Before Arriving in Guatemala - Larry’s Family, Retirement, & Medical; The Call, Salt Lake Temple Training, the Flight

Missionary Minded

We, Babette and Larry Jenson, had always wanted to serve a mission for the Church in our latter years. We felt it was the Lord’s will that we go. The Church is true, so let’s all dig in help it move forward! It’s the kingdom of God on the earth.
Going on missions has been a family affair in Larry’s family...

Retirement
Larry retired from full-time employment in 2015, when he turned 65, and was working part-time in the business that he created. 

Babette retired from teaching piano and music theory in our home after 37 years.

Some Major Medical to be Done
In June, 2015, and June, 2016, a surgeon repaired three aneurysms in Larry’s lower arteries, in two surgeries.     


$$$ & Qualifications
We had saved every dollar of our modest parental inheritances in 2007 to pay for our missions. We determined we could afford a mission for 18 months in a lower-cost mission. We downloaded the Church’s senior missionary application form from LDS.org on Jan. 10, 2017. We determined we would ask for a mission in a Spanish-speaking country, which would be cheaper than any mission in Canada or the U.S.  Our qualifications? Larry had served a mission using Spanish, Babette had a recent degree in family history from BYU, and both of us had solid experience working in a temple. 


Our health care providers put us through the rigorous medical and dental tests and procedures, in January, February and March, to complete the Church application requirements. 

Worthiness

Church headquarters received our mission application on April 23. 
Our mission assignment was made by Church leaders in Salt Lake City on May 16, according to Stake executive secretary Leon Davidsen. 

The Call Letter
We received the mission call letter on May 24. Babette opened the envelope in the company of our three children and six of their eight offspring. It said we were going to serve full time, for 18 months, in the Guatemala City Temple. We were very happy with the call. 
More Preparations

Home watch... We found someone to live in our Calgary home for 18 months. He is a retired city police officer and a temple worker. Superb qualifications for house sitting, we thought! A divorce had left him homeless. Instead of buying a residence for himself, he felt the need to help others go on senior LDS missions. Thank you Fred! This is a photo of our home in Calgary....



Visa to Guatemala... We had our fingerprints taken electronically. We sent them to Ottawa, Ontario, for scrutiny by the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Canada’s FBI). After determining we were not wanted criminals, they sent to us a certificate confirming that finding. We sent that document back to Ottawa for further authorization, this time to the Canada’s External Affairs department and, in turn, to the Guatemalan embassy. We hired an agency to perform that step for us. They sent all documents to us, which we forwarded to the Missionary Department of the Church. They would complete for us the procedures to secure a visa. 
Immunizations... We were inoculated against the following: ... to fulfill a requirement by the Missionary Department, 
Clothing... We purchased extra sets of temple and casual clothing, as suggested by the Missionary Department. 
Food removal... We gave to our children our two-year supply of emergency food, to eliminate the possibility of spoilage while we were gone. They also got what was remaining in our refrigerator, and in our vegetable garden. 
Dissolve our businesses...Babette gave away her piano and music theory students to other teachers. Larry sold his Larry Laundry business. 

Training in the Salt Lake Temple
August 13-16, 2017




The flight to Guatemala





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