Dear parents of the Arizona Phoenix Mission missionaries -
As we conclude our three-year assignment in the Arizona Phoenix Mission, we acknowledge our honor and joy in working closely with your missionary — watching the sacrifices and service as well as the personal growth and successes. We've been blessed to work with nearly 650 missionaries from all over the world who have come to the APM, arriving with excitement, fears, anxieties, apprehensions and uncertainties and then leaving with greater faith, understanding, commitment and testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ.
We have stressed learning, teaching and applying the doctrine of Christ, which is the foundation of "The Missionary Purpose" — ask your missionary upon returning home to diagram the central aspect of the Atonement and how it leads to faith, repentance, baptism/ordinances, the ongoing gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
We've also emphasized obedience to principles - your missionary has heard repeatedly statements such as "We want obedience for you, not from you" and "You are as happy as you are obedient." We've underscored true successes of a missionary (see pages 10-11 of "Preach My Gospel") — not simply baptisms, statistics, leadership responsibilities or area assignments. No, "the mission is not a corporate ladder," and "it doesn't matter where you serve, but how you serve."
We are excited President and Sister Griffin will lead the Arizona Phoenix Mission to greater heights, helping to hasten the work of salvation in this choice area and at a time when the Phoenix Arizona Temple is nearing completion and dedication. Your missionary will love serving with the Griffins - we are certain of this.
We've recently taught the APM missionarys about "substance" and "style" - first, how substance are the principles, policies and directives that don't change (the gospel, the scriptures, "Preach My Gospel," the handbooks, the daily schedule, the meetings, the organization). And second, how "style" is a unique way of carrying forth the substance, based on the traits, characteristics, abilities and personalities of different individuals.
An example: Substance is a mission president interviewing missionaries once a quarter. Style is where the missionary is interviewed and for how long. The Taylors' style was to bring the zone together for a 4-hour training meeting and have President Taylor pull missionaries out during the meeting for interviews; other mission presidents drive from meetinghouse to meetinghouse to meet with smaller groups of missionaries.
We will continue to provide our APM 2011-2014 blog — azphxmission.blogspot.com — for the next 2-3 years. Newer posts may just be visits from returned missionaries, reunions and the like. But we'll keep the posts and the photo galleries available for returned missionaries and current missionaries and their families to download text or photos from Sister Taylor's postings over the past three years.
Sister Griffin has expressed an interest in providing a blog - please be understanding of the demands on a new mission president and wife. Our first year, we had our son Braden here as our photographer. A mission blog, while welcomed by a missionary's family, is not a "substance" thing but a "style" thing. Please be patient with that and other mission matters as the Griffins begin their transition. We remember what that first month (first year!) was like. Do not expect or ask them about a blog.
A critical reminder for parents and family — the Arizona Phoenix Mission is an online proselyting mission, one of fewer than 30 such missions in the world. With iPads equipped with digital planners and area books, our missionaries use emails, texts, Facebook posts and messages and Skype video conferencing in their proselyting efforts. PROSELYTING is the key word - the Arizona Phoenix Mission isn't simply an online mission, with missionaries communicating frequently and over the various mediums with family and friends.
Missionaries communicate with family/friends only through their myldsmail.net account on P-days — if your missionary is struggling to be obedient to this directive, you can be encouraging and supportive. Also, family and friends should not use Facebook, Skype, texts, calls or off-cycle emails to communicate any information to their missionary - including deaths in the family or other emergencies. You can work with the mission office staff (623-334-3823) or the mission president, whose cell number is on the office answering machine for evening and weekend needs. There's no reason to inappropriately use Facebook, emails, calls or texts — please help your missionary be obedient.
We look forward to staying in touch with your missionary in the coming years. We tell them that we are their cheerleaders for life.
With our love, appreciation and admiration for both you and your missionary,
President and Sister Taylor
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