Elder Simeon Lovell, Guyanese son of Ed and Linda
Sappington, arrived home to St. George from two years of fulltime missionary
service in the Georgia Atlanta Mission on Thursday, March 10. Serving as both a District Leader and a Zone
Leader under two mission presidents, Elder Lovell calls his time in Atlanta “life-changing,”
“testimony building” and “transforming” in numerous ways. “I thought I knew how to love my brothers and
sisters before but through my missionary service, the Lord
has shown me a better way.”
GAM President David Foote wrote, in a letter to Sister Sappington, "It has been a great privilege for Sister Foote and me to serve with Elder Lovell here in the Georgia Atlanta Mission. He has done hard things during his time in Georgia and you should be proud of the manner in which he just kept putting one foot in front of the other with great faith, humble prayer, dedication and love on days when it was just plain hard. The good news is those days were quickly forgotten and Elder Lovell was only strengthened because of all the great miracles he witnessed and helped to facilitate. His mission will be the foundation of the Christ-like attributes of Charity and Obedience as he has learned to follow the Spirit and lose himself in finding the Lord.
GAM President David Foote wrote, in a letter to Sister Sappington, "It has been a great privilege for Sister Foote and me to serve with Elder Lovell here in the Georgia Atlanta Mission. He has done hard things during his time in Georgia and you should be proud of the manner in which he just kept putting one foot in front of the other with great faith, humble prayer, dedication and love on days when it was just plain hard. The good news is those days were quickly forgotten and Elder Lovell was only strengthened because of all the great miracles he witnessed and helped to facilitate. His mission will be the foundation of the Christ-like attributes of Charity and Obedience as he has learned to follow the Spirit and lose himself in finding the Lord.
"Conversion is continual, and when I had the opportunity to interview Elder Lovell as he prepares to leave, I invitedhim to continue to feast upon the words of Christ and to always pray to be led to the truth as he returns home and continues to serve the Lord and learn of Him.
"Elder Lovell has not just served a mission but he has faithfully served the Lord Jesus Christ and become more like Him. Thank you for sharing Elder Lovell with us. We love him now and will always love him."
What’s next for Brother Lovell now that he has taken off his black name tag? “I need to get my GED so I can go on to
school and I have a couple of good prospects for fulltime employment,” states
the convert who joined the church in Guyana, South America with his identical twin at age 13. “Of
course, I’m also counting down the days until my brother comes home, too." (Selwin Lovell is currently serving in the Mississippi Jackson Mission
and due to be released on April 13).
The Georgia Atlanta Mission is one of three missions
in the “Peach“ state – Atlanta, Atlanta North and Macon – where 82,857 members live and
serve in 151 wards and branches. The Atlanta Temple became the first temple
built in the Southern states when it was dedicated in 1983.
“Well done, thy
good and faithful” Elder Lovell … and welcome back to the B7 Ward.
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