New Year, new companion

With the new year comes a new companion.  Changes and new opportunities.  The address for Elder Irvine remains the same as before the holidays.  It is listed at the right so letters and packages can again go directly to his home.

Merry Christmas from Woodburn!

It was apparently a very happy and productive Christmas for Elder Irvine and Elder Mickelson.  But there were transfers the day after Christmas and Elder Mickelson has moved to McMinnville, and Elder Ivrine will be working with his new companion, Elder Stuart.  Elder Irvine sent some holiday pictures which I have added to his photo album.  You can click on the picture below, the Christmas card that Elder Irvine and Elder Mickelson sent, to see these pictures.

From Elder Irvine's letter, 12 December 2011

We went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders (ZLs) on Tuesday. It was awesome! I found yet another missionary I like working with, and we had lots of revelatory and spiritual experiences while out. We were stacked that day with lessons and they were GOOD ones too! We had one that I particularly enjoyed - it was with a less active family who for mixed reasons fell away from the church at some point and just haven't been back (1 of them) because of embarrasment and (2) because he never really had a stable testimony of the gospel. As we taught them about the Restoration, I know that they felt the Spirit. At one point in the lesson the woman told about how she knew that the church was true she just felt that after her divorce and "falling away" with her tatoos and inactivity she couldn't show her face in church because of the judgemental members. She was in tears and had me on the verge of tears - the spirit was SO strong. I bore testimony to them and promised them that if they would read the Book of Mormon every day and pray every day about it, that they would be comforted and blessed in their personal needs - for her that she would overcome the feelings of embarrassment and for him that he would know that it's true. I loved it.

Among other cool spiritual experiences, we came in contact with a member who's fiance Elder Mickelson had been teaching a while back. They were all ready for baptism for the longest time, but they needed to do some things before she could be baptized. And while we were just being obedient and diligent in the work, here they come this past week ready to go through the lessons again and be baptized. They were married civily on Saturday (12/10) and this next Saturday (12/17) she is being baptized before they move up to Vancouver! It's truly a Christmas miracle.

From Elder Irvine's letter, 28 November 2011

This week we met this voluntarily excommunicated member for dinner.  His wife is less active and they have a young daughter.  He went on a mission, loved it, had a superb testimony, but then “found out” that the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith’s story, and Mormonism isn’t true.  He spouted off a few of problems he ran into and about how even B. H. Roberts, a general authority, questioned the gospel right before he died in his book Studies of the Book of Mormon.  The ex-member explained how after reading only the scriptures and doctrines of the Book of Mormon and modern day prophets, he found that it had holes and overlapping evidence that could prove it was just a story or a copy from other similar sects like some United Church in Korea where a farm boy prayed and had a similar experience story to Joseph Smith.  He used the differences in doctrine from the 1830 publication of the Book of Mormon to the modern one to say it doesn’t add up why prophets changed God’s words.

All in all this made me question my testimony.  I really asked myself, as I have never thought to truly ponder it before—what if the church isn’t true?  What if it was all part made up and part of 1 Nephi were discovered to have been written by Parley P. Pratt (as the ex-member had said and researched)?  Why would it be possible to research your way out of the church if it were actually the “one true church?”  Wouldn’t God prevent that from happening?  This was my first “faith-shaking” experience on my mission and boy, it was startling.

So I took the challenge to my faith to heart.  While this ex-member clearly stated, he did not wish to offend or even convince others it wasn’t true or say that he found out it wasn’t by any anti-Mormon literature at all—cause he didn’t.   Rather I worked to test my testimony, to ask God if it is true.  After talking with my companion about the things he had brought up after dinner, that was my first indication that God was talking to me, reaffirming my testimony.  Obviously these are some important reasons we, as missionaries, serve in two’s.

Next I started to study, study, study the Book of Mormon and its validity through the Quad and in the Ensign of October 2011 on the Book of Mormon and the General Conference addresses in the recent Ensign.  Even your most recent letter containing advice from the scriptures and the talk “Sharing the Gospel by God’s Ways Rather than Man’s” by Clayton Christensen helped me immensely.  Everything I have been reading, teaching, studying, and pondering has only given me feelings of resounding and reassuring comfort.  Thoughts like “How could it not be true?  It just makes sense.” Pop into my mind all the time now.

I still wanted to solidify my testimony more.  My thirst for the knowledge of the truth could not be satisfied.  After all, the ex-member had questioned the methods of the church in creating laws and ordinances, both in the temple and outside.  He said that Christ dispelled all laws with the law of Moses when he fulfilled it and so the church is wrong to make you do certain things in the temple to receive or obtain exaltation.  Temples have always been the base and strength of my testimony.  If temples weren’t valid, my testimony should surely crumble.  So I needed to do one last thing to verify all the witnesses I have been receiving every day in studying—pray, ask God who knows all if this is true.

And to no surprise of mine, I have felt a constant pressing towards the strength of my testimony.  There is no denying the influence and impressions I have all the time now. I cannot ever begin to think about denying the gospel without overwhelming feelings of joy and happiness and understanding of the doctrines of Christ’s church glowing freely and bursting out of me.  Everything in the gospel teaches nothing save that which is good—and that which is good is of God.  Doctrine and Covenants 50 clearly stated my discovery.  This ex-member tried reasoning and trusting as man does, not as God does.  Maybe I’ll have him read this:

10   And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us reason together, that ye may understand;

11   Let us reason even as a man reasoneth one with another face to face.

12   Now, when a man reasoneth he is understood of man, because he reasoneth as a man; even so will I, the Lord, reason with you that you may understand.

13   Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained?

14   To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth. [I understand now more fully my purpose.]

15   And then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified?

16   Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong.  [That’s me!]

17   Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

18   And if it be by some other way it is not of God.

19   And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

20   If it be some other way it is not of God.

21   Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

22   Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.

23   And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.

24   That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

25   And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you;

26   He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.

       (Doctrine and Covenants 50:10–26‎)‎

Then the chapter continues to tell how missionaries are given “power to overcome all things which are not ordained of him.”  I am “the least and the servant of all” but Jesus is also “the possessor of all things. . .sent forth by the will of the Father, through Jesus Christ, his son.”

I am further strengthened and comforted by Christ’s last words in the section—“I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel.  He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall.  And the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am.  Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready.  Even so.  Amen.”

I know that the gospel is true.  I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I know that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet who restored His church to the earth.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  Everyone should read it!  I know that the laws and ordinances and blessings of the temple are true and are from God.  Take this as a testimony to all who read this—I know with all my heart and you can, too.  Take Moroni’s promise (Moroni 10:3-5) and the invitation in the introduction of the Book of Mormon and find out for yourself.  I have and I have felt nothing but extreme joy.

Happy Thanksgiving from Woodburn!

 

Click on the picture above and you will be able to see the photos that Elder Irvine has sent from his first area.  He sent some good ones of the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl.

Thanksgiving Week

"As it is Thanksgiving this week, I want to share my gratitude for all of you. I love you so much. I'm so thankful for all that you are doing to send me letters, packages of goodies, your love, and just the basics of supporting me out here - financially among everything else. I'm thankful that you are my family - each and everyone of you. You are the best!"

News from the "sunny" north

Ryan sent some pictures last week.  He and his companion had a good Halloween and are doing very well.  The pictures are available in the photo tab in two albums:  "Woodburn, Oregon: First Area" and "Halloween in Woodburn, OR."  I think the smile on his face says it all.

Orange ties & big smiles

Ah, the memories!  Trick or treating with referral and pass along cards.  What could be better.  Happy missionary Halloween!

More from the 1st day in the field

The following are posted on the Oregon Portland Mission home page.  These were the 17 missionaries who arrived in the mission on October 3rd.  I "borrowed" the two of them that featured Ryan from that page.  You can see these and others at http://oregonportlandmission.com/2011/10/17-new-missionaries/

A pretty amazing group of missionaries.  All that potential, all that exuberance.  Portland better be ready.  Miracles are going to happen.

Way to protect that good looking tie, Elder.

Well, at least he's comfortable! 18 October 2011

Ryan sent the following pictures of his apartment.  From my perspective, it is considerably more "advanced" than the hogans or church classrooms where I lived on my mission.

A letter from 12 October 2011

I fudged on my ability to write letters/emails this week and I was just informed I can write letters on Sundays in addition to writing on P-day (normally on Monday but this week it was on Tuesday).  So anyways, my district leader said I could write in my personal time this week.

I have been up and down emotionally.  Overwhelmed with everything that’s been thrown at me.  I have been praying for extra strength and desire to go to work all the time.  I really do want to be here and do this, but it’s so incredibly hard.  Once I’m working it’s fine and my mind and heart are solely dedicated to Him, but it’s when it gets quiet and I’m just doing behind the scene stuff around the apartment in the mornings that it kills me  It’s been getting better, though, and I’m not nearly as beat up about it as I was last week.

A few things make it nice in terms of convenience.  We have a washer & dryer in our apartment.  There is no sales tax here so everything’s base price.  And Elder Mickelson, my new companion, and I do a car share with the other elders in our district so we have the car every other week.  It’s super nice where we’re at cause it’s farm country basically.  So all the towns are spread out.  Our zone is (?) and our specific area between my companion and I is pretty much all of the north Marion Country.  It covers the small towns of Butteville, Aurora, Donald, St. Paul, and the upper piece of Woodburn where our apartment is.

My companion and I have not quite learned how to teach so well together just yet but that comes with time.  We teach sufficiently though.  We have been tracting a few times, but the majority of our time is with members.  Elder C. Scott Grow came to talk to us on Monday and he encouraged us to put ½ of our time into reactivation.  I never knew I would spend so much time with the members.  It was not really emphasized in the MTC.  Sadly, despite all the member involvement, we have only had a few dinners here and there with members.

I've never felt so unprepared for something.  The MTC never taught us how to live off our own food and shopping on a budget..  Ugh!

By the way, the mission president complimented me on my Jerry Garcia tie you got for me.  I was very grateful and thought of you. I wasn’t surprised at all.  It’s a good tie, my friend.  Kudos to you!  Ha ha.

Your scripture you always shared with me from D. & C. 84 has been helping me out personally.  Like BIG time.  I understand the promise now from verse 88.  It’s a real comfort.  I tear up when I read about angels being with me and God being right there by my side to bear me up.  Even though I feel so inadequate and ineffective right now.  I know that He is here with me to keep my going. 

I would love to hear from you as much as possible.  You can send letters to my apartment directly at the address listed on the envelope. BUT only until October 30^th.  After that send all letters to the mission office until I give you my apartment address again, which will be after transfers on November 15^th (I think).  The reason is because your letters will get to me about 2-3 days sooner if you send it straight to my apartment address, but the downside is that when I transfer the mail that comes to the apartment will have to be forwarded by other missionaries (that is the hope at least).  So just by precaution don’t send letters within two weeks of each transfer to my apartment.  Just send them through the mission office.  I think you can send packages directly to my apartment but to play it safe maybe just send it to the office first depending on your discretion.

P.S.  The beauty is a bit overrated here. . .or maybe it is just engulfed by the grayness of most days, but thankfully it doesn’t rain EVERY day.  It’s just cloudy most of the time (we take pictures and stop to stare at patches of blue sky) and there’s a kind of drab/dismal attitude or setting.  There are a lot of trees though.  Plenty of variety and they are gorgeous. 

I know I would love to have lots of packages but if necessary, collaborate to send a couple of packages with Nicole and my family.  Otherwise I love getting lots of packages and letters!

First Day In The Field

Elder Irvine has arrived in Portland!  And apparently his departure sucked the sunlight out of Utah.  But Ryan and his companions have arrived, visited the temple with President and Sister Morby and been assigned companions and areas.  Ryan's first companion is Elder Mikelson.  I still don't have a mailing address, so stay tuned for further updates.

October 1, 2011

Ryan will be leaving for the Northwest early Monday morning, October 3rd, 2011.  He sent me a collection of photographs from his two and a half weeks in the MTC and asked me to post them in the photos section of this blog.  It looks and sounds from his letters that he has had a great experience there.  I am certain that he will be anxious to be out in the field and anxiously engaged in what he has spent his life preparing for.  I will be updating his address as I become aware of it in the next few days.

Next Stop: MTC

I will be arriving at the Missionary Training Center at 1:10 pm, Wednesday, September 14, 2011. My family will be taking me down and we'll have lunch before and take some pictures. My setting apart will take place 8:30 pm the preceding Tuesday. This will probably be the last post I make for a while. If Keith and Nicole's teaching goes well, they'll be making all posts following, though I may be able to email a post every now and then. Until later, I love you all. God be with you until we meet again.

'The Last Super' Weekend!

Saturday, September 10:

Missionary Open House

I'm holding a open house for people to come visit, socialize, and eat desserts with me before I leave. I've tried to invite everyone so I can see them all, seeing how as there won't be much time to do that during my mission address in Sacrament Meeting. There will be LOTS of pictures.

Sunday, September 11:

Missionary Address

I haven't been given an assigned topic from my bishopric, so I'm working on putting my message together right now. Overall topic to be determined.

Family Luncheon

After Sacrament Meeting, we're having a family luncheon over at my house. We're having sandwiches, chips, fruit, veggies, salad, baked beans, and probably more of all the left over dessert (my grandma and I are making tons and tons of cookies and brownies for Saturday night!). More time for pictures!! Yeah!

Temple Day!

In order to be more prepared, I've been going to the temple as much as possible ever since I was endowed (as opposed to only once a week) -- And I've been doing all kinds of ordinances. I even did all of the ordinances consecutively in one day!

Last Minute Preparations

Jeez! It literally feels like last minute preparations cause time is growing rapidly sparse. I am currently doing as much as possible to prepare. These past few weeks I've been going to Brother Warren Miller's Missionary Preparation class at the SLCC Institute Monday through Thursday from 12-12:50pm. I've been going to the temple as often as I can. We even went as a mission prep class group to the Manti Temple a few weeks ago. That's where I met Matt Baxter - a possible future companion.

He's going to the same mission as me and he's even leaving the exact same date for the MTC! We've gotten to know each other a little more as we've gone to through a few sessions together and we both hope that we are in the same district in the MTC. Aside from that, I've made it a goal to finish studying and reading through Preach My Gospel by the time I leave for the MTC. So far I haven't gotten too far, but I think I can do it.

Overall I'm getting more and more nervous as the days fly by. Although I have everything acquired and pretty much packed the pressure's building exponentially. I can't help but feeling stressed that I'm going to forget to pack something or forget to do something before I leave. The anxiety is also weighing on my friends and family who all want to get enough time to spend with me. I'm praying daily for strength and courage to leave the ones I love here, in order to go serve the ones I will grow to love in Oregon.

Mission Checklist Completed

I have pretty much collected all the necessary items for my mission! Now all I have to do is pack and wait. I have about a month left here and I am going to start working on preparing to speak on September 11th. I'm super excited, though, I don't want the time to pass too quickly 'cause I don't want to leave my friends and family just yet.

Endowment

I went through the 11 AM session in the Salt Lake Temple this morning to be Endowed. I arrived at the temple close to 9:30 AM to perform initiatories and preparatory procedures with escort, one of my best friends, Keith Wood. At around 10:30 the people I invited to the session arrived (Grandma, Aunt Margo, Uncle Mike, Greg Jensen, Mary Jensen, Lucinda Jensen, John Solomon and his wife, Mike Welch and his Wife, and Ben DeMann; Nicole Jensen performed baptisms and confirmations for the dead in the baptistry during the session).

The session was wonderful! I think it was so cool and personally I found it quite entertaining. It was so natural and I felt right at home. I loved the Spirit and the overall good feelings of the surroundings and the ceremony.
We met my parents and some friends outside the temple afterwards and went out for lunch to celebrate. It was truly a spectacular day. Definitely my favorite "Temple Day" yet.

Full-Use Temple Recommend

I have been interviewed by my bishop and my stake president, and I have been declared worthy to enter the temple and receive my Endowments. I now hold a full-use recommend which I can use to enter the temple to perform initiatories, endowments, sealings, baptisms, and confirmations. I will be Endowed for my first time as soon as I can. I am so happy and anxious to be Endowed!!!

Missionary Call

I have been called to the Oregon Portland Mission!!! I'm so excited! I am happy that I now know where I will serving and I've already started preparing hardcore. I am scheduled to leave for the MTC on September 14, 2011 and I couldn't be more stoked. I have been given a booklet with plenty of information about my mission and I am going through the checklists to make sure I'm doing everything I can to prepare.

Below you can click the links to view the letter and booklet that contains specific information about my mission including a message from the Brethren, background about my Mission President and his wife, and a map of my mission area.

Official documents:

• Missionary Call Letter
• Missionary Call Booklet

The Call Is Here

Although I'm not opening the envelope until after my Dad gets off work tonight at 9 PM, I'm pleased and absolutely ecstatic to declare that the call letter has arrived in my mailbox! Stay tuned until later for the 'worldwide broadcast' to announce where and when I'm going to serve the Lord!

Call Letter Sent

After waiting for a few weeks now and not receiving anything Wednesday, I texted my Stake President to have him check my application status online. He has been checking it daily since Monday and I have been "Ready for Assigning" every time that he's looked... until today that is. Today I asked him to check again and it shows that my letter is being mailed out of the Mission offices! Yay!

Missionary Application Process Completed

In a meeting with my Stake President, I have been declared worthy and ready to serve a mission. My Bishop told me today that he will be uploading the physical and dental evaluation forms this afternoon and will shortly after submit my missionary application to the Stake President. The Stake President will then submit the application and turn it over to the General Authorities and First Presidency of The Church. Now I anxiously await a letter from the Prophet.

EDIT: My Bishop contacted me and I had to sign some of the dental forms that I had originally overlooked on Tuesday May 10th. Then my Stake President called me on Friday May 13th to let me know he submitted my papers online and so they have now been officially sent to the Mission Offices and The First Presidency.

Ryan Irvine

Online Missionary Application Submitted

I just submitted my missionary application to my Bishop online! I told him I have my Checklist competed and I called the Stake Executive Secretary, Brother Rees, and made an appointment with my Stake President, President Duane Jess, for this Sunday, May 1st at 1:00 PM.

Ryan Irvine

Physical & Dental Examinations Obtained

I just finished having my physical examination and dropped off my "Physician Health Evaluation Forms" to my doctor and my "Dental Evaluation Forms" to my dentist! I am coming back to the Olympus Clinic on Wednesday to pick up my forms from the doctor to give to my Bishop. And because my immunization records are not updated completely, I am also coming back on Friday to get my Tetanus and Hepatitis A shots.

Ryan Irvine

Examination & Surgery Appointments Scheduled

I have set up the necessary appointments for my physical and dental examinations, as well as the appointment for surgery to have my wisdom teeth removed. The dates and times are as follows:

• Physical examination (Doctor Steven Heath) - Monday, April 30th 2:00pm
• Dental examination (Doctor Val E. Ludlow) - No check-up needed*
• Wisdom teeth surgery (Doctor Robert L. Flint) - Friday, May 6th 12:50pm

*I had initially believed I would have to have the dentist re-check my teeth after my wisdom teeth surgery. So I called to make an appointment with receptionist, but since I have already had my annual dental check up recently she said she would merely take note of the date of my surgery, and sign and send the "Dental Evaluation Forms" to my Bishop. This makes me extremely happy because I can submit my missionary application sooner now!

Ryan Irvine

Online Missionary Application Acquired

I just had a meeting with my bishop, Bishop David LeCheminant, who has declared me worthy and ready to start my online application to serve a mission! I'm going to start working on them right away and will submit them as soon as possible.

Ryan Irvine