HE BROUGHT THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN

As we ease into the final year of our mission, we were blessed to have another apostle visit here, review the area and dedicate lands to the north for the blessing of the people and the preaching of the gospel.  This time Elder Holland and the Claytons were our welcome guests.  Elder Clayton was the Area Authority in Southern California when Chuck served as a Stake President so they were well acquainted and had a happy reunion.  As a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, He assists Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in supervising the Africa Southeast and Africa West Areas.  Prior to being called to the Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Clayton was a business litigation attorney with Call, Clayton & Jensen, in Newport Beach, California.  Here is some information about Elder Holland.

“Imagine a popular speaker who never took a speech class; an avid—almost obsessive—reader who never reads a bestseller; a top-notch ski salesman who has never been on skis; an athlete who once lettered in basketball, football, baseball, and track but now has to be prodded even to jog.

Envision a small-town teenager, caught up with the idea of building and racing hot rods for a living, one day graduating from college with highest honors, obtaining a master’s degree with distinction, and then receiving his Ph.D. at Yale University. Or picture the high-school “funny man”—uninterested in going on a mission—finding himself becoming an institute teacher, then Dean of Religious Instruction, then Commissioner of Church Education, and finally president of the world’s largest church-owned university while still in his thirties.”  That would be Elder Holland!

Elder Jeffrey Roy Holland was born on December 3, 1940 in St. George, Utah. His father was an Irish immigrant.  In high school, he was actively involved in student leadership and sports. While in high school, Elder Holland met Patricia Terry who was a cheerleader. They later married on June 7, 1963, in the St. George temple. They have 3 children and 12 grandchildren.

From 1960-62, Elder Holland served a mission to the British Isles, where he served as a missionary companion to Elder Cook, also of the Quorum of the Twelve. Additionally, Elder Holland’s parents served in the same mission at the same time. Elder Holland claimed to be the only missionary who said goodbye to his parents at both the start and end of his mission.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 23, 1994. At the time of this call, Elder Holland was serving as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, to which he had been called on April 1, 1989.  He declared,“I pledge everything I have and everything I know how to give to witnessing and reaffirming the divinity of the Savior’s life and the restoration of his gospel,” he said.  “My greatest joy and my solemn obligation is to testify of Jesus Christ wherever I may go and with whomever I may be for as long as I shall live.”

It was a long and wonderful day of meetings when Elder Holland visited.  He tirelessly spoke at our area devotional, a press conference announcing the launch of the new African LDS website www.mormonnewsroom.co.za and a missionary multi-zone conference.  By the way, Chuck and I were featured on the news section at the launch of the new site.  That was a fun surprise!  See us here:  http://www.mormonnewsroom.co.za/article/career-planning-workship-held-in-swaziland.  During the media event, Elder Holland pronounced a blessing upon this land and those present.  He said [that Jesus said] to “love him and love each other and everything else will work out . . . however long the march and however difficult the course . . . I bless you that the honesty of your heart and the goodness of your intent will be recorded in heaven and answered on earth.  And some of that can come today and some of it can start this very hour.”  His remarks were tender, powerful and seemed to touch every heart.

As the official photographer, I took lots of photos and enjoyed being in close proximity to this beloved apostle.  His comments to those he greeted were positive and uplifting.  He was personable and tender-hearted.  He was firm and pointed in his admonition to missionaries to remain faithful both during and after their missions.  He reiterated the policy that every young man should serve a mission and every young woman may serve –affirming the priesthood responsibility for the preaching of the gospel.  However, he said with great emphases that he wanted every one of his granddaughters to serve a mission.  He mentioned that his oldest granddaughter had just received a mission call.  Her example influenced her little sister to want to follow in her footsteps.  He emphasised that missionary service blesses you all of your life.  He assured both the young and senior missionaries that the greatest gift you can give to your posterity is to serve a mission.

The same blessings can be said about my own mission served in my youth.  When the inspiration came to serve a mission and “do it now,” I followed that prompting and my life was forever changed for the better.  Against many obstacles, I reaped the blessings of full-time missionary service in ways I could not possibly have understood at the time.  As I endured the prejudices of the people toward the color of my skin and my “yellow” hair, I learned to love unconditionally.  As I lived 24/7 with markedly different companions, I learned to appreciate our individual uniqueness as children of God.  As I served with faithful elders, I witnessed the power of the priesthood.  As I taught and testified of the life, mission, atonement and resurrection of the Savior and read the book, “Jesus is the Christ,” I forged a friendship with my divine redeemer.  As I sought to live by the Spirit, I felt enveloped in God’s love.  My life was preserved on numerous occasions when the angel of death could have become my escort into the next life.  As I prayed for hearts to heal and soften, I witnessed lives change and joy embraced.  As I sacrificed and served, a heaven full of tender mercies was not restrained and I felt immersed in the blessings of the Lord. 

Even forty-six years after that life-changing missionary service, I continue to glean blessings from that experience.  I still keep in touch with companions and hope to enjoy eternal friendships.   My Mission President’s wife (“Mom”) and her daughter travelled well over 100 miles to to see us before we left to come to Africa.  She expressed joy in our current calling and said that she was proud of us for serving another mission.  We have corresponded every one of the past 46 years since the mission.  We attended their golden wedding anniversary celebration many years ago on their Nevada ranch.  Our lives are richer far for serving the Lord.  The best blessing that came from being in the right place at the right time was, of course, meeting my beloved eternal companion, Elder Basso.  Children that Heavenly Father sent to us continued the tradition of service and blessings resulted, power increased and talents magnified.

As Elder Holland and the Claytons were leaving I thought of how I had taken photos all day long of so many people with the Lord’s apostle but had not had an opportunity to be on the other side of the camera with him.  I positioned myself by the gate, near the exit to take the final photo of the day as they drove away.  Surprisingly, when the vehicle was full and ready to drive away, the doors flew up and out jumped Elder Clayton.  He was followed by Elder Holland who exited the van after finally getting to collapse in a comfortable seat at the end of a long, arduous day.  Elder Holland warmly shook our hands and gave me a big hug.  Elder Clayton said, “Give me your camera!”  He took a picture of Chuck and I with Elder Holland and then looked at the image.  With furrowed brow he said, “It’s crooked.  Can you fix that?”  I assured him that I could, retrieved my camera and paused in the shock of what just happened.  My spirit soared through tears of joy.  An apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ had embraced me with the warmth of God’s love and I would never be the same.  Truly, sacrifice and service bring forth the blessings of heaven.

Hump Day Report

A year ago we left our home of 37 years forever, closed our businesses, said goodbye to our family and waved to the neighbours.  We were on our way to Africa via Arizona and the MTC.  After a 21 hour flight from Salt Lake City we arrived in a strange land, drove on the wrong side of the street, purchased petrol with rands, were confused by different measurements, sizes, temperatures and seasons and were introduced to new cultures, languages and people.  We set up house in an apartment building like we did when we were first married and our children were still being schooled in the pre-existence.  We adapted to living in tomorrow and being nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.  We were pleasantly surprised with our living conditions and were grateful not to have to live in a hut and shower under a bucket.

We are blessed to serve adjacent to the Johannesburg Temple in the Africa Southeast Area Offices complex.  We serve in the Employment Resource Center located on the floor below the Family History Center, next to the Patron Housing Office and a few steps from the Distribution Center and home of the Area Presidency:  Elders Renlund, Soares and (Carl) Cook.  All three are members of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  Elder Soares is our priesthood advisor.  We serve directly under the Area Presidency rather than under a Mission President.   It has been a great joy and honor to serve with the amazing, talented, friendly senior missionaries here.  Most of us are Americans and most of the Americans are from Utah.  The Larsens are the only other couple from California.  After a Family Home Evening on Family History, we discovered that Elder Larsen’s great, great grandfather baptized my great, great grandfather in Denmark.  The senior missionaries are true brothers and sisters to us and are our family here in South Africa.

Eighteen senior missionary couples and two senior sisters live in our building.  Chuck is on the Board of Trustees and oversees the “comings and goings” of missionaries, the maintenance of the missionary flats and the construction of a high brick wall around the city block that houses our building complex.  We serve in the Area Office with medical doctors, nurses, authors, lecturers, university professors, a psychologist, an orthodontist, lawyers, musicians, CPA’s, business owners, “stay-at-home moms,” teachers and a former senator.  Our collective callings include medical and mental health advisors, temple workers, auditors, real estate attorneys, historians, Perpetual Education Fund administrators, Family History Center directors and assistants, librarian, administrators, computer experts (IT), journalists/writers/researchers, Executive Secretary to Area Presidency and assistant, Distribution Center cashier/ assistant, Public Affairs, Humanitarian Aid (including short-term water specialists), and Welfare/Employment Specialists.  Our Area President is a Cardiologist and his wife is an attorney.  Not far from the Area Offices is a Missionary Training Center, the Johannesburg Mission Office and Seminary and Institute facilities (formerly CES).  Those facilities utilize the services of several other senior missionaries with a wide variety of talents and skills.  Two S & I couples in SA were our “small world” re-acquaintances.  One served in our same “young” mission (Northern Indian Mission) and another grew up in Maywood with Joy and mentioned how she appreciated Joy playing the organ for their wedding day in Maywood Ward forty-some years ago.  Senior Missionaries strive to share the gospel through love, service and testimony with anyone interested but they don’t proselyte here.  “If ye have desires to serve God, ye all called to the work.”  “There is work enough to do ‘til the sun goes down!”  Because of the high rate of crime here, we are advised not to venture out at night unless absolutely necessary.

The people here are amazed to witness the active lifestyle of the busy group of seniors dedicated to serving others so far away from their homes and families.  They see us out walking and climbing stairs beginning at 5:30am. We are always on the move in a country where most people our age are long gone. The Lord blesses and sustains us.  We are willing to do whatever is needed to help build the kingdom of God here in Africa to bless these humble people.  The church is growing rapidly here.  One small branch has eight full-time missionaries out serving. That branch has about 80 active members so that’s an impressive 10% of that African branch.  We see many bishops in their 20’s and Stake President’s in their 30’s.  This is a nation of relatively young people!  The first stake in the country of Botswana, our neighbour to the north, is being created November 4, 2012. 

Our day job consists of working in the Employment Resource Center, teaching Career and Self-Employment Workshops, coaching/mentoring, assisting with CV’s (resumes) and whatever else needs to be done.  On weekends we attend one of our 40 wards or branches, fulfill speaking assignments, present fireside activities, Career Fairs, Open House events, strengthen members and train Ward Councils.  We have been blessed to meet and train hundreds of people, mostly young adults.  It is particularly gratifying to see them gain confidence and obtain work.  Self-reliance is the goal.  Other projects include helping with an orphanage, teaching dance/exercise and music, giving haircuts, designing, repairing, building and “facilitating.”  Many hours are spent photographing events for the Public Affairs Department and doing photo sessions for CV’s, book covers, magazines and other projects.  We’ve photographed a wide range of people from the president of the country to an apostle of the Lord.  We’ve developed motivational and inspirational slide shows/videos and try to figure out how to do whatever needs to be done. Our favorite activity is sharing the good news of the gospel with anyone interested.  Positive changes and increased happiness always result when gospel principles are embraced and people commit to high moral standards and self-reliant lives of service.    We are just two lumps of clay in the merciful hands of a loving God.  Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies for His purposes.  We love this work and the people we serve and serve with.  Our assignments have been in three different countries so far.  Thankfully, the Lord has preserved and protected us.  The Spirit directs the work and helps us accomplish it.  We have learned so much and have made many new friends.  We are especially grateful for what we have felt that has deepened our understanding of the gospel, strengthened our faith and increased our love for Heavenly Father and His children.  We receive so much more than we give.  Anyone who has an opportunity to serve a mission could be blessed beyond measure by doing so.  We walk by faith, not fear.  Life happens.  It might as well happen while we are serving the Lord with all of our hearts, might, mind and strength.

So if your nest is empty and your hearts are full...retire, sell the motor home and serve God.  See you in Africa!

Elder and Sister Basso