Missionary Life

It is impossible to express how much service, love and good cheer goes on in the lives of the missionaries serving in the Nebraska Omaha Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. All this love goes on in the midst of individual challenges of  physical, emotional and spiritual  health needs. Joy comes as a result of great faith and trust and hope in the Savior, Jesus Christ. All these missionaries leave all behind as they seek continuously to to serve the Lord with all their hearts. It's amazing that, though the faces and names of the missionaries change from time to time, the spirit never changes - it's an incredible Spirit of seeking to improve personal lives along with teaching others the source of all hope that can come through following the example of Christ. 

We are well into the "Thankful" season and there is an abundance of gratitude in this mission.  It is truly a time of noticing the beauties of autumn as well as the blessings of God.  The hymn, "Come ye thankful people, come" is very appropriate. We sing the praises to a loving Father in Heaven and are grateful for His bounteous blessings. 

Serving at the Visitor Centers

Serving at the Visitor Centers in the Nebraska Omaha Mission (NOM) is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all over the world as well as serve with sisters from all over the world. It is a very busy time of hastening the Lord's work in teaching others that Jesus Christ is indeed our very Savior; that the earth was created by a loving Heavenly Father so His children could receive a physical body and learn to choose paths of obedience to His commandments while experiencing a wide variety of challenges. 

Choosing to obey the 10 commandments is in fact very liberating and allows many freedoms from addictions. It seems ironic that the "world" believes that "freedom" is drinking, smoking, drugs, physical intimacies outside of marriage, abortion, recreation and shopping instead of church on Sunday, etc. when these activities actually causes separation from God along with suffering, pain and death.  

Repentance, or turning the heart back to God, is a joyful path.

This path is one of true freedom.

Oh How Lovely

The young Sisters and Elders performed 4 beautiful, inspirational concerts called "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning."  They sang inspirational and patriotic songs. This is a mission with so many musically talented missionaries that we often have an opportunity to hear them sing. 

The Nebraska Omaha Mission (NOM) includes most of Nebraska and part of Iowa. We love the opportunities we have to learn of the pioneer history as we explore the areas in this mission. We love the rolling hills, the fields of corn and beans, the wildlife and the occasional beef ranches we see.

Another wonderful blessing of the mission is being with visitors. We love sharing information of the history, faith, hope and courage of the pioneers as they went forward, enduring many hardships, trials, bitter weather conditions and loss of loved ones due to illness that plagued them constantly. The story of the pioneers is one of triumph that overcame tragedy as they followed the teachings of Jesus Christ, sharing all they had and trusted completely in the Lord. These pioneers blessed the lives of their posterity for generations that followed. 

 My nephew, Jacob Sheppard and his family.

My son, Jake and daughter-in-law Susie!!!

Angel sisters we get to serve with. :)