President Brubaker's Weekly Letter to Our Missionaries

Safely Gathered In

As we drive from one assignment to the next we cross a lot of territory and see many farms. We see fields of grain and pastures where big content cows roam. It is interesting to see from time to time little stands where produce, jam, eggs, decorative gourds and other farm products are sold on an ‘honor’ basis. This week it seems that the stands are mostly selling pumpkins and gourds for fall cooking and decorating. Fall is definitely in the air. Crops are being carefully gathered in. It is also a time when families gather. In earlier times the family would all come together to harvest the crops. Each relied on the other to help lift and cut and store away the food for both themselves and their animals. There was also the question of staying warm during the winter. Firewood was gathered and in some areas of Holland they would cut blocks of thick organic mud to dry and later be burned like coal. All would work together and each family member was important to the complete process of preparing for winter. When the harvest was especially good there would be excitement at the assurance that all would have enough to eat and that all would be warm.

This week we start a new era of harvest in the Belgium Netherlands Mission. And just like in days gone by, family will be key to the success of the harvest. We are going to become experts at family gathering. Already since Zone Training this week we have seen multiple referrals come into the office for Missionaries in other cities and even in other countries where family members of our investigators live.

This weekend we had a Senior Missionary gathering. As part of the activity we went for a short walk in a forested area by a lake. There, on the edge of the trail was one single, solitary mushroom or toadstool. Elder Bush quickly remarked “I thought that you said in Zone Training that when you find one there will be others nearby.” My response was “I thought so too. Let’s look around”. As we kicked up leaves and waved our feet across the top of the grass we found another one! Then we sighted a third and a forth and so on. It was not apparent at first that there were more mushrooms around but with a little probing we found several more.

Every time we look at a single investigator we should imagine that we are looking at a pedigree chart stuck to their forehead. We need to “kick up the leaves” so to speak. We should always keep in mind that talking about friends and family is a sacred opportunity to find people to bring unto Christ. We should get to know all about their relatives, as you would get to know about their hobbies and what they do for a living. Together with your companion make goals as to how many new family finding investigators you want to have this week. Make it a habit to ask about the health of their family members and ask which ones might be ready to hear the gospel message. Help members to have the faith to rethink who in their families might now be interested in the gospel. It may have been years ago when they last asked them, or in many cases they never have approached their family members, but have lived under the killer assumption that “they would never be interested”.

The gospel is all about families. Our Mission is all about helping families live together forever. Let’s be creative at getting family referrals. When you hear the word BAPTISM think CONTACT FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS. Set goals for how many people you will talk to about their families or non-members you will contact for every baptism you attend. Senior Companions, help your companions to be able to ‘work the crowd’ so to speak at baptisms. Teach skills of conducting small talk with people that visit baptisms. Please don’t huddle together talking to the other missionaries … this time is as prime as it gets for finding new investigators. Determine what brochures and supplies that you need to be productive. Go in prepared and excited.

Doctrine and Covenants 14:3
3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

Have a great week,

President Brubaker

(President Brubaker sends a letter out weekly to all of the missionaries. On Monday, when they write their letter to him, a letter is waiting there for them to read. )