Week 3

14-20 September 2025

During our third week as missionaries we trained with Elder and Sister Gerhardt, the senior missionaries that we will be replacing. This week was also a transfer week, so there were tasks that we learned that only occur once every six weeks.

Mission Secretary Tasks

Sister Hoffer thinks that it's hard to explain what her job is. She says, "It's like asking a mother what she does all day." She is the office hub that everything else rotates around. Some of her main tasks include answering emails, sending out welcome letters to incoming missionaries, updating the mission president’s transfer board, and keeping track of the calendar for zone conferences and missionary interviews. She also makes sure the missionaries get their mail, orders the supplies they need so they can keep teaching the gospel, and puts together a weekly newsletter. 

Most importantly, she takes time to get to know each missionary personally and cheer them on in their work. And while she loves it all, she admits her biggest worry is accidentally sending a missionary home to the wrong airport at the end of their mission!

Finance Secretary and Technology Specialist Tasks

Elder Hoffer was given two assignments at the mission. The first (and most important) is to carry out mission financial duties. This includes making sure all of the purchases done using the mission credit cards are approved and documented, paying rent and utilities on all of the mission apartments, and ensuring all of the missionary's meal cards are periodically populated with funds.

Elder and Sister Thaxton are the mission's housing administrators. Elder Hoffer will work with them to pay the rent and utilities on the missionary apartments, as well as pay for any damage that may occur. to an apartment.

Elder and Sister Hymas are the mission's vehicle fleet administrators. They are responsible for the care and maintenance of the mission cars and trucks including the credit cards used for fuel. While Elder Hoffer will not work directly with these cards, he will monitor them for budget purposes and will make sure maintenance costs such as oil changes are paid.

As Technology Specialist, Elder Hoffer will help maintain the missionary's phones. Each missionary has a smart phone that is issued to them at their MTC. Each companionship has a SIM card with a telephone number that is tied to their teaching area. Missionaries trade theses SIM cards as they are transferred from one area to another.

Tuesday's Transfer Day

There were 20 new missionaries that arrived on Tuesday. All but one of them left the Provo MTC that morning and were picked up at the FrontRunner station with all their baggage. Elder Smith arrived at the airport from the Mexico MTC and was picked up at the airport. We took a group photograph and individual photographs of each one. We also took a photo of each with President and Sister Allred to send to their families. Then we gave them breakfast and checked that their phones and meal cards were working. After President Allred interviewed them, they were all assigned to a companionship.

In the meantime, away from the office, other missionaries were reassigned companionships and moved to other apartments.

Wednesday's Departures and Thursday training

As part of transfer week, there were five missionaries that departed the mission on Wednesday. One missionary was picked up by his parents. The other four were ferried to the airport.

On Thursday morning, all of the new missionaries and their companions gathered at the office and were given a couple of hours training.

Missionary Miracles

The senior missionary office couples have lunch together every day. At one of those lunches, they introduced what they call Missionary Miracles. These are little incidents and coincidences that seem to frequently happen in the mission.

Missionary Miracle 1

A sister missionary, who had temporarily been assigned to our mission, had finally received her visa and was preparing to  fly to her new mission in Norway. Her mother had sent a package from Texas, but it still hadn’t arrived, and time was running out. Amazingly, just 15 minutes after the package was delivered to the office, the sister walked through the door. She was there only about 10 minutes—just long enough to receive that special package from her mother—before heading straight to the airport with a couple who had been assigned to drive her.

This simple moment was a reminder to us that the Lord is mindful of His missionaries. He knows their needs, even in small and personal ways. To some it may have seemed like a coincidence, but to her—and to those of us who witnessed it—it was evidence of the Lord’s perfect timing and tender care.One of  departing missionaries was what we call a visa waiter. Her visa had arrived from Norway and ...

Missionary Miracle 2

When Elder Smith arrived from Mexico, he had not been assigned a phone. Normally these phones are shipped by the Mexico MTC to their gaining mission and arrive before the missionary gets there. But when Elder Smith arrived on Tuesday, the phone had not been delivered. The phone arrived on Wednesday about 15 minutes before Elder Smith and his companion stopped by the mission office for some other reason. The timing was perfect; This was not a coincidence. We were able to set up and assign his phone to him without the extra work of coordinating a special time for him to pick it up.

Missionary Miracle 3

An older sister had been renting out her basement for missionaries to live in. Earlier that spring, her husband had passed away unexpectedly. Afterward, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep renting it out—and if she did, she wondered whether she should only rent to sisters, since her husband was no longer there.

When transfer time came, the office couple in charge of housing spoke with her about continuing to rent her basement. She went back and forth—maybe just sisters, maybe elders would be okay. After some thought, she finally decided it didn’t really matter. Either sisters or elders would work.

To support the sister renting out her basement, the senior couple over housing brought the elders to meet her. To everyone’s surprise, one of the elders assigned to live there was already someone she knew well—he had taught her grandson the gospel in her very home and even baptized him. Because of that special connection, a friendship was already established, and she immediately felt comfortable and secure welcoming the elders into her home.

Week 2

7-13 September 2025

Our second week as missionaries was spent mostly at the MTC being trained on the office tasks we will do as the General Secretary (Sister Hoffer) and Finance Secretary (Elder Hoffer). Friday was our first day in the mission office.

Sunday

We had the opportunity to participate in our first great-grandchild's blessing. Her name is Ellie Lavon Reynolds, daughter of Parker and Alyssa (our granddaughter) Reynolds.

After sacrament meeting at the BYU married student ward, we went to the Missionary Training Center and enjoyed the large murals in buildings T3 and T4. Each mural has an associated scripture. Then we returned home and prepared for our weekly family Sunday dinner.

MTC Training

While last week's training focused on Preach My Gospel, this week's training focused on our office tasks. Our training was in separate classrooms. Sister Hoffer learned about General Secretary tasks and Elder Hoffer learned Financial Secretary tasks.

Monday

On Monday evening we attended a discussion given by Brother and Sister Taylor, a prior missionary office couple now assigned as senior missionary mentors. The title of their presentation was "Making the Office a Spiritual Experience." They gave us great advice on the finer points of being office missionaries.

Tuesday 

We got to tell another senior missionary couple about being in the MTC at the same time as our grandson because Cael showed up at our table during Tuesday lunch. That evening was the weekly MTC devotional. The general authority that spoke with his wife was Peter M. Johnson.

 Elder Johnson shared that he was a convert to the Church who later chose to serve a mission in the Alabama Birmingham Mission. One of his companions received a great deal of family support, and every single day letters arrived for him. Wanting to collect his mail as soon as possible, this companion insisted that they return home by 11:30 a.m. each day.

Day after day, Elder Johnson watched his companion open stacks of letters—from parents, siblings, and several different girlfriends. Meanwhile, Elder Johnson received no letters at all. This routine continued for quite some time, and the contrast became increasingly difficult for him.

Then one morning, when they returned home at 11:30 as usual, only one letter was waiting in the mailbox. It had no return address but was clearly addressed to Elder Peter M. Johnson. Excited, he ran upstairs, tore open the envelope, and began to read.

The letter was from his companion.

In that moment, Elder Johnson felt a change within himself. That simple act of kindness gave him the encouragement and strength he needed to carry on, and it became a turning point in his mission.

Wednesday

Wednesday was a full day of training. There were no extra meetings that evening so we enjoyed getting home early and the extra rest.

Thursday 

Thursday was a shorter review day. For the morning devotional, Brother and Sister Larsen, a prior missionary office couple showed pictures and told stories from their mission. We really enjoyed their presentation.

American Heritage School Students

Here are some pictures of Elder Hoffer's former students at American Heritage School that we bumped into at the MTC.

 

Our First Day on the Job

Friday was the first day at the mission office where we had a full day of one-on-one training. It was like drinking from a firehose. We will be replacing Elder and Sister Gerhart who are both excellent trainers.  There is so much to learn.

Uplifting Story

Here’s a story our young MTC trainer, Brother Easton Favila, shared with us.

He served his mission in Chile and loved it. But one transfer took him to a very remote area, deep in the forest, with only a few people nearby. For someone as outgoing as he is, this was especially difficult. He thrives in a crowd of hundreds, teaching and testifying of the gospel. But instead, he suddenly found himself in a tiny hut with few neighbors and only four members in the entire area.

Their hut had a single water tank outside, which they relied on for cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Since it was only refilled once a week, they had to carefully ration their water each day. The isolation and living conditions weighed heavily on him.

One day, feeling discouraged and wondering why the Lord had sent him to such a place, he found a quiet spot outside to pray. He poured out his heart: “Why am I here? What do you need me to do? I don’t think I can go on like this. I need you to speak to me!”

A clear impression came: “Read your scriptures.”

Frustrated, he returned to the hut. He had been reading and praying faithfully every day, trying his best to be exactly obedient, so the answer felt almost disappointing. Still, he opened his scriptures, and they fell to Doctrine and Covenants 100:3–5, 12

3 Behold, and lo, I have much people in this place, in the regions round about; and an effectual door shall be opened in the regions round about in this eastern land.

4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

12 Therefore, continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice; for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end.

Brother Favila said that from that moment on, he knew God was aware of him and his struggles. It became a turning point in his mission. With renewed faith, he pressed forward and was able to help bring several souls unto Christ.

Week 1

31 August - 6 September 2025

Our missionary experience began with our setting apart on Sunday. We checked into the MTC on Monday morning and spent the week attending Preach My Gospel (PMG) training. A big highlight of the week was finding our grandson Cael, who is at the MTC at the same time.

The Setting Apart

After a whirlwind experience of submitting our missionary paperwork, being offered an opportunity to be one of the office couples at the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission, meeting with the mission president and visiting the mission office, we were set apart on 31 August 2025 as full-time missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our whole family attended the setting apart in our stake offices.

Monday - Day 1

We arrived at the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) at 9:00 a.m. and in-processed. We were given our name tags, the first week's schedule, and security cards to allow us access through the MTC gate and into all the building. They also gave us several informational papers and maps of the MTC.

While digesting all the handouts, we chatted with a couple going to the Ivory Coast. They had previously done a document preserving mission to Sweden, so we talked about Swedish genealogy and learned about a book that has an index of Swedish deaths. We took a short walk around the campus and then sat in the lobby while waiting for lunch and talked to a couple from Arizona who is going to Boston. 

At lunch we met one of Elder Hoffer's students from the American Heritage School (AHS) and after lunch ran into four other elders who went to AHS and knew him.

At our first meeting as incoming senior missionaries, everyone introduced themselves, where they were from and where they were assigned. We estimated that there were about 150 missionaries, both couples and single seniors, that began their training with us. Afterwards the MTC presidency spoke. Then we were divided up into districts and met with our afternoon trainer who our granddaughter trained while on her mission in Arizona. What a coincidence.

The other couples in our district were Elder and Sister Otterson who were given a communications assignment in Europe, Elder and Sister Richardson who were assigned to serve in the Congo, and Elder and Sister Chipman who were assigned to serve in Toronto.

After a couple hours of PMG training we met back as a big group where the MTC senior missionary branch presidency spoke and district leaders were assigned. Our district leader was Elder Richardson.

Since we live close to the MTC, we did not have rooms at the MTC and traveled home after an exhausting day.

Tuesday - Day 2

When we arrived at the MTC, we took a different path to our classroom past a crowded line of elders and sisters in exercise clothing lined up to go in for breakfast. Our grandson Cael saw us first and ran to greet us. What a wonderful meeting. Of course we gave him hugs which technically might be against the rules, but we didn't know (and still are fuzzy about it).

The morning classes last for almost 4 hours. Our PMG training was on the plan of salvation. We also had a meeting with the Elder and Sister Wooley, a couple from another district that we practiced teaching with. We did more practice scenarios with our district members and then went to lunch. We looked for Cael, but did not see him.

Afternoon classes were on asking questions and listening. We met with the Wooleys again and practiced these skills.

At dinner we ran into Cael again. Cael's companion took our picture. What you don't see in the picture is the 2,000 missionaries standing in line to get their dinner. The young missionaries are kind enough to let the senior missionaries butt in line. After dinner we went to choir practice for an hour. The director was awesome. Elder Hoffer likes to sing, but Sister Hoffer also participated, and not only because it guaranteed her a seat for the devotional that followed. There were many who had to view the devotional from an overflow location.

Elder Pedro X. Larreal and his wife spoke at the devotional. The choir did fantastic. Afterwards, we did a recap session with our district which was visited by the MTC senior missionary branch president.

We finally got home about 9:30 p.m. after a long day.

Wednesday - Day 3

In the morning, we learned about extending invitations to investigators (friends), scheduling your day and using your time wisely, and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At lunch, we ran into Cael again. We really enjoy being in the MTC with him at the same time.

After lunch, Sister Hoffer learned how to post on Facebook and Elder Hoffer learned about teaching with young missionaries. Together, we had lessons on being a disciple of Jesus Christ and then we prepared our lesson that we were to teach to the Wooleys.

We needed more time to prepare this lesson (and we were so tired from the day before) so we skipped the evening "fireside" and went home. After we ate, and rested, we researched some articles and quotes for our lesson with the Wooleys. We got to be later than planned, but we were prepared for the next day.

Thursday - Day 4

Training began at 8:00 a.m. as usual. Our PGM topics were Using the Power of the Book of Mormon and Relying on the Spirit. We had elective classes next, and we both chose to learn how to better use the church's library app. We learned things like bookmarks, notebooks, and links. We did not see Cael at lunch and afterwards the PGM topics were Teach to Build Faith in Jesus Christ and Christlike Attributes.

Inspirational Story

Elder Otterman, a member of our district, told a great story about and interview he did with the BBC.

We gave our final role play lesson to the Wooleys and enjoyed their lesson to us. Finally, Otto and Randi (my sister and her husband) invited us to dinner. We ate Chinese at a restaurant in the Riverwoods shopping complex.

Friday - Day 5

Friday was a shorter day. We finished up with our PMG training in the morning and in the afternoon we were given a really good briefing on missionary safety and security.

Next week begins mission office training.