Conference tecrus::mormonism

The Lord has prepared many, many people in the area to hear the Gospel. So
much so that some are even walking up to the missionaries and introducing
themselves. 

A young man named Juan, from the Dominican Republic, recently moved into
Lowell. He is working as an engineer, and hopes to go to medical school
soon. One day on the street Juan asked these two passers-by for directions.
The two personable young men happened to be missionaries for the Church.
They struggled to supply the needed information, since they did not speak
Spanish, and Juan spoke only broken English. Eventually they began to talk
about the Church, and asked Juan if he would like to know more. Juan was
very interested. I was privileged to attend one of the discussions the
missionaries had with Juan. 

Last Saturday, Juan was baptised. The Spirit of God was awesomely strong.
Terry, recently returned from a mission to the Dominican Republic, and
Rolando, a recently baptised member from Puerto Rico, each gave talks in
Spanish at the baptismal service. Though few of those present could
understand the words, everyone understood the Spirit that was present.
There was hardly a dry eye in the place. 

At Testimony meeting the next day, several of those present stood to tell
of the wonderful Spirit they felt at the baptism, and how overwhelmed and
happy they were at the experience. One of those who stood was the
missionary who baptised Juan, Elder Easton, who had so far only been out on
his mission for two weeks. While unsuccessfully holding back the tears and
yet with great force and strength, he told of his joy at bringing the first
of what will surely be many souls unto Christ, the living Savior. 

Juan told of going to visit some of his Dominican friends with whom he used
to hang out. Smoking pot was a major activity. He told them he didn't do
that anymore. They were intrigued at the change. These three friends are
now 'taking the discussions' from the misionaries. 

It is a priceless blessing to see the changes that the Lord is making in so 
many lives, and, as a Stake Missionary, to be a part of the process of
bringing the Gospel to the Children of God. I am grateful to my Father in 
Heaven for His guiding hand in this work, and for the privilege of being a 
witness of Christ's saving love.

A Brother in Christ,

/kevin

The Lord has been quite busy bringing together the ingredients for growth. 

The numbers of Cambodian immigrants/refugees in the Lowell area is quite 
large, and they are joining the Church in record numbers. We had been 
struggling to absorb all these new converts into the Church and find ways
to adequately meet their abundant needs. We have not had enough Elders &
High Priests to go around for home teaching assignments, for example.
Several Cambodian families were in need of warm, New-England-winter type
clothing, or needed help in feeding their families or coping with a
confusing American society or many other basic things. 

The first necessary step was to communicate with these people and find out
what the specific needs were. The local Brethren who had been assigned to
learn the language (Khmer) made rapid strides through prayerful
supplication for the Gift of Tongues, but it just was not enough. 

One Sunday while preparing for meetings, the Stake Mission President 
received an inspiration. He felt assured that the Lord had someone who 
could be sent to our area to help with our specific translating needs. He
asked our Ward Mission Leader to gather the Stake Missionaries and
full-time Missionaries to ask them to fast and pray that the Lord would
send someone to help. We gathered after our regular meetings, and were told
of the President's request. We just said "Sure. No problem. Pick a day when 
we should start fasting."

The Lord rewarded our faith even before the scheduled start of our 
group-fast. That very afternoon, the Bishop, unaware of our plans, informed
the Ward Mission Leader that a member was moving into the Ward who was a
Cambodian. He had been a member for some time, had served a mission in the
Salt Lake area, had done translating work in the Salt Lake Temple, and had
been one of the voices on the Khmer-language versions of some of the
Church's filmstrips! 

We held our fast anyway, of course, since the Lord rewarded us in advance
only because He knew we would do so. The fast was a double blessing for us, 
since not only was our prayer answered, but also it was a fast of rejoicing
and gratitude instead of a fast of supplication.

Since then others have moved in who are both Cambodian and are strong 
Church members. It is significant that they are moving here now - not last 
year or the year before - but now when we need them the most. The Lord is
quite obviously assembling a Cambodian branch/ward before our very eyes. 

You can't help but be excited by the way the missionary work is going.

In Christ's love,
/kevin

    In our ward as of this date, we have 29 persons in the missionaries'
    combined teaching pool. Of that number, 16 are making rapid progress
    toward Baptism. Of that number 8 already have their Baptismal dates
    scheduled. Of that number, 5 are being baptised tonight. 
    
    This Thursday, two more Missionaries will be assigned to the ward,
    bringing the total to 8 full-time and 8 Stake Missionaries. At some
    point in the next few months, Salt Lake will be sending a retired
    couple to serve as full-time missionaries.
    
    By the way, for those who do not know, all Missionaries of the Church
    of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve at their own expense
    (although local wards may assist with expenses to some extent). They
    are not paid for their labors, even though a typical mission lasts 2
    full years. It is because of their devotion to the Lord that they are
    willing to serve, and it is because of their willingness to sacrifice
    their means and two years of their lives that the Lord blesses them
    with great power to convert and to baptize. 
    
    I am overjoyed at the progress we are making, and at the progress being
    made world-wide. Despite whatever difficulties and obstructions placed
    in the path of the Work by the adversary, the Spirit of God is STRONGER
    THAN ANYTHING! Truly, this 'Stone which is cut out of the mountain
    without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth.'
    (D&C 65:2) 
    
    There is no greater joy I have ever experienced than in helping
    someone to come unto Christ, and see the changes the Lord makes
    in their lives. 
    
    God, the Eternal Father, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, both
    love us so much it is impossible to comprehend. But you can come
    close when They share with you, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
    the joy felt in heaven when a soul is brought into the kingdom.
    
    Witnessing of Christ's enduring love,
    /kevin
    

    Last night, a man named Tim came out to the meetinghouse to attend the
    baptism I spoke of yesterday. He is looking into the Church, and is
    investigating to see if what we say is true. He is in the Air Force, is
    young, and is very sincere. He also smokes. 
    
    I sat with him and the Missionaries as they went over a program the
    Church has developed to help people overcome smoking. Tim agreed to try
    it for the next seven days. Part of this program, obviously, includes
    prayer. 
    
    I know many of you reading this conference - of whatever denomination -
    will be happy to add your prayers to ours that Tim will be able to
    overcome his smoking. I know many of you will also want to ask the Lord
    to reach out to Tim and help him find the truth. By all means, please
    do. It would be greatly appreciated.
    
    After the Baptism, John, a recently baptized member, joined our
    conversation. John was a pack-and-a-half-a-day smoker when he started
    the seven day program last summer. He hasn't picked up a cigarette
    since. Tim was greatly encouraged by John's testimony.
    
    Thanks for your prayers,
    /kevin

    When I joined the Church back in 1981, there were 8 wards (and a
    handful in branches) divided between two stakes - Missouri St. Louis
    Stake and St. Louis South Stake.
    
    Less than a year ago, my stake was split - so now the St. Louis
    Metro area now has three stakes.  Also, as of two weeks ago, St.
    Louis 14th Ward was created.
    
    Considering that I've only been around for 7 years, I think it is
    pretty remarkable that it has only taken 7 years to go from 8 wards
    to 14 wards (and still a handful of branches) - when it basically took 
    about 50, 60, 70+ years to create the first 8 wards in the area.
    (I'm not certain when the first ward/branch was established in St.
    Louis.  I know that it was within the first two-three decades of
    this century - is that narrowing it down for you, or what?!)
    
    Tamara
     

As a Stake Missionary, it is my privilege to help teach those who are 
investigating the Church and seeking the Lord. My most successful 
experience has been with a young man named Bruce. He is in the Air 
Force, was stationed at Hanscom AFB in Bedford, MA, and was just 
recently transferred to the Azores, a chain of islands in the Atlantic.

Bruce had been 'religious' in his earlier years, but had fallen away 
from his parental religion in his teens. He had spent a lot of time 
with sin, and never found happiness. His loneliness at his assignment 
at Hanscom caused him to seek out people off base. He became friends 
with a checkout person in a convenience store, and she happened to be 
a member of the Church (and a returned missionary).

Bruce was fascinated at the dedication she had to her Church, and the 
standard of moral behavior that she observed as a result. Bruce wanted 
to know more about the restored Gospel, and so I got involved. My 
companion and I went to Hanscom to teach Bruce the first discussion. 
The Spirit witnessed to him right then and there the truth of what we 
came to say, and he committed to a baptismal date that night. Through
all the eternities I will never forget the total joy I felt as I took
Bruce into the waters of Mormon and baptized him. Nor will I ever
forget how Bruce could hardly contain himself that night with
gratitude to Heavenly Father. 

Bruce was ordained an elder two days before he left for the Azores. He 
has been there now for about three weeks. I received a letter from him 
yesterday, and I would like to share with you some of that letter:

"Dear Kevin,

"Hello! Your little brother misses you! Well, I'm finally here on the 
island of Azores Terciera. To be honest it really isn't that bad. I'm 
a supervisor in my department. I work in finance....I met with the 
High Priests the second night I arrived. Already I have a home 
teaching assignment. I asked for a calling and they said they didn't 
have 'a calling' for me but *many*! ALRIGHT!

"I start school again next week. I am planning on taking technical 
writing and Portuguese. I decided that no matter what, when I come 
back...I am going to finish school. By the way I want to go to BYU...

"Being here makes me realize how true the Gospel really is. I love the 
Lord with all my heart. I know that I am well protected against all 
harm....Man, isn't his name so *wonderful*! We have only begun to do 
His marvelous work. Great things will happen in the next few months. 
There is only one way to go and that is up and forward.  And I 
*definitely* say this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen..."


He signed his letter "Love in Christ, Bruce".

I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for this experience, and for 
the power of the priesthood which makes it possible for me to be 
involved. I am so grateful for the boundless love of my Savior, Jesus 
Christ, and the powerful witness of the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful 
that these gifts are available to all.

Love in Christ,
/kevin

    Nine new missions - all in developing countries overseas - were
    announced by the First Presidency this week, bringing the total
    number of missions to 221, an all-time high.
    
    The new missions are:
    
    	Brazil Belo Horizonte
    	Chile Antofagasta
    	Colombia Barranquilla
    	Liberia Monrovia
    	Mascarene Islands
    	Mexico Puebla
    	Mexico Tampico
    	Philippines Quezon City West
    	Spain Las Palmas
    
    The new missions reflect the increase in the number of missionaries,
    especially local missionaries who are successfully introducing the
    gospel to their countrymen.
    
    As of the end of 1987, some 10,608 missionaries from the lands outside
    the United States were serving, a 7 percent increase over the 9,940
    serving at the end of 1986. A total of 35,200 missionaries are now
    serving worldwide, according to Missionary Department statistics.
    
    Among the milestones included in the announcement of the new missions
    are:
    
    - Mexico now has 14 missions, the largest number of any state or
      country except the United States.
    
    - Africa has seven missions. In addition, two island missions off
      the coast of Africa were also created.
    
    - Brazil has 10 missions.
    
    - The Philippines has eight missions.
    
    From the Church News, March 19, 1988
    

By direction of the Stake Presidency, the Billerica (MA) Ward 
started having a Cambodian-language (Khmer) Sacrament meeting,
concurrent with our regular English-language Sacrament meeting. The
first was last Sunday, and it was a special experience. 

A member of the Bishopric conducted, and his words were translated
into Khmer by a recently baptized member. All the prayers and talks
were given in Khmer by various members. Even the hymns were in Khmer,
from a Khmer-language 'Gospel Essentials' manual published by the 
Church. I assisted at the Sacrament table, saying the prayers in
English which were then translated. Although I could not understand 
most of what was being said, the Spirit was abundantly recognizable. 
I was able to feel the Spirit-without-the-words in the same way that 
these Cambodian brothers and sisters must have felt it in the English- 
language services.

As I have mentioned in previous replies, our ward has a substantial 
number of southeast Asian members, and this number is growing. (In 
fact, we baptized two more Sunday afternoon, and there are six 
scheduled for this Saturday.) There had been a problem in helping many
of our new members grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although they
recognize and testify to the abundance of the Spirit at Sacrament
meeting (you should hear some of their beautiful testimonies!), the
guidance and instruction of the various talks can't be communicated if
you don't understand English. 

We already have concurrent Khmer meetings of the Relief Society,
Priesthood, and Sunday School each week. Attendance at any of these or
the English versions are at the option of the individual members. We 
now have a complete set of concurrent meetings in both languages. It
is obvious that the creation of a new ward or branch is on its way. 

It is incredibly exciting to see the new members take on new 
responsibilities and opportunities for growth. You can always tell when 
testimonies are growing because the Spirit is so intense. And anyone 
with two eyes can see how the gospel is changing the lives of these 
people for the better. 

It is a huge blessing to be a part of this great work!


Testifying to Christ's infinite love,
/kevin

I'm now a grandfather! (in a very loose sense, that is...)

The 'young man named Bruce' I refered to in .6 whom I baptized last 
November and is now serving in the Air Force in the Azores, was made a 
District Missionary shortly after his arrival. As a result, he has 
himself had a few baptisms in the short time he's been there (so now 
I'm a grandfather.)  8*)

In recent weeks, he received a calling as the District Mission 
President! He and his two councilors correlate all the missionary 
activity on the island. There are several full-time elders serving as 
well as the district missionaries.

The work is proceeding there at a rapid pace. Bruce is very busy and 
he loves every minute of it. The Lord has been blessing Bruce and the 
others with the strength and everything else they need for the work. 
It is of course completely obvious now that it was no accident that 
Bruce came to us last year, and that we were able to teach him. He was 
obviously sent to us to be prepared for his work in the Azores.

I suppose the Lord could have stopped Bruce on his personal
road-to-Damascus, and infused Bruce with whatever knowledge/gifts/etc.
He wished. But instead the Lord chooses to work through us, his
servants. Isn't it interesting how the Lord uses us for his work? 

I think the reason it 'behooveth every man who hath been warned to 
warn his neighbor' is because it is also a privilege and a blessing. 

Love in Christ,
/kevin

    Recently I visited a stake conference where Glen L. Pace of the
    Presiding Bishopric spoke. He quoted from a newspaper article regarding
    the growth of the church. I called his office, and they were kind
    enough to send me a copy of the article, which is posted here. 
    
                        Mormon Church Growing Rapidly
                                      
                             By George W. Cornell
                              AP Religion Writer
    
    NEW YORK (AP) - Championing old-fashioned virtues, Mormons are
    expanding worldwide, their image of decorum sometimes drawing newcomers
    - blacks now as well as whites - faster than they can be accommodated. 
                                                                  
    This is particularly the case in its new mission fields in Africa, say
    officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 
    
    There and elsewhere, the exceptional growth rate of the
    American-founded movement is seen as pointing toward its becoming a
    major, genuinely international religious body, rivaling older churches. 
    
    Sociologist Rodney Stark says it shows all the signs of "the rise of a
    new world religion," an event of a kind that has happened only rarely
    in history. 
    
    On the basis of statistical projections, he says, "the Mormons will
    soon achieve a worldwide following comparable to that of Islam,
    Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and the other dominant world faiths." 
    
    Now 6.2 million strong - 4 million in the United States and 2.2 million
    abroad - the total has risen about 69 percent overall in 10 years, 43
    percent in this country, but 145 percent overseas. 
    
    Estimates are that by around the turn of the century, membership abroad
    will exceed that in the United States. 
    
    "We're not just a Utah church, that's for sure," says Beverly Campbell,
    the Church's Washington, D.C. communications director, referring to
    headquarters in Salt Lake City. 
    
    In some third-world areas, particularly in African countries where new
    missions began after the Church in 1978 opened its priesthood to all
    worthy members, leaders can't be trained fast enough to accept all
    those seeking membership. 
    
    "It's an enormous challenge," Mrs. Campbell said in an interview.
    "Literally whole villages are waiting to be baptized." 
    
    Citing mission work in Nigeria and Ghana, she said the strategy is to
    build up capabilities of church units without overtaxing them,
    accepting additional members only as they can be responsibly served. 
    
    The idea is "to grow from centers of strength," she says. "We are
    wisely limiting growth in order not to outgrow the leadership base and
    thus flounder." 
    
    Missionaries serve temporarily as "shadow leadership," providing
    initial guidance for local leaders, she said. "We have to go slowly and
    see that leadership is strong and they can stand on their own." 
    
    In many other developing areas, such as Mexico and Central America, she
    said local branches already have developed competent local personnel,
    able to train others and expand. 
    
    "But there is so much growth," she said, elaborating on its problems. 
    
    Providing for the growth involves developing elaborate organizational
    lifts and programs for young and old - a distinguishing mark of the
    church - with youth groups, sports, drama, socials, women's auxiliaries
    and relief services. 
    
    (From the Idaho State Journal, Friday, May 8, 1987)
                        

I just invited a good friend to hear the missionary discussions, and 
that person has accepted the invitation with gratitude. I wanted to 
share this moment with all my brothers and sisters, as well as with 
the Lord.

My heart is so full right now, it could burst. I am so grateful to
Heavenly Father for this opportunity to teach the gospel message. I
have such love for Father and for Jesus Christ, and I am grateful for
this opportunity to be of service to a fellow child of God. As it is
written, "If you love me, feed my sheep." 

In a thousand tiny ways, it is clear that this person was directed and 
prepared by the Lord to hear the discussions. Oh, I *know* that the 
gospel is true, and I am so grateful for it. This Church is directed 
by the hand of the Lord, and to be a small part of it - a willing, 
humble servant - is a blessing of indescribable joy.

Thank you, Lord.


A brother in Christ,
/kevin

The following appeared in our local ward monthly newsletter this
month. Something similar to this will appear in an upcoming edition of
"The New Era" magazine, at the request of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of
the Quorum of the Twelve, who heard about this story on his recent
visit to this area. 
                                    -kevin
--------------------------------------------------------------------

As the visitor approaches the modest, but neat, row house in Lowell 
Massachusetts, the exotic aroma of Asian food greets him long before 
he enters the front door. Two little Cambodian girls, sitting on the 
front steps, might be expected to flee in shyness, but their smiles 
are even more welcoming than the wonderful fragrance that fills the 
warm, humid, mid-afternoon air.

Stepping into the living room, the visitor is impressed with the
strong sense of family community. The walls are lined with poster-size 
photographs of relatives: exquisite Cambodian brides in ceremonial 
costume juxtaposed among Americanized Asian youth proudly standing by 
their Trans Am's. A dozen friends, neighbors and cousins are seated on 
well-worn sofas and the floor, happily talking as they watch a 
Cambodian video. Children seem to outnumber adults three to one, but 
play contentedly among themselves.

The kitchen is a bustle of activity as five or six people each have 
charge of their own station. Fifteen year old Savy is at the table 
grinding a small mountain of garlic and curry with an oversize mortar 
and pestle; nineteen year old Soph is mixing a crowd-size pot of 
prohok (seasoned fish) and squash soup. Others work, while chatting and 
laughing among boxes of Thai noodles, limes, and all sorts of exotic 
spices.

This is the home of the Touch family. Chea Touch (pronounced Chee-a
Tooch) is 13, although he looks about 9 by American standards. He is a
relatively new member of the Billerica Ward. Although he is the only
member of his family to join the Church, he has been instrumental in
the conversion of many other Cambodian families in the Lowell area. 

Chea was four and his older sister Soph ten when their father, Nan,
and mother, Van, escaped from Cambodia. As did many, they suffered
through long days of fear and hard work on a rice farm during the
brutal regime of Pol Pot, when millions were killed. They spent time
in the Kavidan refugee camp in Thailand, then came to America in 1984.
They have been in Lowell since 1985. Chea also has two younger
sisters, Lundi, 6, and Dani, 4 years old. 

Chea has a strong love of Jesus and a remarkable desire for truth. 
Although he attended several other churches, it was not until he met 
Elders Garrett Black and Paul Gooch and had the discussions that he 
felt he really found what he was looking for. His parents relate, "We 
supported our son in his search and although we hold on to our own 
beliefs, we feel he has now found the right way. We are so happy." 
Chea's father was a Buddhist monk prior to marriage and sacred 
covenants forbid him to change his religion.

In the spring of 1987 when missionaries Gooch and Black first moved to 
Lowell there were only two southeast Asian families who were members 
of the Church. Now their ranks have swelled to 150. Elder Gooch 
relates, "Chea has been a big part of it all."

Almost every day, Chea would hop over his back fence and climb the 
stairs to the elders' apartment. After fixing himself a piece of 
unbuttered toast, he would tell the elders about friends and relatives
he would like them to visit. Elder Gooch recalls, "Sometimes we had a
hard time keeping up!" 

Irene Danjou, Chea's former primary teacher, beams as she remembers, 
"Almost every week, Chea would bring a different friend to Church. He 
would introduce them to me, spell their names, tell me their age, and 
sit with them until they felt comfortable. Then he would go to his own 
class. He did this for a whole year!"

The strong, sweet spirit of this young missionary can be shared 
through an experience that happened just about a year ago at this 
time. Chea and Elders Black and Gooch were driving home after teaching 
the missionary discussions to the Vong family. Saveth Vong and her 
three children Chetena, Chentra, and Tola had been in Lowell for a 
year, praying and fasting to find a church. Although many friends and 
ministers asked them to join other churches, Saveth said she always 
had the impression she should wait. After seeing the elders in Chea's 
home, she asked him to bring them to her house. Very early in the 
discussions, the Spirit touched this family. As they knelt in a 
prayer circle and, in turn, asked Heavenly Father if the things they 
now learned were true, each received confirmation. They asked to be 
baptized as soon as possible.

Chea was so excited! On the way home, he asked the elders to stop by 
a grove of trees in a nearby park so they could pray and thank 
Heavenly Father. After the prayer, Chea climbed on Elder Gooch's 
shoulders. After a few quiet moments, Chea lovingly looked down, 
flashed his million dollar smile, and said,

"The Holy Ghost is with us, Gooch, isn't it?"

"Yep, Chea, 'sure is."

"I know -- I felt it, Gooch!"

    At yesterday's Sunday Services, a Missionary Elder gave a report
    of the growth of the Church in Communist Countries.  He told of
    the previous work of the current Boston Mission President, Roger
    Madsen, to pave the way for the Church's sending missionaries to
    these countries.  Specifically, President Madsen worked in Washington,
    DC, in a  government agency called Special Affairs representing
    the Church.  The elder then told the following as it relates to
    the growth of the Church:
    
    1. Hungary is almost totally open.
    2. Work is already under way in Poland.
    3. E. Germany is now open to missionaries.
    4. The Church is very close to reaching agreements with Bulgaria.
    5. Negotiations are under way with Czechoslovakia.
    6. 1 year ago President Madsen worked with Moscos with the Minister
       of Religion and Culture and an agreement was made to allow the
       Church to open a branch in Moscos.
    7. The Church has been negotiating for 12 years with China and progress
       is being made.
    8. Yugoslavia is also negotiating for missionaries.
    
    The strength of the Church's position is that the Gospel of Jesus
    Christ will bring blessings to people and to the nation.  Because
    of one of the Articles of Faith which says to the world that Mormons
    believe in obeying the law  we are not seen as sowing the seeds of
    revolution or civil disobedience.
    
    I was very happily surprised to hear of this growth in what I
    considered a most unlikely part of the world.  Could this be another
    "Sign of the Times"?
    
    Paul
    

I was a missionary in Munich Germany and had dinner with General Authority
over the Europe Area.  I asked him many questions and this is what he said. 
This took place about 12-13 months ago.

>
>              <<< CACHE::USER3:[NOTES$LIBRARY]MORMONISM.NOTE;1 >>>
>                     -< The Glory of God is Intelligence >-
>================================================================================
>Note 34.13                           Growth                             13 of 13
>SLSTRN::RONDINA                                      33 lines  14-NOV-1988 08:51
>                   -< Church Growth in Communist Countries >-
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>    At yesterday's Sunday Services, a Missionary Elder gave a report
>    of the growth of the Church in Communist Countries.  He told of
>    the previous work of the current Boston Mission President, Roger
>    Madsen, to pave the way for the Church's sending missionaries to
>    these countries.  Specifically, President Madsen worked in Washington,
>    DC, in a  government agency called Special Affairs representing
>    the Church.  The elder then told the following as it relates to
>    the growth of the Church:
>    
>    1. Hungary is almost totally open.
>   2. Work is already under way in Poland.

Yes, Poland is "opened" and the church has been recognized, but the missionaries
there are couples only.  Nothing wrong with that, except the common image of
missionary work is Elders/Sisters out tracting and doing similar work. 

>   3. E. Germany is now open to missionaries.

There may be couples in E Germany, butthe missionary work there is done by
native stake missionaries.  Proselyting like tracting isn't allowed.
My mission president went there with his assistants to tarin the stake 
missionaries on how to be effective in missionary work.


>    4. The Church is very close to reaching agreements with Bulgaria.

       Could be.

>   5. Negotiations are under way with Czechoslovakia.
 
       ditto

>   6. 1 year ago President Madsen worked with Moscos with the Minister
>       of Religion and Culture and an agreement was made to allow the
>       Church to open a branch in Moscos.
>    7. The Church has been negotiating for 12 years with China and progress
>       is being made.

      The rumor about china is that the church isn't ready yet.  The gov.
has more or less said OK, but with 1 billion people to convert, the church 
could send 35000 missionaries to china alone.  (ie, double the fulltime
missionary force of the world) 

>   8. Yugoslavia is also negotiating for missionaries.
 
        Yugoslavia has had missionaries for a good while now.  They wear
street clothes and can't proselyte like in US, but they do a great work anyway
with those who have interest.  Maybe it will open up even more.
>   
>    The strength of the Church's position is that the Gospel of Jesus
>    Christ will bring blessings to people and to the nation.  Because
>    of one of the Articles of Faith which says to the world that Mormons
>    believe in obeying the law  we are not seen as sowing the seeds of
>    revolution or civil disobedience.
>    
>    I was very happily surprised to hear of this growth in what I
>    considered a most unlikely part of the world.  Could this be another
>    "Sign of the Times"?
>    
>    Paul
 
The work is really spreading across the *whole* worls, but there is still
a great work to do.

When hearing these reports, please think conservatively.  That means, assume
only couples are there unless explicitly reports of Elders/Sisters.  Assume
no active proselyting unless explicitly said to the contrary.  Active
proselyting is where we go and find people on our own.

CHad   

RE: < Note 34.13 by SLSTRN::RONDINA >

What Chad said is correct, take these reports of growth in remote 
areas with a large grain of salt. Although it is basically true that 
the Church has made some highly significant inroads - and will 
continue to do so - the exact details of our status in these countries
is constantly changing. 

I'd like to point out that there are no government agencies that
represent the Church. (Heaven help us if there were! :-) President
Madsen (whose first name is Francis BTW) worked for a *Church* agency
in Washington. 

I had heard - and you can classify this as a rumor since I have no
substantiation for this - that the Church was making preparations for
sending a large missionary force to China. I had heard that the
portion of the missionary force now allocated to the United States
would be allocated to China. Missionary work in the US would become
the responsibility of the Stake Missions, hence the extreme emphasis
on building up strong Stake Missions in the US currently. I have no
idea if this is farfetched or not - I merely repeat the rumor. 

Nevertheless, the success of the Church in making inroads into these
countries is further indication that the Lord's hand will not be 
stayed, no matter how impossible we may think the obstacles are. We
had better get on board the train while we can; it isn't going to be
at the station for too much longer! 

It's definitely a 'sign of the times.'

/kevin

I remembered the GA's (General Authority's) name with whom I spoke at
the mission conference last year -- President Asay (or however it is spelles).
He is President of the European Area and is in the First Quorum of Seventy
and is one of the Presidents I believe.

Seeing as it is all rumor that we have heard about China, I would like to
give my *opinion* about how it will go.  I think that the US missions will
stay.  How many missions are there in the US -- 20 - 50 is my guess, with
many many in California alone it seems a good guess.  With 100-200 missionaries
on average in a mission, that gives a range of 2000 - 10000 (probably closer to
15000-20000) in the US to teach Chinese to, which is not the easiest language
in the world.  Add to that the lack of a church "infrastructure".  There are
no established and expierenced leaders in China to watch over the to-be
converts.  I would guess that a significant group (say 50-300) missionaries
with some chinese language knowledge and most likely experience from Taiwan,
Hong Kong, missions etc. would be moved to key cities in China to help set up
some branches.  Add to that a healthy number of couples in leadership
missions, and you have a fairly good and robust beginning amongst the chinese
children of Heavenly Father.  And the church would be able to mature at a rate
that we the church members can support without the new converts being misled
and mistaught.  Think of all the home teaching, the positions (teachers and
advisors).  You need people with a sense of the way the church works, and
what the gospel is to support this.

This is similar to what is happening in Africa.  The church has said that they
have not been able to baptise everybody who want to be now because of the
lack of this infrastructure.  They are working as hard as they can to
open new areas there in Africa but the church can't grow wildly.  I think
the African experience has been/is good forerunner for the chinese experiment,
which will surely shortly (whatever "shortly" means) come to pass.

I am happy about the growth of the church and new open areas.  I rejoice
too with the news.

Chad

PS:  Not to belabor the point, but I want to stress that when we get news that
a particular country has been opened (and this applies more to established
countries such as communist countries), that means that the church has
been recognized as a legal institution.  Usually it doesn't mean that the
church and its actions are on par with what we are familiar with -- many
missionaries (Elders/Sisters) out tracting, street-contacting, etc.  Usually
missionaries couples go in first, and often we still aren't allowed to
proselyte like we are used to.  Anyway, I have repeated this enough so I
won't belabor the point anymore.  Let us rejoice in the growth of the
church and do are best to take part in this growth.

Well, it's finally going to happen. The Billerica MA ward is going to 
split this month, and a Lowell MA Branch is going to be spun off. 

Now, of course, wards split all the time. What makes this one
remarkable is that while we now have something very close to 600 
members, we had less than 200 members as of July 1986, a mere 30 
months ago. Even more remarkably, the Billerica ward had not had a 
single convert baptism in the 18 months prior to this period of 
explosive growth. The missionaries had even been withdrawn for a spell
during those 18 months due to lack of any activity.

I had the privilege to be that first convert baptism after those 18
long months. The ward had begun fasting and praying and working so
that first the missionaries would return, and then that they would
have someone to teach. Interestingly enough, they didn't find me - I
found them. I heard about the Church through other means (see 2.1),
while in the process of moving to a town that 'just happened' to be
within the boundaries of this ward. 

There were a ton of people at my baptism, who were enthused enough to
even have refreshments afterwards. Eventually there were 9 total convert
baptisms that year. Now there are typically that many each month, and
we still get a crowd and a lot of excitement, although the
refreshments have gone by the boards :-). 

As has been previously mentioned, a large number of the converts have 
been refugees or immigrants from Southeast Asia. It is a joy to be
able to bring them the Gospel message - a message of hope and
redemption - especially since so many of them have experienced such
unthinkable horrors in their homelands. 

Sometimes it also rips your heart out to see them try to scratch out a
living in ridiculously expensive Massachusetts, where their meager
earnings only qualify them for poverty level. But here too is an
opportunity to help, and many are now standing proudly on their own
two feet, having had some help and guidance from Church members in the
areas of finance and/or hygene and/or many other things.

But not all of the additions have been Asian. By my unscientific 
estimate, I'd say that 60% of the influx has been Asian, 20% came in 
due to boundary redefinitions, and 20% are English/Spanish/whatever
converts. So I don't know if the ward split will result in an
Asian-language type branch where the common denominator will be the
native language(s), or if it will be a geographic-Lowell type branch
where all the members in Lowell become members of the new entity. I do
know that they plan to call at least a few members from each of the
wards of the Stake to serve temporarily in various capacities while
the new entity develops its own leadership and infrastructure. 

There are practically no limits to growth in this area. Growth is
dependent mainly on the love, spirituality, faith, and obedience of
the members. So long as those factors continue, the Lord will continue
to bless these people, and trust us to teach them and care for them. 
This work is truly the work of the Lord.

A brother in Christ,
/kevin

    
    Just a quick note.  I heard on Sunday (from excellent sources)
    that there is now a branch in Leningrad (Russia).  There are
    about a hundred members and a couple of missionaries.
    
    Best Regards,
    
    Frank

    This was in the the church news of last week.
    
    scott

    Thanks scott.  I didn't know.  My copy of the Church News will get here
    (in Germany) in a week or two (if I'm lucky).  Most of the news about 
    LDS issues that I get are by word of mouth and that is often 3rd-hand.
    
    If you can keep me up to date on the latest LDS news (either online or
    offline) I would really appreciate it.
    
    Thanks again,
    
    Frank

    Happy birthday, Church, and many happy returns!
    
    aq