As the year winds down, we have
the opportunity to reflect on the activities and endeavors of the NMSG
and even critique the ministry and selfless
service of those who chose to answer the call to restore
the knowledge of the Book of Mormon to our Navajo brothers
and sisters. The many activities engaged in throughout the year
such as: Missionary trips by teams of Elders, gathering of donated
items and delivery to Pinon, assistance to those who experienced
hardships, Reunions, plans for the building of Christ’s church in
Pinon, advisory council meetings, and general membership meetings all
combine to support and confirm that certainly those
who have chosen this work have given their best
efforts to provide
the ministry of Jesus Christ in these last days of his work among his
saints.
Our largest and
most time
consuming effort would be the yearly Reunion in July. The plans and
preparation began in January as the Reunion director and staff were
chosen and the process of bringing together all the
resources was undertaken. I believe that all who attended the Reunion
can testify that the efforts of all
that were there were monumental as we offered the best that we had in
an effort to minister to Christ’s saints in Pinon, Arizona. I am not
going to mention names, but we all know the
individuals that went above and beyond the call of duty to insure the
success of the 2001 Reunion. That success was most
notably seen in the faces of the newly baptized members as they
clutched their newly acquired Book of
Mormons and eagerly attended the many classes and services.
There was a
real sense of
unity among those of us who traveled to provide our varied ministries
and fulfill our call to serve the best we could.There was also unity of
the Navajo people as they jointly came together to learn of the Lord
Jesus Christ. A clear testimony of their desire to learn of
the Lord was seen in the attendance of the Navajo brothers and
sisters on the first day of the Reunion. As the NMSG van returned
from making its rounds of the outlying camps on that first day, we
found the children’s classes were filled to over flowing and many of
the teachers wondered if they would have sufficient supplies for the
children throughout the week. This same concern was among the craft
teachers as so many of
the Navajo came to participate in the afternoon craft activities. But,
as usual, the Lord provided all that was needed and all were
blessed. This sense of unity would prevail throughout the week as the
attendance would continue to increase.The best way to assess the
attendance is to count the meals served
on a daily basis and on Thursday of the reunion
there were 207 served at the evening meal. I do not believe that anyone
can deny the desire of the Navajo people to know and understand
the promises and blessings the Lord has for His people as they search
Him out through His scriptures and obtain a personal
relationship with Him.
All was not
peaches and cream
as many in the camp suffered the effects of a stomach sickness
that made its way through the camp. Even though the sickness
affected many, the spirit of the Reunion was never broken and the
ministry continued without interruption as others teamed up to fill in
for those who were affected. Another testimony of the desire to
serve by those in attendance.
The success of
the
Reunion will best be seen in the lives of both those
who traveled to provide ministry through the application of their
God-given talents and those who attended our Navajo brothers and
sisters. I would hope that we would never miss an opportunity to
testify of the blessings we received, the fellowship we experienced,
the personal growth, and both the personal and corporate experiences we
were privileged to have as we spent a week in the service of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
I truly believe
that the Lord
has directed and endowed those who chose this work as their
stewardship. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank
all who served so well and
in their service provided a rich and life-altering
experience for so many. The responsibility and
opportunity to serve have increased as 13 new names have been added to
the membership of Christ’s Restored Church. I believe it is
the desire of each of us to assist them in coming to know
their Lord and Savior more and more each day.
For your
information, the work
of building the Church in Pinon continues as meetings with designer and
architect Jim Garwood are being held. The working drawings are being
prepared so they
can be presented to the appropriate agencies
in Pinon and actual preparation can be made for the
construction of the church at the appropriate time. We are
looking forward to the time when the actual ground breaking will take
place and the church will go beyond the planning stage we are involved
in at this time.
May
God bless you and keep you as we continue in our service to him.
