To Brianne... Our Awesome Missionary!!!

Dear Brianne,

I am so excited for you to serve your mission.  What a tremendous blessing it is to serve our Heavenly Father.  After all he has done for each one of us, it is a privilege to share the gospel with others.

Katherine and I work with the Young Single Adults just like you in our stake.  We teach and plead with them to pursue one of three options in life.  We call it the 3M plan...

1.  Mission
2.  Means (Education or Training)
3.  Marriage

You have done all the right things by choosing to further your education and now serve a mission.  You make us all proud by choosing the right and doing those things which the prophets teach us will bring lasting happiness in our lives.

My service for you Brianne has been to recommit to helping our YSA in the stake to serve full time missions.  I used to teach a Mission Prep course when I was the Stake YM President.  Since our calling has changed to YSA, that Mission Prep course has fallen by the wayside.  I am starting the class again in January to help prepare our YSA to be the best missionaries they can be.

I want to share with you and our YSA the one key to missionary work.  If you want to be successful and reach the full measure of your missionary service, you must abide by this one key... OBEDIENCE!!!  If you obey ALL the mission rules, you will be find joy in your service.  If you are disobedient, you will not reach your full potential.  Obey the mission rules regardless if you like them or not.  Obey them regardless if you think they are stupid or not.  When you obey, you are eligible for all the blessing of heaven.  When you disobey, you basically are on your own.  True happiness comes from obedience.  This principle is relevant throughout our entire lives.

Lastly, some of us participated in a family "Biggest Loser" competition the past few months.  I was lucky enough to win by a very SLIM margin (no pun intended LOL).  Katherine and I decided a while ago that if I was the winner that I would donate my winnings to your mission fund.  So I am excited to tell you that we are sending you a check for the winnings!  Every missionary can use a little extra cash!!!

We love you Brianne and you are an excellent example to our kids.  Maisie, Lydia and Andrew are watching everything their older cousins do... so keep up the good work!!!

Love Uncle Ben...