Who will ever forget Elder and Sister Winter? The following is something I wrote after having attended a baptism service where Elder Winter performed the baptism:

Elder Lewis Winter and Sister Joyce Winter are serving as missionaries in the California Fresno Mission. They are currently assigned to the Riverside Ward of the Fresno CA West Stake. Throughout the day, Elder and Sister Winter visit with, call, write e‐mails or letters to visit members, less‐actives, or non-members who are investigating the church. Once a week they attend a district meeting where they work on their teaching skills with other, younger missionaries in the district and receive instruction from their district leader. In the evenings they teach from Preach My Gospel to members, less actives or non-members who readily welcome them into their homes. At the end of the day, they return to their home across town; it’s the home they’ve lived in for over twenty years. Elder and Sister Winter are live‐at‐home full time missionaries. Recently, Elder Winter contacted a member to set up an appointment to teach the missionary lessons to a family member who is not a member of the church. At the appointed hour in the evening, Elder and Sister Winter were greeted at the door by a surprised member who had not yet met the Winters. The member expected two much younger missionaries at the doorstep. Instead, the member saw Elder Winter, 80 years old, standing at the door with the aid of a cane. At his side, was his eternal missionary companion of 57 years, Sister Winter, using a walker. Both smiled, greeted the member, and asked if they could come in.  

This is not Elder and Sister Winter’s first mission. They served as presidents, in a sense, of a small missionary training center – in their home, as they raised seven children – all who served full time missions. Many of their twenty‐seven grandchildren have served full time missions. With their energy, Elder and Sister Winter might very well see some of their five (and soon to be eight) great grandchildren serve full time missions. Elder Winter’s first mission was to New Zealand in 1948. Fifty years later, in 1998, he and Sister Winter returned to New Zealand as a missionary couple. Upon their return, they decided to serve again and in 2002 they received another call to serve in South Carolina. They love missionary work and in 2007 they were called again, to serve as full‐time live‐at‐home missionaries.  

It’s not hard to understand why Elder and Sister Winter love to proclaim the Gospel. They feel as the four sons of Mosiah felt, who after understanding the Atonement, labored for years to bring others to Christ because they cannot bear the thought that any soul should perish (Mosiah 28:3). They have a zest for life and they know the joy of the Gospel – and they desire to share that. To everyone they meet, Elder Winter shoves a tootsie roll into their hand and says, “here, you need some strength.” It brings a smile to someone who would otherwise feel down and hearts are softened which allows a message to be shared. There is literally no one who comes in contact with Elder and Sister Winter who is not taught a Gospel message and invited to hear more. Before departing any setting or at the conclusion of their weekly missionary letter to their mission president, Elder and Sister Winter always admonishes, “Keep smiling and have an awesome day!” An individual is left feeling the love of God in their life, smiles, and then proceeds to have a great day.

At their age, health is a concern. But that doesn’t stop their enthusiasm for the message they deliver. In the middle of a recent zone conference, Elder Winter took ill. Several missionaries helped him out of the room so he could lie down on a couch in the Church foyer. Sister Winter, his companion, was with him. A call to 911 dispatched an ambulance to the Church where the zone conference was being held. While they waited for the arrival of the ambulance, the other missionaries in the zone conference knelt together to offer a prayer on behalf of Elder and Sister Winter. The missionaries love Elder and Sister Winter and their concern for their well being was evident. Zone conference proceeded as planned while an emergency crew of six individuals arrived to administer medical assistance. Ever the missionary, Elder Winter engaged the emergency crew in a gospel discussion, asking one crew member whether she believed in God and attended church. He then invited her to the meetinghouse the following Sunday. The emergency crew addressed him as Elder Winter and decided he needed to be taken to the hospital emergency room. They helped him onto a gurney. As they started to roll him out the building Elder Winter held his hands up, formed a “T” with both hands, and said, “timeout, I need a blessing.” The emergency crew sensed what he was asking for and they quietly backed away to allow him privacy so others could administer. Elder Winter said, “no, don’t back away, stick around if you want to see a miracle!” Elder Winter was taken to the emergency room and his companion stayed with him. Tests were performed, procedures completed, and he remained for hours while being monitored. Taking full advantage of the situation, Elder and Sister Winter engaged in a gospel discussion with the man in the bed next to them in the emergency room. The entire first lesson out of Preach My Gospel was given. The man confided that he had a desire to change his life after years of poor choices and invited Elder and Sister Winter to visit him when both got out of the hospital.  

This missionary companionship is a mission president’s dream. Priesthood leaders, at first skeptical of how effective Elder and Sister Winter might be to aid in their ward’s missionary effort, quickly learn how amazing they are. Leaders resist efforts to have them transferred out of the ward. Elder and Sister Winter’s capacity to love and the power of that love radiates from their entire beings. They exemplify the scriptural admonition to “strengthen [their] brethren in all [their conversation, in all [their prayers, in all [their] exhortations, and in all [their] doings. (D&C 108:7) They touch the hearts of members, less actives, and non-members and teach with power and conviction the message of the Restoration. Younger missionaries love to be around them and say, “when I grow up, I want to be like Elder and Sister Winter.”  Like Joshua of old, Elder and Sister Winter proclaim, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15)  


Elder and Sister Winter know their purpose as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints – to invite others unto Christ through faith in Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. With that purpose engraved in their hearts, they taught Scott and Yen Beal. Scott was less active and Yen was not a member of the Church. There was nothing more beautiful than to witness Yen’s baptismal service. Members of the ward were there to support Scott and Yen on this important day. Many had fellowshipped Yen and helped in Scott’s reactivation. The service was simple. Those assembled sang an opening hymn and an invocation was offered. A short, powerful message regarding the importance of baptism was given. Then, an eighty‐year old full‐time missionary, dressed in white, hobbled slowly into the baptismal font. He helped Yen, also dressed in white, into the font. Calling her by name, Elder Winter repeated the prayer of the ordinance that he has performed many times in his life. When he finished, he lowered Yen completely under the water and gently brought her out. He helped Yen out of the font into receiving arms and he hobbled out of the font, grabbed his cane, and went to change his clothing. The room was quiet. There was a reverence felt by everyone recognizing the significance of that moment. At the conclusion of the service and after members congratulated the newest member of their ward, people returned to their homes. Elder and Sister Winter made their way to the car – Elder Winter supported by his cane and Sister Winter using her walker. Before they left, they shook the hand of their mission president, thanked him for attending, and with a twinkle in their eyes, admonished him to “keep smiling, and have an awesome day!”