It's Official! I'm a set-apart Missionary!

I am "Sister Miller" for the next 18 months..at least for the days I'm at the D.I. complex or on Sundays at Church....After being asked to speak in the Sunday meeting on 9/27 (yesterday) I was set apart as a missionary (welfare services) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It's a poignant moment to stand at the microphone and realize the years of service and faith and desire that represents "this is it" a goal met....now the effort to do a good job with all my heart and soul begins!
This past week I spent the morning with Trujillo Amy and his exec. sec. to be oriented to the mission statement and departments of D.I. No longer a sheltered workshop, it is now accepting recommended individuals who embark on a 6 month training program to equip them with skills to enter the job market, or, continue training at an off-site facility such as the hospital working on a CNA certification. I was really impressed!
My assignment is to reestablish a system to help/enable those "associates" who need a GED to add to their resume. How and where are issues I'll be dealing with in the near future. I will be shadowing the 7 Job Training Counselors who work with the 100+ associates each day and see how their departments function and begin a face/name acquaintance with everyone. Then on Tues. Oct 6 I'll attend the next two-day orientation program for new associates...I'll hear what they are taught and better familiarize myself with the scope of their tasks. THen I'm really on my own...so to speak.

I focused my remarks yesterday on the question "Why am I going on a Mission?" I gave my own "proclamation of faith" on how the Lord has never forsaken me, but provided encouragement, support and spiritual stability throughout my life, resulting in this simple fact. I trust Heavenly Father to provide for me the learning experiences I need and love my life because I know that I always have a "backup" in the support I receive from Him. I posed this thought: When this has been such an ongoing blessing in my life, there's a gratitude in my heart that leads me to do what I can to show appreciation: hence the missionary service." I finished my talk by identifying 5 experiences in my life that have been especially momentous in strengthening and teaching me.

1. The legacy of faith and family prayer from the example of my parents in my youth. Dad would expect us to kneel at the couch before he left for work each day and I recall the two recurring themes--"Bless these children to have a desire to be married in the temple and to prepare to attend college." From these simple but repetitive moments I was taught how to access my Heavenly Father when needed and to set goals that would positively impact the spiritual life and financial well being of my future family as well as me!
2. The great advice that Art and I received (from Richard Stratford) concerning his plan to return to college and pursue a degree in accounting. We were told...5 years are going to pass---you can either be glad that you did it, or look back and realize it could have happened if you'd made the effort. That advice made the difference in the things we were able to do for our family.
3. At the time of Stan's diagnosis of Leukemia, he asked us 3 questions. Why me? Am I going to die? Does this mean Heavenly Father doesn't love me? Art did such a great job in giving Stan the assurances he needed to fight the cancer and not let him take charge! (It has also occurred to me that this was a dress rehearsal for Art's diagnosis of Colon Cancer 13 years later)
4. My calling as Stake YW President and the participation in introduction of YW Values in 1985 under the direction of Ardith Kapp, Patricia Holland and Maureen Turley. I learned of the concept of Personal Religious Practices and how it must apply in all our lives, so that we don't merely take from the social aspects of the church, but become committeed disciples, operating on our own testimonies.
5. The now: My finale....I recognize that there were abundant reasons that I needed to have an alone time to grow and develop talents and spiritual qualities that wouldn't have occurred in any other setting. So, I press forward...daily rejoicing.

I used D&C 93:1 and 3 Nephi 27 verses to anchor my reflections. I felt good about my remarks!

I really appreciated Pres. Lon Hendersen being present and his comment to me that "your husband must be so proud of you!" I loved that affirmation of my own feelings about that principle of how thin the veil is between mortality and beyond.

I sure appreciated Betsy, Scott and Bev Lewis attending church with me and the fact that his folks and my home teacher, Tom Staten and his wife Mary Lou could be present when I was set apart.