Monday, March 12 we had the El Dorado and Elk Grove Zones come to our P Day activity.
It is so fun to see them gather and greet old friends and companions they haven't seen for a while.
Next up: Reverse Charades, where everyone on the team acts out the word or phrase and only one person tries to guess. Seeing them try to act out Mount Rushmore was a hoot.
And finally, a very competitive game of Ship Wreck
The following three pictures are each group trying to depict David and Goliath!
Scott's favorite command in Shipwreck is Roll Call where they have to line up, salute and yell Aye, Aye Captian!
In between these two P Day activities, we also had two Zone Conferences. Wednesday, March 14 we were in Sacramento with the Sacramento, East Sac, Cordova and Elk Grove Zones. It was a big day, we had trainings in the morning. I titled my training, 'By their fruits ye shall know them.' As we really become these Christlike attributes, we become the message and people will see us and know from which tree we come. Christ is the vine and we are the branches and as we abide in Christ and He in us we are able to bring forth good fruit. (John 15:5) We talked about the fruits we have gained as we have studied the Christlike attributes of Faith, Hope and Charity and how they can help us help others around us. Scott talked about the Christlike attribute of Virtue and how we usually think of virtue as purity, which it is, but virtue is also goodness and virtue is a principle of spiritual power. The assistants then led some role plays and we had a delicious lunch by the Hmong ward. After lunch we had departing testimonies from those going home this transfer, the assistants trained on working with members and then they made a video introducing the safeguard for technology training the zones were breaking out to do. They had contacted former missionaries and had them send in videos of themselves talking about how safeguards have helped them after their missions. It was a surprise to us, and we got choked up more than once as we watched some of our wonderful former missionaries on the video. We love and miss them a lot. After that, we had a break out for the zones where they zone leadership did training for half of the time, and they all got new smartphones for the other half of the time. We are now a smartphone mission. Since we already had tablets I think our missionaries are used to following the safeguards and will be just fine with the new smartphones. We have just stressed that the Lord and the brethren trust them enough to give them a tool that will help them in their work.
Cordova Zone
Sacramento Zone
Elk Grove Zone
East Sac Zone
Some of our Senior Missionaries
Singing to and thanking the wonderful people who feed us!
Other pictures from lunch. We love being together
We were back at it the next day, Thursday, March 15 in Folsom. Same trainings, different faces. This time we had the Folsom, El Dorado, North Sac and Carmichael Zones.
North Sacramento Zone
El Dorado Zone
Folsom Zone
Carmichael Zone
Half time huddle up with our assistants, Elder Murphy and Elder Yorgasen
Elder Thomas' stories always make everyone laugh
I don't know what we were looking at, but I kind of love that Patrick Twomey snapped a picture of this moment
On Saturday Scott had to do some interviews, but I was able to attend the baptism for the family that we were able to teach with Sister Koller and Sister Sherman about a month ago. Michelle, Natalie, Christina and Delares were so prepared and excited for their baptism. As we taught them last month there was an amazing spirit in their home. I was so happy to be able to witness their baptisms and I am so grateful that they are now on the covenant path back to our Heavenly Father.
It's been pretty rainy here for the past few weeks, but it has made everything so beautiful. #lovewhereyoulive
As beautiful as the rain has made it, it makes it a little difficult for our missionaries, especially those in bike only areas. But, they are so faithful and get out there on their bikes every. single. day! Someone snapped a picture of Elder Chen and Elder Gubbins on their bikes one rainy day and it made us so grateful and proud.
One afternoon Scott had to go to the office for an interview and I was with him, so while he was in the interview I had a few minutes to sit with Sister Gunnell and exchange some pictures and have a little girl chat. It seemed like old times, except we were sitting on a couch in Carmichael California, both wearing skirts and name tags, instead of being on my couch in Centerville. But it was awesome and what we both needed.
And finally, we were so blessed to get two new elders here yesterday. Elder Betzsold and Elder Raza are Hmong speaking missionaries and since they only teach Hmong in the MTC four times a year, our Hmong speaking missionaries come in, usually a week before our regular transfer schedule. We picked them up at the airport, grabbed them some food and brought them back to the office where Scott interviewed them and then they met the only other two Hmong speaking missionaries we have here. Not much of a surprise who their companions are going to be. They are going to be fabulous missionaries and we are thrilled to have them here.
Elder Raza Elder Betzsold
l-r: Elder Pitcher and Elder Perry (who don't speak Hmong, but have been drafted into the program since we have two Hmong wards and only two Hmong speakers). Elder Kemp (who has been here 14 weeks and will be the senior Hmong speaker in just a few weeks) Elder Betzsold, Elder Raza and Elder Thomas (who will be leaving in April).
We are preparing for transfers next week so we have another full week ahead. We can't wait to get our next group of missionaries here next Monday.
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