Ammon has felt very blessed and privileged to undertake a service mission. For a long time, he felt he would never serve a mission, as he was unable to serve a teaching mission. However, he now felt the Lord had prepared him to serve, by letting him study first.
Following his university experience, he heard that service missions had become available to young people in the United Kingdom (from June 2020). It was life-changing for him; he had to think a lot about it, but sometimes when a door is closed, the Lord will open a window. After three days he felt the Spirit tell him that he should take the opportunity, as he was needed.
Brother Obando Vindas, Area Planning Manager in the Frankfurt Area Office, said that the personnel department announced that young service missionaries were going to be called to service in Europe and some would serve in Europe Area offices.
A request was placed for a service missionary to help Area Planning manage its statistical data. That is how Elder Ammon Hutchinson from the Merthyr Tydfil Stake, Wales became part of the team. He inquired about the scope of his assignment, and the tools and training available for him to be able to carry out his expected duties. He took online Excel training that prepared him for his service.
Elder Hutchinson has had various assignments over the last nine months, including working for the Europe Area offices. One project involves the data entry of statistical information, such as the number of members in Europe. He is finding it interesting to see the growth patterns throughout Europe, and how the Church has been changing over time. What has assisted him in the work for these projects is access to software and other types of training courses. He has learned so much from the courses, and has been able to complete the tasks to a high standard and in a manner suited to his pace. He is grateful for the support he has received from Brother Vindas, with his insights and ability to improve the presentations of the data.
He has been a great help and a joyful person to work with! He continues to learn and improve his skills; the next step is getting specific online training to allow interactive data analyses for managers and leaders in the area office.
Brother Vindas commented that what is most amazing about the service missionary programme, is how it blesses both the missionary and those who receive his or her service. These young service missionaries are becoming aware of their worth and capabilities, developing abilities they did not have, which strengthen their self-awareness and open doors of opportunity in their lives.
Elder Hutchinson commented that he has seen the Lord’s hand in his progress as a missionary and as a person. The Lord has been moulding him into the person he wants him to be, while teaching him skills that relate to the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual aspects of his life. He understands more about the Saviour, even though he feels he is unable to comprehend all that He has done for him, “I testify that He lives, and He loves us more than we have the capacity to know in this life. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Him and my fellow men and know that serving others as the Saviour would, brings us true joy.”