Elder Hilton June 7, 2016-2018 : Week 53: I'M BACK IN SALVADOR!!

This transfer was a surprise to me. I thought that my Zone leader was joking with me when he said i would be the Secretary of the mission. It wasn't all quite real to me. But here I am now in the mission office being trained by my buddy Elder High to be the Executive Secretary of the mission. This is how it works here: the Executive Secretary and the Financial Secretary are companions. So right now Elder High is the Executive Sec. and Elder Costa e Silva is the Financial Sec. Elder High has been the executive sec. for 6 months and now he will be training me all this transfer then the next transfer he will be going out and it will be just me and Elder Costa e Silva.

LEFT TO RIGHT, Elder Costa e Silva, Elder High and Me

This is what we do as Secretaries. We get to the office by 8:30 am and have our personal and companion studies in the office. Then we work until lunch time. After lunch we resume our work, whether it be at the office, airport, bus station, etc. We run around all parts of the city in taxis.

We dropped off some sisters at the airport this week. We said goodbye to Sister Snow who finished her mission and went back home to Wisconsin. It was kind of strange sending her home after being in the same district as her for 5 transfers.

As an Executive Secretary I am responsible for entering in all the information from all the baptismal papers of all converts into the church system. I also schedule, and book all airplane and bus traveling that goes on. I´m also responsible for renewing all VISAs for missionaries ( a lot of annoying paperwork). We do conference calls for missionaries when they need them. We work closely with President Bangerter and he relies on us a lot. Occasionally, he asks us to do others side jobs. There are lots of things we do as secretaries and if i look at it all at once, it is overwhelming.

The office

We just need to be well organized and understand that all things are possible because we are on the Lord´s errand. I pray that I will be able to fulfill my responsibilities and do what the Lord wants me to do and be what the He wants to do be. I love what the July 2013 article in the Ensign says about this subject.... and it applies to everyone who is serving in any position in the church, whether it be in a mission or in your own ward.

´´Each new calling is an opportunity to serve and grow and should be approached humbly and prayerfully. Calls to serve in the Church are given by priesthood leaders after they have sought inspiration from the Lord. “You are called of God,” explained President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency. “The Lord knows you. He knows whom He would have serve in every position in His Church. He chose you.”

´´The Lord will help us in our callings, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities. When we pray to Heavenly Father for guidance, He will direct us through inspiration and will bless us to serve well. The Lord helps those who serve Him and will add His power to their efforts (see D&C 84:88). As President Thomas S. Monson promised, “When we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.”

I love the promise of our dear Prophet Thomas S. Monson. I trust that God and Christ keep their promises and will help us accomplish what we are call to do.

I am understanding how a call to serve gives us the opportunity to help others and to develop and share our talents and spiritual gifts. We are ´´repaid´´ for our service by blessings from the Lord. D&C 84:88 talks about how when we are helping do the Lord’s work, we can pray for and receive His help. That is a promise! I know that serving others brings blessing and joy. That is what i hope to accomplish during my time as Secretary.

Have a great week and happy summer break to everyone!

-Elder Hilton