Doug and Marcia Glauser, Senior Mission 2021-2023

  SUNDAY It was good to be back in the Utrecht Ward today. We feel like we have many friends here. Today Heather and Travis Lybbert's daughter, Hannah spoke. She has recently returned from the Paris France Mission. She gave us this invitation: Find time today to pray and ask Heavenly Father how you can be a part of the greatest work on earth, the gathering of Israel. Then act on the answer you receive! I am grateful to be serving a mission at this time, but I know I will not always be wearing the name tag. There are dozens of ways to help gather Israel. From encouraging a friend, showing kindness to someone, taking a meal to someone who is in need, searching out my ancestors, going to the temple, having the missionaries over for dinner, teaching a Primary lesson, etc. etc. Thanks to technology, we were once again able to listen to and watch someone speak in Sacrament Meeting who is preparing to serve a full time mission. Paul and Karen's son, Colton, will be leaving...

  SUNDAY (Portland, OR) The family is all staying at the Residence Inn so we gathered for the hotel breakfast before everyone started departing for home. Doug and I went to church at the Wilhoit's stake conference and it was good to see them and thank them once again for their beautiful daughter and the fun celebration. Emily and AJ have a later flight so we had arranged to take them to the airport. They came to our room to just visit until the time came. Then a knock on the door. Mike and Joanna and kids explained that their flight was not actually at 9:00am but 9:00pm! so they had the day. We enjoyed some time with them and got to know Lilah, David and Annie again. Since Annie was born after we left on our mission, this weekend was our first meeting with her. It took her a minute to warm up...and only if she couldn't see her mom or dad 😁 Mike, Annie, David, Marcia, Doug, Lilah Doug and Mike took Emily and AJ to the airport, Joanna and I stayed with the kids. We had som...

  SUNDAY "Overcome the World and Find Peace", President Russell M Nelson, GC Oct 2022 was the talk we studied today in RS and EQ. We listened to it this morning and realize our covenants give us strength to help us find peace and rest . "I plead with you now to take charge of your own testimony . .. watch for miracles to happen in your life! These thoughts were most meaningful to me today.  About 17:30 Doug heard from our EQP, Phillip Riem, that our friend Judith DeWilde is having surgery tomorrow.Phillip's wife, Danielle, is good friends with Judith. Doug called Judith to ask about the surgery and if she would like a priesthood blessing. To our delight, she said yes, she would love one! So we quickly walked to the office to get the van and drove the 1 hour 45 minutes to Amalo. We visited with Judith for about an hour and then she received a beautiful blessing. We felt it was such a tender mercy that we found out about the surgery and that she wanted to have us come...

  SUNDAY Because the New Year celebrations here go on all night, church was moved to 11:00 and was just Sacrament Meeting. Only 29 people at church today. Usually we have 50-60. Elder Palmer and Elder McClure were the speakers and both did a good job with the subject and with the Dutch. Elder McClure was talking about repentance . I was listening through a translator and the word he used was conversion . I came to the conclusion that the process of repentance and the process of conversion is the same. As we make changes to come closer to the will of God, we are more deeply converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I talked with Elder McClure after church and he had the same thoughts as he was preparing the talk. I think it is a beautiful concept! Arnhem is another 45 minutes beyond Utrecht, but I needed to take some money to Elder Leman. He is a new missionary and his MSF card did not get funded. When I realized the mistake was mine, I really wanted to get him some cash so...