Dear Parents and Loved Ones,
I was pleased with our progress in 2012. Our baptisms increased by about 11.5% over 2011 and our rate of retention with new members of the Church remains high. As pleased as I am that T.H.E.Mission continues to bring more people “Unto Christ” and I am pleased, I am more pleased and humbled with the growth of the missionaries in this mission. Sister Crawford and I both feel that the missionaries are generally humble and trying to be the best missionaries they can become. There is a good feeling in our interviews. With that said, there are Elders and Sister who struggle for many reasons. Even when that is the case, we are touched by the humility, strength and determination of these good missionaries. I want to give you the assurance that Sister Crawford and I know your missionary son or daughter. One new missionary asked me in disbelief how we could love her and all the missionaries in this mission. It seems hard to imagine but we do. Sister Crawford loves them from her service to their medical, health, nutritional and other needs. She constantly thinks about these wonderful missionaries of the Lord. I read each of their e-mails every week. I talk to them from time to time on the phone. I see missionaries at district meetings, zone meetings and baptisms. I interview each to find out how they are progressing. I look at their pictures on the transfer board in the mission office. I study their pictures as I try to look at the transfer board on my computer before I retire to bed. We think of these great young missionaries in their successes and in their trials as well. The point is that we know these good missionaries and we love them. Sister Crawford and I hope you are at peace with our love and concern for your loved one.
Again, we thank you for your sacrifices for your missionary. We appreciate your prayers on our behalf and for the mission.
Sincerely,
President Crawford
Here is the January newsletter for the mission (There are four a pictures of Elder Viitanen in this newsletter! Can you find them? Two baptismal pictures, one of him playing the violing, and one at the table.):
[embed id="focalpointjanuary2013" title="January 2013 Focal Point" width="600" height="600"
And the latest health newsletter:
[embed id="missionaryhealth12" title="Missionary Health" width="600" height="600"