Thank you to Elder and Sister Maltba for sharing their story with us while they serve the Lord in Wyoming. As you read, you will feel their appreciation for the pioneers that traveled through this consecrated land. We love the Maltbas and are so proud of their service to the Lord!
Tell us about your mission, your assignment, and the people that you meet in your assignment.
Our mission is a historic site mission. A few years ago, its operation was moved from the missionary department to the historic department. This means it is not a proselyting mission but we are allowed to answer gospel questions asked of us. Our purpose is to help the site and its history speak for itself and help visitors access the spirit that is felt here. We have people who come here just to sit in their car or big rig truck because they can feel the spirit that is here. Most visitors are members but some nonmembers come for just its history and some go away having been touched by the spirit and wanting to know why it feels different here. Yesterday Sister Maltba was asked by a visitor from Michigan for a list of books to read to learn more because she was so touched just by going through the visitors center.
This is a “working mission” meaning we do lots of physical labor in the maintenance and upgrading of the property. We tear down things and build things. Coming up soon is the construction of a 100 foot pole barn. We use heavy equipment such as tractors, backhoes and road graders. We come home every day exhausted. Two or three days per week are working days, the others are visitor center days. This mission property also has a working cattle ranch of 1,200-1,500 cattle as part of Desert Industries welfare program. Professional cowboys employed by the church are routinely seen working the herd. This mission is perhaps unlike any other mission. Our mission attire is certainly unique. We wear a suit and tie only for church or staffing the visitors center on Sunday. The other days are “trail dress” for working in the visitors center or “blues” for our workdays which are blue jeans with blue shirt or blue overalls with a blue shirt.
What led you to the decision to go on a mission?
We met while serving as young missionaries in London, England and were each so impressed with the senior missionaries, we and other missionaries talked about how someday we wanted to be like them. From the earliest days in our marriage we set the goal to be senior missionaries and our children all grew up hearing us talk about it regularly. In years past, senior missionaries had little to no choice about where and how long they served but today the need for senior missionaries is so great the church has adapted and given those wanting to serve much choice on where and how long they want to serve. We were surprised at the vastness of the missions to choose from.
Once you decided that you wanted to pursue a senior mission, what steps did you need to take to make it happen? Did you select your mission in Wyoming? If so, why?
For us the decision was made years before. We think for others, and from talking to some we serve with, the hardest part was actually making the firm decision to go. After the decision is made in earnest the other parts involved will begin to fall in place. Our children needed to be independent and we had to be free from other family responsibilities such as the daily care for someone else. We also needed to be retired or able to sustain ourselves for 6-23 months before returning to work. We asked to serve at Martins Cove because we were so impressed with the spirit of the place when we visited a few years ago. 12 of the 14 couples serving here this year asked to serve here.
What advice do you have for members of the stake that are contemplating serving a senior mission?
Do it! Start getting ready now, because we are only getting older and putting off the decision too long will eventually place it out of reach. The application process is more involved for seniors because of health and family concerns. Don’t wait until things are perfect, they never are. Go to the church web site and look through all the possibilities. We promise you will be amazed at all the opportunities and choices. Don’t think you are too young or too old . We received our call when we were 57 and 60 and one couple is younger than us. There are two couples here who are 75, 4 couples over 70. If possible, be debt free or have your bills in a manageable state. If you serve where housing is cost prohibitive the church does help with costs in those areas. If health insurance is a concern the church also has health coverage available for purchase while you serve. As senior missionaries you choose how long and usually where you serve. Our mission to Martins Cove is only a 6 month mission but we were just asked to extend an additional year so we can be the trainers for next years missionaries who will serve here. If you have the desire, you are called to the work. We hope by our serving a senior mission that other couples will also serve.
Were there any fears that you had when you were considering serving a mission that you found were simply not warranted or melted away after you began serving?
This mission is a “working mission” and we had concerns about being able to do the physical work. We come home exhausted every day but our strength and stamina is also growing daily. We knew this was how it would be when we applied and we still chose to come here. Not all missions are like this and that is the joy of senior missions because of how much choice is given. Our Mission President was discussing this and explained this is not factory work and we are not expected to do more than we are able. “If you need a nap, take a nap” he said; and some do! Leaving children and grandchildren was hard, but it’s only for a short while. It is a privilege to serve and the time passes quickly.
How has the mission blessed your life?
We have grown closer being able to devote all our time to something we are both fully invested in and want to be doing. Also, we have already seen blessings given to our family and extended family. We are more active, healthier and busy enough we have both lost 15 pounds in 2 months, and that’s a good thing! We feel very blessed to be asked to extend a year to become the trainers, turning our 6 month mission into 18 months. We are expecting 45 couples next year because treks will resume and we are so excited to be with the youth for their treks on these sacred grounds. One of the greatest spiritual blessings is to be surrounded by all of these wonderful people we get to work with who come from diverse backgrounds and have so much spiritual experience, especially our Mission President and his wife. We have learned and are learning so much! We cannot encourage you strongly enough to serve as senior missionaries.
What are 2 or 3 highlights from your mission so far?
Our “field day” training took us to the actual places where the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies crossed rivers, camped, suffered, prayed for rescue and were indeed rescued. The wagon tracks of western migrants are still visible in many places including here on our mission grounds. We see them daily. The opening of the visitors center was a highlight because we got to speak to many people daily about the historical significance of this site which is what we came to do. The spirit is so strong here. This is a special place. Words cannot describe how we and the other missionaries have had our bodies quickened and we have been physically protected during some of our work. This is only something you will understand when you have experienced it. You have got to serve a senior mission.
What are you most looking forward to eating, doing, seeing, etc. when you get back home to the Hickory Stake?
We are looking forward to seeing our children and grandchildren and spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with them. We also look forward to spending time with our friends in the ward, stake, and community. It will also be great to get out on our boat on Lake Hickory and relax. We look forward to eating livermush, Bojangles, and family meals that our sons-in-law cook at their homes. We are big fans of high school and middle school sports and plan to spend a lot of time in their stadiums and gyms cheering the students on and eating concessions!!!
