September 15, 2021- Update from the New Hampshire Manchester Mission
It’s been a short, long, pleasant, challenging, blessed and wonderful month here in New England. We have said goodbye to the hot, humid August days, and welcomed in the more pleasant, albeit shorter days of September. We are tracking the southward creep of ‘color’—the gradual change of tree colors that is migrating closer to our area. Mom says that each week the colors move south an hour’s drive—they’re about 3 hours north now, so we’ll look for them by the end of the month.
We’re looking forward to Glen and Lynn’s visit in two weeks—they are making the long trek to the northeast and will join us the 24-26th. We plan a day in the mountains on Saturday, and after church Sunday a day looking at lighthouses and the beaches. More to follow from Mom on that.
There was a scene that I predicted back in April this past weekend. When we departed in late April, Mom cried most of the way through Wyoming. It was so hard to say goodbye to our home and family. This past Saturday, she cried when we said goodbye to one of the Assistant’s to the President, Elder Takmili, who headed back to Lehi. His parents and younger sisters flew in, and we met them for a short farewell in the mission office. There have been several departures that have been particularly tender, but Mom cried at this one, another one of her sweet kids. I saw it coming. There will be many more, I'm sure.
Some good tips/anecdotes from Elder T’s father, a National Guard colonel commanding the 300th Military Intelligence Brigade at Camp Williams. He said, ‘it is better to be parents to your children, and friends to your grandchildren, than friends to your children, and parents to your grandchildren’. We are grateful for your strong, loving parenting and examples to your children. He also shared how he had taught his own mother the Gospel when he was on his mission. She never did join, while she was alive, but her temple work has been done -but his father did in his 80’s, and went to the temple in his 90’s. The Takmili family originally was from Iran, and there are amazing stories about their journey to America, and into the church. Sister Takmili is originally from Fiji and the story of how they met is A-mazing- the stuff of fairy tales
We are often consumed with the logistics and administrative aspects of our assignments, and don’t often have the opportunity to participate and hear of the many sweet moments and miracles that our missionaries are experiencing. We did hear a couple this past week as we sat under a beautiful starlit sky around a campfire at Camp Joseph near the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial. The setting was the end of a day of service at the JSBM, where 60+ new missionaries and their trainers strung lights around the trees on the grounds of the Memorial. They closed out the day with a hike, an hour of volleyball, soccer, and frisbee, a burger burn, then the campfire. It was a sweet close to a very different day, hopefully that bonded them to their service and their companions. They feasted on Smore’s and hot chocolate, then shared lessons and faith promoting stories. One miracle was shared by Elder Cornell, from Blackfoot, Idaho, who’s been with us two weeks. They had met a friend, had a great spiritual experience, and took his number. When they tried to call back, the number was wrong. They regretted losing contact, but on P-day went to the dollar store. One item led to another, and rather than a quick in and out in 5 that they had planned, they loitered for 15. And in walked their friend, who greeted them warmly and was anxious to continue his study. We love to hear of baptisms, testimony building experiences, and the growth of each new friend that is taught. Mom tracks all the baptisms, which average about 20 a month. Across the mission we are adding a new ward each year at this pace.
In last month’s letter we were about done with Zone Conferences—we start up the cycle again this week with one on Tuesday in Nashua, NH, then Thursday in Farmingdale, Maine. And again the following Tuesday back at the JSB We have a better feel for what to expect and are getting more efficient and effective in supporting them. The surge in the Delta variant has forced a return to masks, which is no fun in group settings, but at least we are meeting in person and eating in the cultural halls. We pray for a return to the normalcy that we briefly experienced this past summer.
We have enjoyed a series of weekend outings and activities. In late August we traveled to York Beach, NH, saw the Nubble Lighthouse, and dined at an oceanside restaurant watching the brave surfers try to catch the meager waves we see up on this part of the coast. Earlier this month we used the gift card I gave to Mom for our anniversary and took a two-hour tour of two homes in Manchester designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Perhaps his most famous design was the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, along with others that are now seen as museum pieces and international treasures. Alas, the two homes here, built in the early 50’s are small, dark, and in one case, make you feel you’re living in a Cold War era concrete bunker (or under an overpass). But the FLW link made it worth $1.2 million. Both have been preserved as they were lived in by the two physicians and their spouses that commissioned them before bequeathing them to the Currier Museum in Manchester. And they epitomize ‘harmony with humanity and the environment, called by FLW ‘organic architecture’.
We’ve also been to another Fisher Cats versus Yard Goats baseball game and enjoyed a fun outing to the ‘world famous’ Airfield Cafe in Hampton, NH. Here we ate breakfast on a beautiful fall morning and watched small aircraft takeoff, circle and land, most of which it seems just to enjoy the great food. Our friends and co-senior missionaries Don and Cami Blackham owned a crop-dusting business in Richfield as well as a private plane, and they were right at home grading the landings of the planes as they came in. We were joined by the Exeter, NH Zone Leaders and two of their friends/investigators, so a fun morning all around. Not to mention the ladies found a Lindt chocolate outlet 10 minutes from the airfield.
Well, that’s enough from Dad. I’m grateful to be serving with Mom, and while at times we are ready to be done, we are staying focused on our North Stars (theme of a talk we heard). We know how important we are as behind the scenes support to our 200+ missionaries and will forever count our days of service here as well spent. We love to hear from you in any way shape or form, so please send something our way when you can! Love, Dad/Mark/Grandpa.
Hey All - this is Mom
Well... other than a couple of corrections (which are in blue)- What need I say more?!! Dad covered it all.
Love you all! 
Love hearing from you - which is not often enough!
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