Elder Jepsen Goes to Washington

The Washington Spokane Mission (marked in green). 

The moment has come and Elder Jepsen is now not only on a mission but a missionary in the Washington Spokane Mission. The mission boundaries include portions of Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, Canada. 

Mission President and Sister Palmer with Elder Jepsen.

Upon arrival, Elder Jepsen was welcomed by Mission President and Sister Palmer (here shown in front of the Spokane Washington Temple). 

Elder Taylor and Elder Jepsen.

Elder Jepsen was assigned to work with Elder Taylor, who will be teaching Elder Jepsen how things are done and they will be working in the Moses Lake, Washington area. 

Moses Lake, Washington.

Moses Lake, Washington.

Moses Lake, Washington is a small city in Grant County with a population of approximately 20,000 people. 


This is the real thing. Elder Jepsen is on a mission to share the gospel. He will be spending every day in the service of our Lord, sharing a message of faith and hope. He'll spend every day prayerfully, to most effectively find and teach the people in the Washington Spokane Mission because this is what God has called him to do. 


Elder Jepsen is not doing this because it is easy or because it's fun, he's not doing it for entertainment or gain and is not expecting anything in return. Certainly, missionaries are blessed for their dedication and effort but being a missionary is hard work. The effort shown by these young people known as missionaries, Sisters and Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is both admirable and  commendable. Missionaries all deserve our respect, help and prayers, every day. We can't all be on missions all the time but our prayers and support can be with those that are out there as missionaries, those preparing to go on missions and those returning home from missions. Invite the missionaries into your homes, make them feel welcome and you'll be inviting God's Spirit into your home. Share the missionaries with your friends, you'll be glad you did.

The Denmark Copenhagen Mission

President Jens H Andersen and Sister Susanne D C Andersen  

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, missionary work naturally becomes a significant factor as the members want others to share in what has brought about changes in their own lives, for the better. According to 2010 statistics the church had 14,131,467 members around the world and included in that number was 52,483 missionaries distributed in 340 missions around the world. A great portion of those numbers can be attributed to missionaries serving on missions.


The Denmark Copenhagen Mission traces its humble beginning back to when Denmark in 1849 was allowed religious freedom. Missionary work officially began on June 14 1850, when Erastus Snow arrived and began serving as Denmark's first missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.


Less than two months after the arrival of Erastus Snow the first 15 people were baptized on August 12 in Oresund (the strait separating Denmark and Sweden). The first congregation was established September 15 that same year with approximately 50 members.


Peter O. Hansen had already begun translating the Book of Mormon in Nauvoo before departing for Denmark, allowing the completion and publishing already in 1851. Known as "Mormons Bog," this was the first translation from English to a foreign language of the Book of Mormon .


As missionary work spread through Denmark, persecution increased. The church was not understood or appreciated by all, in Aalborg a mob vandalized a hall where the members were meeting in 1851. Soon members began to emigrate, the first left January 31, 1852. Of the 26.000 people who were converted during this period, 13.984 converts immigrated to the United States by 1930. 


Today the Denmark Copenhagen Mission serves the areas of Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Most of the currently 72 (Dec 2011) missionaries are in the ares of Denmark and Iceland. Occasionally missionaries get to visit or are stationed on Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The Denmark Copenhagen Mission President Jens Hjarup Andersen and Sister Susanne Duus Christensen Andersen, of the Allerod Ward, Copenhagen Denmark Stake, began their mission back in 2010 and will be serving until 2013. Their family includes five children.

President Andersen was born in Helleruplund, Denmark, to Poul Borge and Kirsten Hjarup Andersen. He has in the past served as a Stake President, Stake Young Men President, Bishop and Counselor, Stake Mission President, Ward Mission Leader, missionary in the England Bristol Mission and as Coordinator in the Church Educational System.


Sister Andersen was born in in Helleruplund, Denmark  to Karl Johan Duus and Elisabeth Conradsen Christensen. She has in the past served as a Relief Society President's Counselor, Young Women President and Counselor, Primary president's Counselor and Young Women's  President's counsellor.


Sources:
Denmark Copenhagen Mission
Translation Division, Copenhagen Denmark
Deseret News Church Almanac
http://www.mormon.dk/
http://newsroom.lds.org/
http://lds.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missionary_(LDS_Church)

President & Sister Howell at the Nauvoo President's Conference

President and Sister Howell preside over the missionaries in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission and have given up their time, vocation and money to organize, maintain and improve the efforts of the many Sisters and Elders serving in the mission.

President and Sister Howell have already served a little over a year of their three year mission. Sister Howell has resently begun a great mission blog, where she shares news from the whole mission at: http://mmmmiracles.blogspot.com/

Here they are at the Nauvoo President's Conference.