Letters to Missionaries

Dear Sister Bingham, My dear niece, I pray God is with you every day.  We (remember I am a primary teacher) have been sending out a weekly email to our class and the Spirit has asked me to share this weeks email with you. Forgive me as it is directed to nine year olds. Our wonderful class, This week we have been studying Doctrine and Covenants 10 and 11. In these accounts we have begun to learn how our Heavenly Father truly knows the end from the beginning.  Our Father in Heaven knows us. He knows what makes our faith grow and what kind of experiences we need to grow our faith. You see, our faith is like a plant or tree. We need the sun (Son), water (of life or scriptures) and a rich soil (soul full of desire and a body of clay). Heavenly Father knowing all our needs for our spirits to grow in faith has provided all of these things so that you and us, your teachers, can come back to the presence of Heavenly Father.  You and we, we may never see the plates or sword of Laba...

My dear niece,  Thank you for your words of encouragement. They strengthen my soul. "But as we learned from this story, we see that as we turn to the Lord for light, He will bring it into our lives.  I would just like to invite you all to turn to the Lord in darkness and look for His light.  I promise that as you do this, you will be able to find light in your lives." I am always touched and inspired by the lessons you learn from the Lord and the scriptures. Please continue to write and know even in our darkest hour when we are in the belly of a whale and it seems that we are doomed that the Lord preserves and blesses His servants. At times your mission may be a Niniva but among the people are good humble people who seek the light that you bear. God be with you always.  Till we meet again.

My dear niece, Grandma said some profound thing when she wrote: Re: I think the reason the books talking about Lehi was living in a tent because that was an unusual thing for him to do. The emphasis was an desire to do God’s will inspite of how uncomfortable it make you. This virus has deeply impacted us all and has dragged us out of our comfort zone kicking and screaming to learn a new lesson. Lehi taught the people, then was asked to run, come back steal a book and run again build a boat and go to a new land and raise kids all the while.  Vanessa, your mission is unique and your alone. All of us are experiencing this in our own special way. God is with you and you are peculiar and special. You were made for this boat ride. The waves have tossed you to and fro but you have counted it a blessing that you did this for the Maestro (master teacher). Your family has cheered your successes and mourned your losses. Congratulations for recognizing the Savior in all thing. God is with you....

My dear wonderful and inspired niece First God bless you and keep you safe and warm. I wanted to write and tell you that we Binghams and Rocks are blessed y your service and how "well pleased" we are of your work, prayers and service. We feel it every day. I wanted to warn you of some things that perhaps mean nothing now but was impressed to say. Don't be seduced by the coolness. All too often Satan, that mean old scratch, tries to treat us like a puppy and attracts us to a harmless worldly thing (a red ball) only to throw it out to the street (dreadful sin) to get destroyed. How awful it is when we see our brothers and sisters fall for such tactics.  The path to sin is enticing and alluring. Envy and greed are tasty as is pride and deliciousness. Dont let the lambs fall into this trap. Like the trap used to catch monkeys, (a coconut filled with fruit big enough for a hand to small for a fist) we can be caught and destroyed by plain and simple means. You are a daughter of...

My dear niece,  I am impressed to teach you a principle that has come to my mind. A few years ago the church released a commercial about a boy at a concert and he gets away from his parents and gets on stage. The curtain opens and the youth at a piano who starts playing the simple part of the Chopsticks Waltz. The parents are mortified. From behind come the musician who whispers "dont stop". The commercial end showing them completing the duet and bowing to the audience. Remember when I made a reference to your mission being a recital? I was wrong to say that the Master was watching. He is the accompaniment to you simple message. While you may at times feel that all they hear is your words, rest assured they hear the symphony of the accompanying Angel's testifying your message is true and when you finish, the angels rejoice.  Open your mouth and sing and speak. Before I let you go, let me illustrate my point with this story. Back when I was a missionary in California, I ha...

My dear niece,  I wish to impart two scriptures: 26 For ye see your calling, brethren [and sisters], how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (1 Cor 1:20) Second.... “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:26–27). Learn from your discouragement. Remember the Savior sent you to Germany; not because you know the language or customs but because you have a Spirit that will not be stifled or quenched by the petty things of the world. Your Master sent you and your companion. Open your mouth and utter the things pu...

My dear niece,  I wish to talk to you about a wonderful woman named Anne Mansfield Sullivan who was a wonderful teacher. Her one student was blind and deaf. A little girl that lost her senses to scarlet fever when she was 18 months old and this wonderful teach began teaching her student in her toddler years. Little Helen Keller, her student, had some serious growing pains but grow up, graduated college, wrote books and was a cheerful woman. My beautiful niece, when you are the teacher to the blind and deaf of the Lord, help them see and hear. When you feel blind or or deaf turn to the Savior that He may touch your eyes and ears.  You are in a unique place. You are the teacher and the student now in your life. When you were young you were but the student, but now is the time you are the master teacher. Our master teacher, the Savior will be by you every step of the way. You may not see Him or hear Him but He is there for you every step of your mission. Remember when you can't s...

My dear niece, As a fellow missionary, I came into similar issues about lessons and investigators. One fellow (the guy I told you about in Bakersfield) to further his story. See, when he had learned the gospel a step son from a previous marriage, decided to tell the "truth" about the church. This fellow with the Spirit and conviction told his testimony to this fellow and how because he met us had a feeling of family and a saint hired him immediately and the bishop had given him some money to keep his home. (He was t going to take charity and was going to pay back all the money and he did).... Pray my dear missionary, (Maybe fast too). Have both you and your companion pray for that sweet young soul. You care for her as much as the Savior does. He will show you miracles.  My convert's testimony grew a lot with his trial. She will come around with a new spirit. Fear may be getting to her right now. Let your faith nd prayers shelter her and the Savior will do the rest.