highlights of my life! After we gave Pres. W. his blessing, he said, “The amazing thing about our Church is that Heavenly Father trusts the Priesthood to 19 year old kids.” That’s so true. As I stood in both “circles,” I no longer felt like a kid, I felt like a worthy man of God! It is so strange, but it hit me even harder that “Any two men can accomplish anything as long as one of them is God.”
Well, now that my left calf/shin has been healed for about a month, I have some beautiful cleat/show “marks” on my right shin! Soccer is so fun!
Things are wonderful.
P.S. Doug told me today that he may leave by Monday! He already has his foot in his shoe without wrappings around it, and he’s off crutches—Yahoo! The Priesthood’s True!
Love, Russell
Brother Parker,
You are right. I felt really good about getting a good Ammonite Warrior buddy of mine today. That really makes me excited, and I know that it is a special honor and blessing. Your thoughtful ways just really impress me constantly. I never expected such a wonderful letter of good encouragement, and other helpful items, as I prepare to move on in life. You are an inspired man with a good wife, and children, who with your busy schedule stand behind you and love you.
I know that temple attendance is going to be an important part in growing, and I thank you for your quiet and carefully given testimony of your feeling for that wonderful place, the Mountain of the Lord, the Holy Temple. More especially, the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I must tell you in writing my testimony of working at the temple, in its beautiful gardens as a Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors’ Center Youth Guide. I don’t think if the full name of the calling was given, it would not show the full respect and honor of this precious program.
There is nothing I could tell you that you have not heard or know already towards feelings and testimonies of this program. So I will repeat with them, my testimony that this program is special. I have fallen into that temptation of just taking it for another Church calling, but it is not. I now hold this calling in a special place inside me. Too many times have things happened to me, in the short two hours, I would go down to give tours on my assigned night, to make it impossible for me to ever doubt the truth of the Church. Even if someday I was to fall away and become inactive, I could never lose my knowledge of knowing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.
I now commit in writing that I will join those few blessed men who have gone on missions before me that attended the temple weekly. I will do all I can to do this.
You are a good friend and I love you, Eric.
(I haven’t heard form Lance since 7/17/89 so I will print what he said at that time.)
Bro. Parker,
I don’t have much time to write, but I had to take time to thank your for your great efforts in making the “T.G. Guide Missionaries” still feel a part of the Program. I rejoice to hear of the wonderful steps the group is taking. What an awesome assembly of valiant youth they are! I pray often for all those involved in the work at the AZ Temple Visitors’ Center. It is a privilege to be able to track your success via a regular newsletter. Please continue to let me know how things are with you and the Guides/Ammonites/leaders.
Thanks again for your concern and support!
Sincerely, Lance
P.S. Would you say “hello” to everyone for me?
(David J. wrote a Christmas letter that might be interesting for all of you, also.)
Happy Christmas Holidays! How is everything with you all? Well, at this present moment I am on a bus because I have been transferred during December and I am in a new area. I have been serving in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan for the past four months and I really enjoyed it there. The members and leaders there were fantastic! It’s kind of scary getting transferred again, especially after getting so close to the members in Moose Jaw. My new area is Thompson, Manitoba. Thompson is the coldest, furthest north city in the whole mission. I left Moose Jaw at 7:00 this morning and I will be arriving in Thompson in about 5 ½ hours or 2:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. It’s definitely a long and expensive transfer, but it’s always a treat to meet new people on the bus. It looks like I’m going to get to really used to my new mitts and boots that I had to buy. My last three Arizona winters haven’t prepared me very well for what I’m afraid I’m in for, but it is fun bundling up in all my snow clothes!
Thompson is the farthest outlying area in the mission and it makes me feel good that president K. once again is trusting me enough to put me this far from all the other Elders. My companion is also from Arizona. I met him in the Regina, Saskatchewan Zone before he got moved to Thompson. He is awesome and I’m excited that we’re going to get to serve together. It was sad to say goodbye to Elder C. in Moose Jaw. We got along real well and I was hoping we’d stay together for Christmas. This mission here is so big that it’s possible I won’t see him again before he leaves!
Elder M. otherly known as “Aaron my best buddy from Mesa’ (best buddy because he’s the only one that came up to see me hee hee!) got moved to Northern Saskatchewan, so I may not see him for awhile either, but I know we’ll get to be companions at least once before we come home!
Know that all is well with me even though the work is slow here in Canada I am loving every minute of it. Know also that the only thing that could possible make my mission and Christmas season better would be to hear from you! Take care!
With love always, David J.
How are the Parkers this Christmas Season? Things are Fantastic up here. The work is really slow because of the intense cold and short daylight hours, but I love every minute of it. When I first stepped off the bus my boogers froze up in my nose when I breathed in. It’s definitely different from Mesa winters. The branch here is only 18 people strong and so we get the opportunity to teach and speak in church lots.
(Ryan rushed me back a letter from Japan commenting on April’s GUIDElines’ contents.”
Dear Bro. Parker,
Thank you so much for GUIDElines. How inspiring. I learn so much from the other missionaries. We all seem to learn the same lessons, or go through the same experiences, even though we’re completely in different parts of the world! I can relate with everyone. Oh, that I had the Charisma of David, the Faith of Brent, the Humility of Aaron, the Enthusiasm of Doug, the Attitude of David J., the Greeniness of Craig, the Meekness of Derek, and the Love of Brother Parker! I’d be quite a missionary! But behold, I’m just Elder R., and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted me.
Well, this time around, the Lord saw fit to see how I handle a trunky companion. He had one month left and was satisfied with his work in 23 months. I learned quite a bit from him.
But what’s the best thing to do? Any suggestions? I’m sure we’ll all have our turn at companions who don’t want to work. Any success stories out there? I’m anxious to know how to handle the situation.
If you’re curious to know what I did, I just encouraged as much as I could, became his friend, and used the extra time to pray, study or do service. I don’t know what’s right or not. I guess the ideal would be to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Good luck! Tell me your experiences, insights, jokes, I don’t know. Just hang in there! You are all awesome! Take Care!
Love, Ryan
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