Homecoming Talks -- May 19th, American Fork 14th Ward
Sister Betteridge:
Elder Betteridge:
Why did I serve
1 ... to express my deep love and appreciation for what the s
Savior has done for me and to have my testimony of the Savior strengthened….
2 ... I wanted my grandchildren and children to receive the promised blessings from our service ... read quote from elder Rasband
Elder Rasband in April 2023 said to senior missionaries
“I promise that as you serve, you will feel the love of the Lord in your life, you will know Him, He will know you, and “how great shall be your joy.”29 Your dedicated service to Jesus Christ will inspire and bless your family, your grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “Peace, and love [will] be multiplied”30 in their lives for years to come. I promise. In the name of Jesus Christ”
3.... I wanted to set an example for my children and grandchildren ... they may not all serve but it want them to know that if grandma and grandpa can take on the challenge to serve a mission that they can too....
Thank you all for your notes of support ... they meant a lot to us .... thank you sincerely for sharing your thoughts about our experience ...
I had a deep desire to change to become a new an improved person… Have I changed… ?
Pres Clare … the most important convert you will have on your mission is you …
That is true… I have been converted again and again.,…
So what did I learn ....
Before I share these experiences…. let me echo Elder Quinton L. Cooks words on the youth and young adults in the church… he said in essence there is a myth that youth and young adults are leaving the church in droves. He said the opposite is true, the young adults and youth of the church as a group are growing and becoming more faithful….
A temple mission….
Temple experiences — we had many many experiences to take young adults to the temple for their first time…. this were some the greatest experience of our mission…
a. Woodwards — saw a young adult couple, endowed and striving to live a happy life but hitting some struggles…. we were impressed to seek permission to take them to the temple and burger king… it was a simple thing but it lifted their spirits and gave us great joy to the help see the important things in life…. we are hoping that they will soon go to the temple and be sealed.
b. Mohan… a young single adult who had joined the church in India 10 years ago. He had never seen a temple let alone go to the temple. When he arrived and we connected with him, he begged us to take him to the temple…. we sought permission and were able to take him to the temple and burger king also. He was overjoyed, it has become now a focus for him and he has since gone to the temple several time to do baptisms.
c. Ben… one of the first sundays we were in england we sought to attend all the wards in the stake. As we attended one ward, I noticed a young man sitting on the back grow all by himself. I believe I saw in him something in him that our Heavenly Father sees in him a young adult with great potential…A future missionary and leader. He had just joined the church a month previous. I sat down next to him and got to know him… he began to come to institute. He received his patriarchal blessing, was ordained an elder and then we took him to the temple. He is an inspiration to many now as he is preparing his papers to serve a mission. He loves going out with the missionaries....if you are listening, I hope you have gotten your dental exam by now and have your interview time set up with your bishop.
d. Grace — dear young adult sister, who had been a member for about 2 years… very shy, she began to grow in so many ways, and helped with institute lessons, gathering other young adults and helping them, being a true leader to help others grow… we then had the privlege and opportunity to take her to the temple to receiver her endowments…
As we loved these young adults and helped them along the path… we felt the love of God more in our own lives.
3. That the lord knows our gifts and will called us to the place where he needs us to use our gifts to bless his children. That it is not so much what you say as it is being the person he wants us to be and know you can be....testimony of the power of kindness and doing good, being an example of righteousness.... consider sharing a note or two.... tender mercies.... 3rd cousin, relative to the stake president led to the sealing of Richard betteridge to his parents ... I felt the influence of Margaret Ann Coulson, and grandmother emily ness… served in the same congregations that my deceased brother in laws, Scott Edgley had served in over 40 years ago and met people he had found who were now active in the church…. renewing this familial connection with them bolstered their testimonies.
4. That we are all part of gods eternal family. That no matter what our family circumstances are we are promised the greatest blessings god has in store for his children if we strive to keep his commandments...
Elder Yoon Hwan Choi of the Seventy taught about the difference our choices can make for our eternal family: “All of us are in the middle of an eternal family. Our role can be a turning point at which significant changes can occur in positive or negative ways. … There are generations before us and after us depending on us to follow Christ so that we can be an eternal family of God. (“Don’t Look Around, Look Up!,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 91, 92)
Elder Russel M. Ballard: “Brothers and sisters, the most important cause of our lifetime is our families. If we will devote ourselves to this cause, we will improve every other aspect of our lives and will become, as a people and as a church, an example and a beacon for all peoples of the earth.” (“That the Lost May Be Found,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 98)
Elder Holland: “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest.”
I have come back with eternal friendships of missionaries in the Leeds mission and members in this great Sunderland stake... And... many sacred experiences with our beloved Savior that He knows me that He loves me in a personal way... that his great atoning sacrifice was for me personally ... I will never be the same again I have changed... my invitation to you is seek to understand and feel the saviors love for you personally.
- I went out with a favorite Scriptures: 3 Ne 5:13 --13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.
- i came back with a new fav scripture... D&C 68:6 6 Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.
Testimony…..
From Stake RS President who was present at homecoming talk and HC mission report:
Hi Sister Betteridge, it’s Emi Willing. I had the pleasure of hearing and feeling your testimony this past Sunday in Stake Council. Thank you so much for serving your mission and for sharing your heart on Sunday. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me.
In my patriarchal blessing, I’m told that “the Lord would have you be a a missionary always…you will teach the gospel at home and abroad.”
I’ve been pondering about that lately what it means for me. And I’ve wondered how the Lord feels about me in that calling. And then you testified that “The Lord LOVES His missionaries.” And that “Mission calls are from the Lord.” And your words pierced my soul. Thank you for your testimony. It was exactly what I needed ❤️🥹
Sorry for the long texts, just wanted to express my love and gratitude for you all. Thank you for serving. Im excited to serve now and looking forward to serving with my husband in a senior couple mission(s) too.
Below are a few of the many thank you notes from the Saints and Elders/Sisters we served with (we couldn't find the rest - but they were read, appreciated and filed somewhere...) we also added a family note which came to us with many laminated bookmarks from a Ridge activity -- very special family support was felt throughout our mission. Thank you dear family! We love you so much !!!
