Weeks 25 - 30

 December 18 - January 27

Our blog model has been to show some of the pictures that we have taken during the week and to provide some narrative about them. But this does not give the full picture of what happens between the shots and within the lines of the narrative. Most of our mission happens in that space; behind the scenes and between the lines. It is where the hand of the Lord is manifest. It is where testimonies are born and grown. It is where we feel the love of the Savior in our lives. It is where we show our appreciation and gratitude for the tender mercies that the Lord extends to us on a daily basis. It is where are hearts are filled with joy, our battles are fought and won, our sacrifices are given, and our faith increased.

It is always our desire that our messages to you center around Jesus Christ and how we can all show our love by serving our fellow beings. For us, we have been called to serve a specific niche in God's kingdom at this time for this mission. We get to be with the rising generation; the future leaders of our church and society. We have the privilege of sharing their joys, challenges, grief and heart ache, victories over self and life, and all the vicissitudes of life with them. Our desire is to provide a grandmotherly, or grandfatherly ear, a spiritual support and testimony born of experience, evidence, knowledge, and power by the Holy Spirit; a support that will link them to the foundation upon which they can build which is Jesus Christ (Hel 5:12).

The Christmas season is a time when there are increased magnitudes of being "up" and being "down". Our goal this season was to help reduce the low times and increase the high times of emotional and spiritual tides in the lives of those we serve. We remember how difficult it was being "away" from family and friends, either on a mission or away at school and not able to get home. Hopefully we provided a bit of "home" this season for those in need.

Christmas time away from home, family, and friends can take its toll on young people. At the Institute there are no "regular" families that can take in the missionaries or stay-behind students. Sister Perona and I decided to be the family that would invite anyone who did not have a family to go to, over for Christmas Eve dinner. It was a lot of work, but nothing more that what we would have done for our family back home. We had an enjoyable time and strengthened our love and friendship. Also, the food was great!!!

As expected we had a full spread for the Christmas Eve dinner. We were glad that we had brought our Sou Vide machine to cook the meat!

Chick-flick day! -- A Christmas tradition at the Perona house. Sister Perona invited our members, that were around during the holiday school break, to join in on her annual Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austin - six episode version) day. We made "high tea" goodies (English scones, cream puffs, eclairs, shrimp, smoked salmon, deviled eggs, assorted english sandwiches, quiche, macaroons and etc.) Everyone enjoyed the event during cold, grey, snowy days, and the doldrums of the winter break.

Mr. Darcey was a hit! We transformed the all purpose room into a comfortable living room. I kept the pots and food trays topped off while the women enjoyed the show. I enjoyed being their concierge and server, giving them the royal treatment.

One of our favorite traditions is to enjoy a charcuterie tray before watching Christmas movies. One night before Christmas we got a home delivery from Whole Foods with everything needed for one. It was a gift from our children. (They know what we like!)

More temple visits! We love going to the temple with our YSAs. Even under grey skies the temple seems to spread its light. We found that there are many, many grey skies here in Ohio and Indiana during the winter months (Dec - March). It reminds sister Perona of her mission experience in Manchester, England.

We all anticipate the re-opening of the Columbus temple (it is only 5 minutes away from our apartment!!!) The mission is preparing for a massive open house effort that will take place Saturday, 29 April 2023 – Saturday, 13 May 2023. The temple will then be rededicated on June 4th.

We love seeing the fruits of the YSA wards!!! This couple of returned missionaries tied the knot in the Indianapolis temple. They invited us to their sealing and wedding breakfast and reception. We felt so honored and grateful that they thought of us.

We love serving in the mission field with other senior missionaries and with our young missionaries who have dedicated, full-time, service to the gathering of Israel.  On transfer day we found most all of the elders and sisters we have served with here at the Institute. We were so grateful to see them again. We feel somewhat like Ammon did in Alma 26 when he met with his fellow missionaries after having served with them. Three of them went home this transfer. They were stalwart, faithful missionaries! We love them like our own children\grandchildren.

On transfers all those being transferred meet at the chapel by the mission office where they meet the newly arrived missionaries or their reassignment companions. We ran into two of our favorite sister missionaries who served with us here at the OSU Institute. Every once-in-awhile, you get a pair that are such a good match. These dear sisters left a huge positive impression on us. Sister Perona especially appreciated their culinary skills and ability to get around the kitchen.

Pancake balls!?? The morning before the transfer we took the departing missionaries out for breakfast at a specialty restaurant. Transfers occur every six weeks. So our time with most of our young missionaries is limited. We grow to love them and the work they perform. They are so inspiring and full of the Spirit and dedication to the Lord and the work.

Just this week we said good-bye to our Christmas wreath (that snow in the wreath is real). Our apartment has an outer door and an inner door. This is our outer door facing the street. It is the least expensive Christmas we have ever had and the extent of our decorations at the apartment. Our Christmas tree consisted of a picture of one on our video screen, under which we had some presents spread. On a mission you realize how much time and money is spent on things that don't actually connect to the reason for the season. For us it was refreshing to focus on what matters most.

Slip-n-slide in a car -- Snow on ice day. Driving to church after a major freeze. It was negative 7 with windchill of -37. Our institute director boiled some water and went out doors and threw it up in the air. It instantly turned to snow. No one drove on the roads the day before. We stayed in our apartment due to weather emergency notices. Living in California all these years has truly spoiled us as we are weather wimps here in Ohio.

One joy of being here in "the Ohio" is that the relative cost of living is very acceptable. Now that we are on a fixed retirement income we appreciate this added blessing during our mission.

Sister Perona has ancestors that joined the church in Georgia right after the Civil War. This book is about the missionary that taught many of the families that then moved to the San Luis Valley in Colorado where she is from. Sister Perona mentioned to this delightful young adult, Maddie Held, that she wished she could find this book which is no longer in print. Imagine Linette's surprise when she got a phone call from Maddie who was in Nauvoo, Illinois at a used church book store saying she had found it!

In our recent seminaries and institute annual broadcast we learned that the Church continues to focus its curriculum and teaching tailored to the needs of our youth and in the Savior's way. Our Institute Objective has been clarified to not only bring our youth unto Christ but to a conversion of Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel.

"Our purpose is to help youth and young adults deepen their conversion to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, qualify for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven."

We hear it from the Brethren in conference, youth broadcasts, BYU Devotionals, and special announcements, that the focus of EVERYTHING is correlating with the conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel.

In last weeks BYU Devotional, Elder Kevin S. Hamilton spoke about The Need For A Church. He pulled no punches relating to the true purpose of Christ's church on the earth and how we cannot be in the church but not of the church (my words, not his) and the direct connection between the Brethren, the Church, and Jesus Christ.

We just heard from Elder Paul V. Johnson this morning. He came to our mission and spent some time answering questions from the missionaries. It is clear that the Brethren and the Lord are earnest about all of us BEING the LIGHT unto the world. Teaching is only to be done through and by the Holy Ghost. No theatrics, techniques, or practices can do the job...only the Spirit.

You may love hearing a special devotional given by Elder David A. Bednar to MTC missionaries regarding how to know if we are listening to the Holy Ghost or if it is just own own minds talking. You will get a kick out of how he answers this question; and you may be surprised.

It's hard to believe how fast time has past. It has already been six months since we entered the MTC. Everyday is filled with spiritual experiences, challenges, hard work (that miraculously does not feel so difficult at all), blessings, new adventures, love, teaching, baptizing, listening, cooking, eating, giving blessings, sharing, caring, and feeling the Spirit. We cannot think of a better way to spend our mortal existence than by what we are doing now. 

When I retired, people at work were concerned that when people retire that they decline in mental and physical ability. Well, I may have retired from working for PG&E but I never retired from working for and serving the Lord. In fact, things just seem to be getting better! 

We bear our testimony that this is the Lord's work. This is His kingdom on earth that we are helping to build in this way at this time. We see His hand in all things; both temporal and spiritual. He lives. He stands at the head of His church today. He speaks through his ordained apostles and prophets and through personal revelation. We are not alone in this work. We feel the millions of prayers that are offered for missionaries from pulpits to altars around the earth. We feel your love and prayers.  We love you!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.