Zone Conference and Miracles

We always ask our missionaries to expect, look for and share their miracles with us, so I am starting this blog post off with one of my own.  

On Thursday night we went teaching with two of our Hermanas.  They were teaching a man who had many questions and, since Scott speaks Spanish they thought it might be helpful to have him there to answer some of his questions about the priesthood, etc.  Thursday had been a good, but long day, we had a full day of zone conference and then Scott had interviews until the time of the teaching lesson, and I had 24 emails to get sent off to new missionary parents, so we were running to meet at the appointment.  As I was leaving the house I grabbed my well marked Book of Mormon to take with me instead of a blue copy.  Last week we went teaching with a different set of Hermanas and I didn't take it with me because I thought the entire lesson would be in Spanish but it wasn't. The family we taught spoke English and I was able to teach and contribute and the entire time I was wishing I had my well marked scriptures to help me find scriptures I wanted to share, and know exactly where they are in my set of scriptures. So this time I was going to be prepared.  We got to the appointment and, unfortunately for me, the man spoke NO English.  And, as a side note, the apartment was about 1000 degrees.  And he had a million questions, so it was quite a long lesson.  By the time it was over, I hadn't understood much of anything and I was melting and ready to get home.  

Friday morning we had to leave the house early and I was going to do my scripture study when we got home, because we are doing 3 workshops today at a regional YSA conference and we needed to come home and prepare in the afternoon, because we haven't had any time before then.   (as a side note, that is another miracle, that we are speaking at a regional YSA conference, and at a Stake Conference on Sunday and were able to prepare for both in about an hour, the day before.  Heavenly Father is SO blessing us!)  

I finally got a chance to start preparing and went to get my scriptures and I couldn't find them anywhere.  I searched our house and I searched my car and they were no where to be found.  I was sick to my stomach.  At that time, I couldn't really remember where I had them last, we had zone conference yesterday and I knew I had them there, but I didn't know if I had left them there.  I rechecked the house and the cars, Scott rechecked the house and the cars and they were not here.  I went in my bedroom and said a prayer.  I told Heavenly Father that most of my possessions I could replace, but my Book of Mormon is not one of them.  I have had this set for at least 10 years and have 10 years of markings and notes.  Every time we are in a meeting and I am asked to bear my testimony I just open my scriptures and thumb through until I find a note that seems applicable and I can just teach and testify from what I find.  I told Heavenly Father I didn't know how I could do this mission without my scriptures.  I then remembered that I had taken it with me to the teaching appointment so I called Hermana Alexander and Hermana Hernandez and asked them if they could call their investigator or drop by to see if I had left them there.  

I texted my family and had them all say a prayer that I could find my scriptures and then I waited.  At about 7 we still hadn't heard from the Hermanas and so Scott, Ethan and I decided to start heading that direction, we were just getting on the freeway when they called and were so excited to tell me that they had my Book of Mormon and we could meet them at a church to pick it up.  I was so grateful, we said a prayer of gratitude right there in the car (Scott didn't close his eyes).  It was a miracle to me that I even remembered taking it with me, and that they were able to get a hold of the investigator and that he was able to find it in his apartment.  And that I was able to get it before I had to speak today and tomorrow.  My kids all told me they never took their good scriptures teaching with them, and that is a good lesson learned.  

        My angels who found my scriptures                          I didn't get the dress in gray or black memo

The past week or so we were also able to finish the interviews with all of the missionaries.  It was a wonderful experience to get to spend one on one time with each missionary in our mission and get to know them, to hear of their miracles, and the love they have for the Lord and for this work. They are remarkable and inspire me on a daily basis.  

We were also able to have 7 out of the 8 Stake Presidents in our mission and their wives to dinner at our home last Saturday night, along with our Area Seventy, Elder Dorias.  It was such a fun night, and they were all so great.  All of the wives just came in and pitched right in to help me in the kitchen and we had so much fun.  I miss my friends and it was good for my heart to have my kitchen full of women working and chatting, like I have done so many times with my friends at home.  I am anxious to get to know all of them better.  

The main focus of this week has been on our zone conferences.  We have a fairly small mission, with only about 130 missionaries, and it is small geographically, and so we were able to combine 4 zones each day and have 2 days of zone conferences.  We loved it.  Anytime we are able to be around the missionaries and feel of their spirit is such a boost to us.  We felt a little pressure as they love zone conferences as well.  In their Monday letters to Scott, he told me so many of them commented on how excited they were for zone conference.  I think they went well.  

Scott started out and talked about our mission vision statement, and the things we are focusing on as we unite in prayer each morning.  It was really powerful, each morning, he finished close to 9:55 and we all knelt down in the chapel and said our morning prayer with all of us together.  There is definitely unity of prayer and it was felt strongly each day.  I was blessed to train right after the prayer and I trained on the scattering and gathering of Israel and how we, as missionaries are the fulfillment of prophecy, that ancient prophets from the old and new testament and the Book of Mormon saw our day and looked to this time, and to us, to gather God's children, scattered Israel and how we do that through the tool of the gathering, the Book of Mormon.  The keys of the gathering of Israel are operative in every corner of the world, including every corner of our mission. They are the swift messengers Isaiah wrote about, who would present gathered Israel to God.  

We then had break out sessions with each set of zone leaders and sister training leaders training their individual zones, then Ethan did a training on getting those golden contacts to be golden investigators, and then golden converts by teaching them doctrine and increasing their desires, thereby increasing their actions.  As we teach doctrine, they become uncomfortable because they desire something better, and as they desire something better, their actions start to match their desires. Preston did a training after Ethan and talked about following the pattern the Savior used as he prepared his disciples for when he wouldn't be with them anymore.  This helps us get those with baptismal dates actually baptized and how we can help them understand the process of baptism more. They did great and it was so fun for me to see them train and to be able to see what they would have been like as missionaries.  I am so grateful they are here with us this summer and so proud of them. The assistants did a great training on working with members.  

After lunch we were able to hear from all of the missionaries who will be going home at the end of this month.  They are powerful and it was tender to hear of their strong testimonies, they all testified of doctrine.  How we are going to miss them when they leave.  One missionary commented that they have done their very best and now it is up to the new missionaries to build on what they have tried so hard to accomplish and when they leave, to leave the mission even better than they found it.  Most of them started their testimonies by saying they thought this day would never come, and talked about how fast the mission went by for them.  I loved what one fine elder said, as he stood and said "most people say they thought this day would never come, but not me.  I knew it would come and that is why I have worked as hard as I could every single day, so I wouldn't look back and think I wasted one day of my mission."  

Scott finished the day with a wonderful training on the Book of Mormon and how the Book of Mormon contains the doctrine to answer any question.  In Preach my Gospel it talks about questions of the soul, and how, as we know and understand the doctrine in the Book of Mormon we can answer those questions.  We are starting tomorrow to read the Book of Mormon as a mission and he introduced the reading chart, we will all be following a schedule and be reading the same chapters every day, finishing right before Christmas.  We want them to read through this time looking for and underlining the doctrine taught in the Book of Mormon. He also challenged them to use the doctrine to answer people's questions.  As they contact and give away Books of Mormon, he wants them to ask people what their questions are, and then to find the answer in the Book of Mormon and let the person read the scriptures they find, which will, we think, lead to more return appointments.  They have been posting their experiences on their messenger pages and they are finding this to be true.  It's exciting to use the Book of Mormon to answer people's questions.  

We love our missionaries and are so grateful for their goodness, their testimonies and their love.  Enjoy an overload of pictures from our zone conferences.  

Day 1:  El Dorado, Folsom, Carmichael and North Sacramento Zones

 They have a wonderful tradition of singing Called to Serve, and As I Have Loved You to those who, from the wards and stakes, loving provide lunch for us during zone conferences.

A little twinning going on.  They let me be in the picture, even though I was the odd man out.

Day 2:  Cordova, Sacramento, Elk Grove and East Sac Zones

                  East Sac, we call this the Elder's Quorum, the only zone without any sisters

                                                                 Elk Grove Zone

                                                            Cordova Zone

                                                            Sacramento Zone

A little silliness after zone conference

                       Cars lined up and ready for their oil changes during zone conference

And finally, we were able to sneak away one night after zone conference to a food truck round up for dinner and found some amazing Peruvian food.  And then Ethan and I went to see the movie of Disney's Broadway show Newsies.  It was a welcome break, that Scott didn't have time for, but we at least got him to go eat with us.  

A week in the life...

I have never been good at journaling, and I know why.  I let myself go too long in between entries and I get too overwhelmed to catch up and so I stop. I committed to keep this blog so I can have a record of this wonderful mission experience, and I am feeling a little like my old journaling self, I should never let myself go more than a week in between entries, especially on the mission.  There is so much happening every single day, that I am never going to remember or get everything recorded, but I will try to record as much as I can.  

It has been a really busy week and a half or so.  Last week we started our interview process. We scheduled interviews for 3 days, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  Scott wanted to schedule interviews for 15 minutes with each missionary so he could spend some good time with them and really get to know them.  While he was interviewing one in the companionship, I would just sit in a room and talk with the other companion, getting to know them as well.  It has been a blessing to be one on one with these wonderful missionaries.  On Tuesday we interviewed 22, Wednesday we went to two different churches, interviewing 2 different zones and we had 28, Friday we had a light day with only 14.  Today we interviewed 2 more zones with 28 and we finish up on Friday with 2 more zones.  On our full days we typically have left home at 8 to be at a church by 9, and we finish up around 4:30-5:00.  I have absolutely loved getting to know these consecrated missionaries.  I have heard some really sad, hard, heartbreaking things about their lives, and I have also heard their joys, their love of their families, and their accomplishments.  My heart has broken as I hear of some of their challenges, and I have rejoiced as they have told me of the many, many good things in their lives. I have asked many of them how they are different now than they were when they came to the mission, and it humbles and inspires me to hear their responses.  A few of them had great hurdles to overcome to get to the mission, but they are here and they all have such good hearts and desires to serve their Heavenly Father.  They are obedient and are trying their hardest to be the very best missionaries they can be.  I am constantly inspired by their stories and have felt the love that our Savior has for each of them.  It has been tiring, but exhilarating at the same time.  What a blessing they are to us.  We will never be the same. 

 This is Elder Or from Cambodia. What a story he has and he is such a joy and a wonderful missionary.  I didn't take any other pictures from interviews, but Elder Or knew my nephew who served his mission in Cambodia so I had to  send him a picture.  And, I wanted them to feel like they were able to talk to me like they would talk to their mom, and so, of course it helps to have homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Someone once told me that if you give someone something to eat, as they are opening their mouths, they open their hearts.  I found that to be true.  

We have had several opportunities to get out and speak a bit this past week.  On Thursday night we were the speakers at the Sacramento Stake Youth Conference.  That was when I realized how much I have changed since being here.  Scott and I talked briefly about what direction we were going to go, and I had a video I had the office elders get ready for me, but other than that I hadn't had time to do one thing for the talk until Thursday afternoon, and I had about 20 minutes to prepare.  If I had been the main speaker at a youth conference at home,  I would have had my talk prepared several weeks, if not a month in advance and would have gone over it numerous times.  We pretty much relied on the spirit and I think it went ok.  It was really fun to be at that stake, it is very diverse. They have a couple of Spanish branches, a Fijian ward, a Tongan ward, and a Marshallese branch.  It was so fun to see all of these faithful young people from so many diverse places all gathered together doing good things.  

On Sunday we had quite the experience.  Scott was asked to speak in the Sacramento 7th Spanish branch.  Ethan and Preston and I had planned to go with him and be his support system.  He was pretty nervous to speak in Spanish, it has been a long time since he has given a talk in Spanish, but we were all behind him.  On Friday night the branch president texted him and told him they would like me to speak as well.  I don't speak Spanish so that was a problem.  They told him they would have an interpreter for me.  I had Ethan help me with a few opening sentences and a few closing sentences in Spanish and I relied on the interpreter for the rest.  I had never used an interpreter before (when would I have ever needed to???)  I realized that a 10 minute talk with an interpreter would take 20 minutes, so I cut a lot and just bore a very simple testimony.  The branch president also called Ethan up to bear his testimony and then Scott spoke and did a great job.  There was such a sweet spirit there, it was a blessing to be there and to just feel the spirit, not understanding the language was kind of a blessing because I focused on the spirit I felt.  They are trying to strengthen the men in the branch and for the rest hymn they had all of the men in the congregation come up and sing "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning"  It brought me to tears to watch and hear these humble men sing that song.  I wanted to hear every one of their stories, where they were from and what brought them here.  It was a special meeting.  

After that meeting we had to take Ethan and Preston to the airport because they were flying home for the week.  Then we headed to our next speaking engagement, which was in the Fijian ward.  At both the Spanish branch and the Fijian ward, at the beginning of the meeting there were a smattering of people there, and the longer time went on, the chapel started filling up.  In the Fijian ward the pianist didn't come until just before the sacrament song and so there was no prelude music.  Even though there weren't a lot of people there to begin with, you could have heard a pin drop. They were so reverent, even without prelude music.  When we got there the bishop told us that the missionaries in that ward had been at his house for dinner on Wednesday and they told him we would come and speak.  He agreed, but apparently no one told the speakers that were assigned to speak that day.  He told us he would just tell the other speakers to wait until next week.  We didn't want to bump anyone and so we told him just to have the meeting as planned and we would just bear a short testimony.  He told us he would just have an extended sacrament meeting and we could take all the time we wanted.  I wish I had some of the laid back nature of the Fijian culture.  So, we got the program and there were four speakers scheduled.  He announced the program and it got going.  After the second speaker the bishop got up and announced that we would have a rest hymn and then he called on two of our former missionaries who left last transfer and were back visiting, to bear their testimonies, and then the rest of the meeting would be the Mission President and his wife. (He couldn't say our last name, but we couldn't say his either.) I don't know what happened to the other two speakers who got cut, but no one seemed to be bothered by it.  We stood to sing the rest hymn. We had just been at a Spanish ward singing the hymns in Spanish and now here we were singing the hymns in Fijian, after two speakers just possibly got bumped from the pulpit.  I thought, 'when in the world in my life would I ever have these experiences if we weren't on this mission?'  Scott and I just looked at each other and I could tell he was thinking the same thing.  He started singing this Fijian hymn with gusto and it struck me so funny, I had to really try hard to keep from laughing, and it didn't help that our missionaries were out there grinning from ear to ear at us.  It was a good day. 

Who would have ever thought I would see my name on the program of a meeting completely held in Spanish? And I had to snap a picture of one of our Fijian Hymns.  Boy does that congregation know how to sing the hymns of Zion. 

On Saturday Scott had some unexpected mission things that came up, and so Ethan and Preston and I had a free day so we went to the Folsom Farmer's market and found some amazing Argentine food.  Scott would have loved it so we will definitely be back.  Also, I realized I had never had a really good strawberry until I had one at the Farmer's Market that was locally grown.  My mouth is still watering over those strawberries.  

One blessing of being in a mission in the US is that it is easy for former missionaries to come back to visit their mission.  This is Elder Carroll, he went home two weeks ago to Hawaii and was able to come back with his family to visit the mission. We were lucky enough to see him on Friday at the mission office, and then he and his family came to our home for dinner on Monday night.  He is the most loving person I may have ever met.  We only knew him for 2 weeks but he completely took us into his heart and has shown so much love to us.  After meeting his wonderful parents, grandma and brothers I could see where he gets it from. What a blessing to have them in our home and to feel of their love and testimony of the gospel. It was a lovely evening.  And the bonus is, now he isn't a missionary any more I can hug him.  

We had mission leadership council on Tuesday morning.  MLC is a meeting of all of the mission leaders. The zone leaders, sister training leaders and assistants come to that meeting and we hold it at our home.  It is a great meeting, we love counseling with our missionaries who have wonderful and insightful ideas on how to continue the good work of this mission.  We talked about using time wisely and assessing every activity to see if it helps us improve our key indicators. We also talked about mission unity. We came into an incredibly loving and unified mission and we want to continue that.  We talked about strength in numbers and unity of purpose, when one baptizes we all baptize because we are all in this together. Scott talked about uniting in mighty prayer and as a council we decided that as a mission we will unite in mighty prayer each morning at 9:55, right before they go out the door.  As each of us drop to our knees at the same time, and petition our Heavenly Father for 6 specific things, that the council came up with, we feel we can access more heavenly power in our mission.  I love how excited they get about coming up with and sharing ideas and insights.  The church is in great hands with these young leaders.  

This has probably been the hardest week of our mission for me, as far as homesickness goes, because it is the week my entire extended family goes on our family reunion. We have been going to Sun Valley Idaho for a week, every year, almost of my entire life.  It is our happy place and where we gather with all of the people that I love.   I was a little sad on Monday, but I am great now and I am so happy to be where I am.  We have been surrounded by missionaries the past two days and it is hard to feel anything but joy when you are around missionaries.  This is an example of why I love them so much: When we did our meet the president meetings I showed them a slide show of our family and things about us.  I had a picture of our family at Sun Valley and told them about that tradition and told them, jokingly, that they needed to be extra nice to me the first week of August because I would be missing this trip for the first time, in probably 50 years.  I had also told them that the way to our hearts was Hot Tamales for me and Pretzels for Scott.  I had completely forgotten about saying that, but in the past two days, I have gotten 4 boxes of Hot Tamales, and Scott has gotten 2 bags of pretzels from missionaries who remembered the first week of August was going to be hard for me.  I was so touched, I couldn't believe they remembered that off handed comment a month ago and remembered enough to reach out to me in such a sweet way.  No wonder we love them so much.  

This is our stash from Elders Duncan and Ludlow, Sisters Moffett and Koller, and Elders Yazzie and Damon.  In addition I had several of them today ask me how I was doing because they knew it was the first of August and wanted to make sure I was doing Ok.  They are remarkable.  

And finally, I got a text this morning from Sisters Brown, Coombs and Cha wondering if we had dinner plans.  They were our last interviews today and we finished just at dinner time.  We told them we would take them to dinner after our interviews.  We went to Cafe Rio and they are so awesome. We finished dinner and, in the middle of Cafe Rio they asked us if they could leave us a message and they proceeded to give us a powerful message on faith.  I know I sound like a broken record, but we just love them so much and continue to be blessed by each one of them.