To see instructions for applying for a full-time or part-time senior missionary and service opportunity click here. Introduction From my seat in the choir, I was enjoying the reverence during the passing of the sacrament in our Provo, Utah, ward one Sunday morning in 2001. Glancing down at my husband, Doug, in the congregation, I felt a wave of gratitude sweep over me, both for him and for our peaceful, fulfilling life. We had had our share of trials, but still we had been blessed with a wonderful family, all of whom lived nearby; we loved our work and our ward; we enjoyed our lovely home and our cabin in the mountains; and were surrounded by loving friends. It was a comfortable life. Later at home I asked Doug if he had had any particular spiritual prompting during sacrament meeting, but he said, “Nothing unusual.” When I related my experience, he smiled and said: “That is the answer to my prayer. I’ve just been waiting for you to feel the time is right.” I knew our lives were about to change. Starting the Process Doug is a linguist and fluent in several languages, including Russian, French, and Italian, so I realized we could be sent anywhere in the world. As we filled out our mission papers, listing his languages, I thought we would probably be called to Russia. After all, how many senior missionaries speak Russian? In the little box where we could make a comment we simply said: “We are willing to go anywhere we are called, but we would both enjoy a Spanish-speaking call.” When our call came to serve in the Chile Santiago West Mission and preach the gospel in Spanish, we felt an instant confirmation that our call was right. Saying GoodbyeOur nine weeks in the Senior Missionary Training Center were intense and inspiring. Doug had been reading in Spanish for nearly a decade but had had no practice in speaking it, so he joined an accelerated group of missionaries, most of whom had served Spanish-speaking missions previously. I was in the beginners’ class, determined to succeed at learning a new language for the first time. Excitement was high among the senior missionaries there who had been called to all different parts of the world. Saying good-bye to our family was difficult, but buoyed by the Spirit we boarded our plane for the long flight to Chile. There to greet us at the Santiago airport were our wonderful mission president and his wife, Ole and Dena Smith. We were their first senior couple, and President Smith said we would just learn together. The next day the Smiths drove us to our assigned area, the city of Talagante, Chile, 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Santiago. They took us to our new apartment, helped us get settled, gave us a hug and a prayer, and then left us alone to ponder our new adventure. We held hands a little tighter that night as we prayed in a new and more heartfelt way. It was a bit of a shock going from July heat of summer to the cold of winter in one day, with no thermostat in our apartment to just bump up a few degrees, but rather a little gas heater we could light when absolutely necessary. We learned quickly to wear layers of clothing. I had brought long-johns just to be obedient but they very quickly became my favorite clothing. Alone Together Far From Home In the first months of our mission I devoted long hours to language study, experiencing some discouraging moments as I came to the realization that it was not going to happen for me as fast as it did for the young missionaries. Gradually, encouraged by the warm-hearted Chilean Saints, the young elders and sisters, and a caring mission president and his wife, we began to find our niche and put our hearts into our missionary service. Adding Music to Our Mission Leadership Responsibilities Sacrifices/Compensations Our mission was a life-changing experience-leaving our somewhat self-centered and complacent life to come to a little corner of the world where we awakened every morning asking ourselves, “Who can we best serve or help or teach today?” Thoughts of family could bring a lump to our throats but we came to feel so grateful for a measured time when we could devote ourselves full-time to the service of the Lord with no distractions. We had our trials during our mission, including injuries and health concerns, but we learned to depend on the Lord more (without our family doctor nearby), we drew closer to each other (when we had no one else), and we learned to laugh at impossible situations (that used to make us cry)! My companion made our 44th anniversary special by shining my worn, dusty walking shoes and printing out 1 Nephi for me, side by side in English and Spanish. With my limited Spanish I wrote him a humorous love poem. Toward the end of our mission, truly our joy was full as we saw our music students conducting and accompanying the different choirs, saw some of our piano students capably accompanying the hymns in the meetings of the church, and saw previously less active families fully participating and serving in the church. Truly, there is no greater joy. We had the special blessing of serving in Chile during Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s two year mission there and it was a privilege hearing him teach, testify, and inspire the members and missionaries. He told the missionaries that we needed to give our all and at the end of our missions we should be like a runner who “has nothing left at the tape”. He didn’t want us to be sick or exhausted-just very tired! Saying Goodbye (again) When we said goodbye to our family and friends as we left on our mission, it was difficult but we knew we would be returning. When it was time to say goodbye to our Chilean friends at the end of our mission, we were uncertain whether we would ever see them again, and our emotions almost overwhelmed us as they honored us with parties and celebrations and tearful goodbyes. We felt as though our hearts would break! On a final fireside which we presented I sang a song I had written especially for the occasion, Un corazn puede tener dos hogares (A Heart Can Have Two Homes). We always felt that we were right where we should be, with people we loved dearly, and while we were helping them, they were also helping us learn some of life’s most important lessons. I loved this time with my dear companion whom I learned to love and respect even more deeply through our service, our trials and our moments of pure joy as a missionary couple. Brother Michael Moody, former Church Music Chairman, who finished his service as Mission President in Haiti just as we returned from Chile, told us: “When you get home no one will understand the depth of your feelings for the Chilean people. Friends will ask, “How was your mission?’ and you’ll say, ‘Wonderful,’ and move on. But that is the joy of having served your mission together-there will always be one who understands what you saw, heard and felt that changed your lives forever.” (Part 2, will talk about the challenge of Senior Missionaries learning a new language) To find Janice Kapp Perry’s double CD “Army of Helaman: Ultimate Missionary Collection,” click here. No Comments | Post or read comments |