Farewell to the Oregon Portland Mission

It feels like we've been riding on a roller coaster while living in limbo with all the changes that have been happening worldwide with the church as well as in our mission specifically. Elder Hatch and I have decided that despite the whirlwind that's surrounding us, we are going to just stick with our area and our zone of missionaries one minute at a time, cause apparently that's about all the time we have until something new happens nowadays.

Last week we had our last zone conference with President and Sister Morby as our mission president in the Oregon Portland Mission. It was a great note to end on. And this time, we had five Assistants to the President - the two for the OPM, Elder Buhler as OSM Assistant, and Elder Harding and his new comp - Elder Draeger - as OVM assistants - there at the meeting to help instruct us alongside President Morby. It was cool to see the puzzle starting to piece itself together slowly. After the grand finale of a testimony meeting ended, all the missionaries who were leaving the OPM to a new mission had the opportunity to say one final goodbye before the split occurs. They gave us some memorabilia that is normally given when a missionary departs home and we got to give both our mission parents a hug. They truly have changed my life. I love them.

We did a lot of planning and coordinating for our next week (without actually knowing many details regarding it) on Wednesday and throughout the week. Every day we received a call from the new assistants for the OSM, Elder Buhler and Elder Covey (from the Eugene Mission) informing of us of some new policy or change in the schedule for this week. It was a bit of a hassle at first changing times for exchanges, meetings, etc. but it has all worked out up until now. I can already tell that the administrative work for this new mission will be imperative for smoothly bumpy transition into our new mission culture. But as Elder Perry said in the MTC Broadcast last week, we are going to be doing the same thing in our missionary labors regarding the teaching despite the drastic changes in cultures, policies, and structures. I can't imagine the uncertainty that occurred when Joseph Smith and the early leaders of the church started a brand new "mission" in this dispensation. It's all very exciting, nevertheless.

Among other things, we were able to teach at prison again this week, do service in our suits by moving a ton of bricks and rocks, and help out a barn by fixing a fence and bringing brownies for someone's birthday by using an "instant birthday kit" we found in our closet. Haha. We also made a trip to the temple visitor's center with our investigator and some members for what could be our last time being able to visit. Since today the new missions are finally split officially, our new mission boundaries restrict us from freely traveling to and from the temple. I am dismayed at this fact, but hope that we might still have some opportunity to take our investigators and less-actives to the temple occasionally just because it is such a great tool in helping them progress in the gospel. Until President Samuelian decides to approve it, however, I am distanced once again from my favorite past time of visiting the temple, the House of the Lord.

We currently have one investigator who is progressing towards being baptized on the 20th of July. Several other of our investigators are coming along well, also. I'm grateful to have the emphasis placed on our oneness as members and missionaries from the Prophet and the Apostles of the church. We truly are one in purpose and the more we dedicate ourselves to this purpose, the further we ourselves progress in the gospel, not to mention helping others come unto Christ. As I've looked back over the course of my mission, I can see how the only way we can successfully and efficiently do missionary work is when we all live up to the covenants we made at baptism - to stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places. I am grateful for the members in the wards in which I've served who understand that and help me to understand that by their great example. The members are almost more of a motivation to go do missionary work than the full time missionaries by their incredible examples.

I am excited to meet President Samuelian and his wife tomorrow morning in Newberg. Later this week on Friday and Saturday we will be having a Mission Leadership Council in which we will know more about the logistics of our new mission and will be guided further as to how we as missionaries will operate. This is obviously the living Church of Jesus Christ. How can you not know it? It's wonderful to see the Lord building us up to where we need to be. "I feel my Savior's love..."