August 8, 2010 - President Bishop's Letter

Dear Elders and Sisters,


I will not write a general letter to all missionaries every week, but I will try to write when I have impressions that apply to many missionaries.

Sister Bishop and I greatly enjoyed the Zone Conferences. We are overwhelmed with your goodness, your faithfulness, and with our love for you. We are excited about the Simplified Curriculum. If we can help our investigators feel the spirit even more while we teach, more will be baptized, stay strong in the church, attend the temple, and strengthen the church. I am gratified that so many of you are already finding ways to have the head of the house hold offer kneeling prayers, and how to get to know your investigators better by asking inspired questions.

In the last couple of weeks, several of you noted that your letters did not get transmitted. I think after about 15 minutes, the IMOS program closes down. If you have a long letter, consider writing it first on some other program, then pasting it in the IMOS Letter to the President.

I appreciate how difficult it is to keep shoes looking good when you have been rained on all week. Please see Missionary Handbook, page 11. Please polish your shoes, at least once per week. You might do that on Saturday rather than preparation day so the shoes will look sharp for Sunday. The polish will also help to protect leather from damage from the rain.

We have one change in the schedule for September. Elder Pratt, of the area presidency will be conducting a mission tour the week of September 13. We will meet with 2 zones per day for 4 days. We will tell you more on the schedule after we have more details. We were planning to start the Leadership Training that week, but now it will be pushed back a week.

Several missionaries have asked me about how to get investigators baptized if they can only attend part the meetings on Sunday. The standard is 3 weeks attendance with at least 2 of the 3 weeks all three hours. If there is some exceptional reason the person cannot attend, call me and we can discuss exceptions to the standard. However, we also need to teach about Sabbath day observance. What are the blessings of keeping the Sabbath day Holy? New members need the spiritual strength of attending all meetings. All members need the instruction from Sunday School. The sisters need the association of Relief Society. The brethren need to learn their priesthood responsibilities. How will they do that if they do not attend priesthood? All members also need the spiritual renewal that can be obtained only by dedicating Sunday to the Lord. Work, school, recreation, or bu xi ban, do not provide the blessings of keeping the Sabbath day holy. We expect Latterday Saints to keep all of the commandments including keeping the Sabbath day holy. Of course we will not exclude someone from baptism if there is a temporary conflict. But we also should work with investigators and less active members to resolve the scheduling conflict so they can come and be nourished in church and begin to contribute as well.

We love you and thank you for being worthy, obedient, diligent missionaries.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Bishop