In less than two weeks, the Taiwan Taichung Mission will
transition to President and Sister Teh’s leadership. We have been able to
correspond with President and Sister Teh several times over the past few months
and Skype with them on one occasion. They are very excited to come and serve
with you. President Teh has been a general authority of the Church for 9 years.
It will be a wonderful opportunity for you to serve under the guidance of such
an experienced priesthood leader. I believe this will be a great privilege for
the mission and for the Church in Taiwan. You are blessed to be able to serve during
such an auspicious time.
I would like to tell you a little bit about the transition
process for a new mission president. The Teh’s will arrive in the mission on
Saturday, July 1. According to Church policy, he and I will have a transition
meeting that will last only about 2 hours, during which we will discuss such
things as the mission budget, training plan, temple attendance policies, and
emergency procedures. We will show
President and Sister Teh the mission home and office, introduce them to our
office missionaries and some of our local Church leaders, and review the
important items on the schedule for the upcoming month. Sister Blickenstaff and
I will then depart.
Note that we will not specifically discuss each individual
missionary. In fact, other than informing President Teh of any significant
medical issues, we will not discuss anything about you! He will not have access
to any of the past correspondence between you and I. You may be thinking, “That
sounds crazy!” This however is a wonderful blessing and opportunity for each of
you. The mission president’s handbook states, “The missionaries should feel
that they have the opportunity for a fresh start with a new president” (MP
Handbook, p. 77). Regardless of any past problems or mistakes, you have a new
start with a mission president who will arrive with no pre-conceived ideas
about your worthiness, obedience or diligence. You may use this as a perfect
opportunity to start a new page in your personal mission history.
My dear elders and sisters, I want you go know that I love
the gospel, I love the Lord, I love missionary work, I love Taiwan, and I love
the Chinese language and culture. It has been a great honor and a privilege to
serve with you. I am so grateful for your faithfulness and dedication, for your
desire to serve and give and repent and improve. You are, and will forever be,
a great inspiration to me. I hope you will carefully use whatever time you have
left in the mission to “lose yourself” in the service of others. You will be
home all too soon and left only with the memories and relationships that you
have established. “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in
crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how
great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your
joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom
of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto
me!” (D&C 18:15-16). May you be blessed to be an instrument in the Lord’s
hands to bring many souls unto Him is my prayer for each of you.
President Blickenstaff
Mentor of Champions
天下沒有不散的筵席- All good things must come to an end. President and Sister Blickenstaff, you have done great work in the past three years and blessed the Taichung Mission area and the missionaries under your care beyond measure. I am so grateful our son had the privilege to serve during your tenure. We wish you Godspeed in your journey ahead!
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