Joyful Senior Missionary Service

06/03/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 – 𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗛 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗽 & 𝗦𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝘆𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗽 - 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐮 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

This past week we had 2 major Mission activities. First Hermana P-day and then 3 zone conferences. Hermana's P-day seemed to be a bigger deal than the Zone conferences. The P-Day (preparation day) consisted of games, crafts, and Coasta-Vida salads for 54. All in all, the Hermanas had a great time mostly because they loved getting together and sharing their love for each other and the work.

Zone Conferences were great as usual. We love to hear the Mission Leaders teach the principles of the gospel and how they can be applied to missionary work. We also love to see the missionary leaders teach each other how to be better disciples of Christ. Zone Conferences are a special time in a mission.

This week we had a night when we didn’t have any appointments, and people were not answering our texts. We decided to go do some cold calls. After passing by several homes and finding no one home we headed home. On our way home, we noticed some missionaries and stopped to talk with them. They told us that they saw one of the families we were looking for in the park just across the street. We parked and walked over to find them. As we were walking, we said “Buenas noches” to a woman sitting on a park bench. When she called us “Hermana and Elder” we realized she is probably a member. She seemed down on life, as we talked, she told us about some family problems and asked us how we stayed together. My first response was humor, but Hermana Borup had the better response about doing our best to live the Gospel of Christ and being patient and kind to each other. We left by asking if we could come visit her. She seemed to be a little lighter when we walked away. We feel like we were supposed to run into her. We did find the family we were looking for and made an appointment to have a family home evening the following week. We conclude that the Lord loves effort. On a night when we didn’t have appointments, it would have been easy to stay home, but we didn’t and were blessed with 2 great experiences.

We love the work. We know we are where we need to be.

Your friends,
Hermana Y Elder Borup

06/02/2026

𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝'𝐬 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝

Almost every morning we walk past an olive tree near the lakefront. The olives have been turning from olive green to purple. It was a poignant reminder that we are here as servants in this beautiful part of the Lord's vineyard to gather the good, natural fruit of the house of Israel, which brings us great joy (Jacob 5:70-75), and that the field is white, already to harvest (D&C 4:4).

The olives look like they’re ripe. They’re actually really small. The picture makes them look much bigger than they are. I tasted one. It was so bitter! And it was mostly all pit with very little flesh. Definitely a wild olive! Or maybe it was a bad spot of ground. Or at least one it was not used to in Crete. Whatever the reason, I don’t think any amount of digging about or dunging is going to turn them into tame olives.

Even though I’m now in a spot of ground that is new to me, I hope I can be a tame olive tree. I hope I’m bearing good fruit here! I know I’m trying.

06/02/2026

𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 (𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗮)—𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗞𝗼𝗹𝘄𝗲𝘇𝗶 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

We had to take the traditional map photo of our mission country, and we decided to redo our junior mission map, too.

We met up with the two other couples going to the DR Congo. One couple will be serving in the office of our mission, and the other will be serving in the mission office of the new mission in the capital, Kinshasa. We brainstormed on what we will need to take with us. Fortunately, it is not the first mission for our office couple as they have served in Ivory Coast before, so they had some great tips for us. Since they will be serving in the same mission, we can pool a few things and maybe save a little on packing?

There are so many “coincidences” in the MTC. The guys all served in the same junior mission, and in the same area in Troyes, France, and even lived in the same apartment, but not during the same time!

Five hundred new missionaries arrived today; the dining hall was slammed; the Lord is hastening his work!

06/02/2026

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐦.

I am a full-time missionary serving in the Library Services Zone, working with the Metadata/Database Team.

I have a special and deep love for serving in the temple. My husband and I had the blessing of serving 12 years in the Los Angeles California Temple, a year in the Dallas Texas Temple, seven years in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, and the highlight of our retirement was serving a Nauvoo Illinois Temple Mission. I also have a great love for family history and have served two service missions, one at the Lehi FamilySearch center and one with the VROC Mission (Virtual Records Operation Center, or online family history).

I have always loved serving in the Church—in any and almost every calling. After my husband passed away, I started thinking about serving a full-time mission. It seemed to "occupy my mind and press itself upon my feelings" (as Joseph Smith said in D&C 128:1). I reasoned that I had the health, the means, the time, the desire, and hopefully the ability to serve. The Lord has always been more than generous with blessings to me, and I wanted to give back my full heart, might, mind, and strength to Him.

I think I have lived a very ordinary life, but I have been abundantly blessed with a wonderful family, friends, opportunities to learn and progress, and the uncounted blessings that come from living the gospel. I am 𝘴𝘰 grateful to be here on this mission and look forward to many special and sacred experiences!

Sister Halverson
FHD Mission

05/31/2026

𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝘂𝘀, “𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚?”
𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04/25wu?lang=eng

05/29/2026

Ever heard of an 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤? Most people haven't—but for one community, these two new buildings are a total game-changer. Thanks to Elder and Sister Dandoy for directing the project and to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for sponsoring the project, a vision for modern dignity is now a reality. Click below to learn what an ablution block is! 👇

Nearly 4,000 students, teachers, school administrators, and government officials gathered recently to thank The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for building two new, modern ablution blocks (a local term for a building containing washing facilities and toilets) for students of Wardstrip D...

05/29/2026

Service is more than just a responsibility; it is a transformation. Here is Elder Guimbi's testimony from the Republic of the Congo.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18angvwXpo/

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05/28/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝟲𝟬 𝗶𝗻 𝟲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀—𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝘄𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: https://seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org


𝗟𝗗𝗦 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: https://www.ldsliving.com/all-in/dwight-susan-potter-ill-go-where-you-want-me-to-go

05/27/2026

𝐄𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 (𝐑𝐞𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐞) 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝗪𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹; 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲” 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘂𝘀” 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻.

“After 18 months of serving on this mission, we are leaving to go home. We will miss all the people we served with and loved.”

𝗜𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺

How cliché to say the time goes quickly
How cliché to say, “We’ll miss you so!”
But if we say it, it is true. We do love all of you.
I think we’ve all been here long enough to know.

Nauvoo is the best dream we’ve ever had.
The friends, the fun, the work, all a delight.
Thinking back on you will make us glad.
Nauvoo is the best dream we’ve ever had.

We learned to work in the yoke together.
We learned to love the Savior more.
We learned that He does more than love His children
We learned that it is us that He adores.

Nauvoo is the best dream we’ve ever had.
The friends, the fun, the work, and parting is so sad.
Thinking back on you will make us glad.
Nauvoo is the best dream we’ve ever had.

Serving out in Carthage for a year.
The work was hard but sanctified and dear.
We kept our friendships strong in snow or heat.
Our VC visits made our lives so sweet.

Carthage is the best dream we’ve ever had.
The friends, the fun, the work, and parting is so sad.
Thinking back on you will make us glad.
Carthage is the best dream we’ve ever had.

We learned to live in a Zion community.
Our covenants empowered us and made us free
To love and to forgive and stand for truth and light
We trust our Father can and will make all things right.

This mission is the best dream we’ve ever had.
The friends, the fun, the work, and parting is so sad.
Thinking back on you will make us glad.
This mission is the best dream we’ve ever had.

𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: https://seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org