Stay On The Wall

We had Zone Conference this week, it's funny how quickly six weeks goes by when you mark time from Zone Conference to Zone Conference, or Transfer to Transfer.  We love Zone Conferences and the spirit the Elders and Sisters bring with them.  They are always so anxious to learn and share.  It's a wonderful two days.  

We set for the theme of the conference "Keep Calm and Carry On".  We told them that since it was the first Zone Conference of 2018, we were going to talk about ways that they can make this year great by giving them ideas to Keep Calm and Carry On in their missionary duties.  

Scott took the Keep Calm portion and gave an awesome training on things they CAN control, things they CAN influence and things they CAN"T control and how living in the 'things you can't control will bring stress and anxiety and worry and excuses.  Whereas, living in the 'things you can control' will increase the things you can influence and make them happier, calmer missionaries.  It was awesome.  Our daughter Andrea and her husband Mike were able to come with us and they both said they would have loved a training that was so helpful to missionary work when they were missionaries.  (I can say this because it was his training and he is wonderful)

I talked about 'Carry On' and began with the story of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a Jew born while the Jews were in exile from Jerusalem.  He was in favor with the King of Persia and he had one of the most trusted positions, that of the king’s cup bearer.  He had never been to Jerusalem, in fact, he went back to Jerusalem almost 100 years after the first group, so about 170 years after they were first taken into captivity.  But when he heard of the sad condition of the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem and the troubles they were having, he fasted and prayed for them, and felt inspired to go and help rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem and to refortify that city.  And so, with the King’s approval he went to Jerusalem to help them.  The leaders of the surrounding communities were angry that the Jews were fortifying Jerusalem and resuming their former religious practices and therefore, as they worked on the walls they had to arm themselves in order to defend their families and homes.  The walls were not only a protection but a symbol of the establishment of the Jews as a people and the holy city became a unifying force for the Jews.  That is why their enemies were so intent on halting their work.

 In Nehemiah 2:18  We read that they were there to be builders and they strengthened their hands for this good work. They had a purpose, they had urgency in their work.

Nehemiah could not be diverted from his sacred responsibilities.  When Nehemiah's enemies tried to tempt him to come down from the wall, and to walk away from his duty to rebuild the city walls he said 

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?"  (Nehemiah 6:2-3)

His enemies continued to tempt him, 4 more times to come down, but he knew and understood his duty, he stayed on the wall and carried on.

I asked them to come up with patterns that we can apply and learn from Nehemiah in our missionary work.  It was amazing what they came up with, their insight and depth is really astounding.  We talked about why we are on the wall, what are the things that tempt us to come down from the wall, and why it is critical that we carry on with urgency and STAY on the wall.  

We also had a breakout where I took the Sisters and Scott and the assistants stayed with the Elders.  We had a delicious lunch and a wonderful training by the Assistants on how effective studies, finding and working with members helps us fulfill our missionary purpose to teach repentance and baptize converts.  Also, as a mission we are studying the Christlike Attributes for the next 6 months and we told everyone to come prepared to give a 5 minute talk on Charity and then Scott called on a few of them to come up and give their talks.  They were all awesome. We also had some wonderful musical numbers.  We really love being with our missionaries so much.  We also loved having Mike and Andrea and their kids join us.  They were able to bear their testimonies as well and we are so proud to introduce our family to our missionaries.  Now each of our children and all of our grandchildren have met all of our missionaries and it is great for our family as well, as they immediately love our missionaries and have a vested interest in their lives as soon as they meet them.  

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

North Sacramento Zone

Carmichael Zone

El Dorado Zone

Folsom Zone

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

Elk Grove Zone

Sacramento Zone

East Sacramento Zone

Cordova Zone

Synchronized Eating 

    ....when I have grown a foot or two!

In other mission news... We learned what goes around comes around.  Back in August I wrote about losing my scriptures and how Hermana Alexander and Hermana Hernandez found them and got them to me.  Well, after zone conference, Hermana Alexander left her scriptures at the church, with the help of some other sisters who found them at the church and put them in the mission office, we were able to go to the office and retrieve them and return them to Hermana Alexander.  I know too well that panic of thinking you have lost your scriptures.  

We also got our new Mission Office couple here in Sacramento today.  Elder and Sister Gunnell, who happen to be our dear friends, have arrived and we couldn't be more thrilled.  I don't think I have seen a bigger smile on Scott's face since we have been here to be reunited with his friend and former Executive Secretary.  They just work well together!!!  And, of course, I can hardly believe it's true that our dear friends are really here.  We can't wait to do this great work with them, we are definitely 'Staying on the Wall', and are so happy they have joined us up there!

(Peggy is going to be mad at me for posting these pictures because she was embarrassed she was in her p-day clothes, but this is right at the moment they drove in. I would have driven in my p-day clothes as well, and she looks beautiful no matter what!)

An Open Heart

I have been thinking a lot about the state of hearts for the past little bit.  When we finished the Book of Mormon as a mission at the end of December we were trying to think of what we should do next.  It was such a unifying experience, to be studying the same thing together as a mission.  Our last Zone Conference was all centered on Becoming the Message.  We will focus on that throughout this year.  We have pondered on how we can help our missionaries and ourselves really move from 'doing' to 'becoming'.  We felt inspired for the next 6 months to focus on studying the Christlike attributes as a mission.  Who we become is largely determined by how we incorporate Christlike attributes into our lives.  By striving to become more Christlike we will discover our true identity.  It is not just a change in behavior but a change in our very hearts. We are going to focus on each of the 9 Christlike Attributes listed in Preach My Gospel and we will focus on each one for 3 weeks.  We felt like this was a tangible way that could help us all move closer to Becoming the Message. This will take us into July and when we presented this at MLC this week, I think everyone was really excited about it.  

As we thought about which attribute to begin with, we decided to focus on Charity first.  In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul gives a discourse on Charity that is very similar to the one in Moroni 7.  In it he says: 'And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.'  Faith is the first principle of the gospel, so why is Charity the greatest of these three?  Mormon tells us it is because Charity is the pure love of Christ.  So, we are beginning our study with the attribute of Charity.   

As I was studying Charity for my MLC training on it, I came across a great talk called The Love of Christ by Elder Max Caldwell.  In it he talks about how the Love of Christ could really be three dimensional.  Love for Christ, Love from Christ, and Love like Christ.  I love teaching at MLC because I just have to throw a few thoughts out there and they are so spiritually in tune, they just take it and run with it.  We had a great discussion about the three different dimensions of the Pure Love of Christ and how we as missionaries can incorporate all three into our work with our investigators, with our members, in our companionships, districts and zones, and even with ourselves.  It really is foundational for all other Christlike Attributes, and it begins with an open heart.  I am excited to see and feel the love!

Our Mission Leadership Council in action

Lunch Break

Sister Van Valkenburg and I were happy to be twinning

Some of our wonderful Sister Training Leaders

A few days prior to MLC we held our New Leader Meeting, which we have right after every transfer to train the new Zone Leaders, District Leaders and Sister Training Leaders.  This is an awesome group of new leaders. 

We had to say goodbye to Elder and Sister Rasmussen.  They had originally signed up for 18 months and ended up extending for another three months in order to give us time to get our new office couple here. We were so grateful for their willingness to serve.  Elder Rasmussen has been over housing and Sister Rasmussen has had a plethora of jobs in the office.  The missionaries loved coming in and writing down a tender mercy they had experienced in exchange for a piece of the candy she kept well stocked.  We will sure miss them and are so grateful for the time we had to serve with them. 

After the departing dinner held for the Rasmussen's with all of the senior missionaries

On Wednesday we took Hermana Sumner and Hermana June to lunch, and who should walk in, but Sister Gilbert and Sister Workman.  We had a lovely lunch with these sisters, the more the merrier. 

We started interviews this week, and we interviewed the Elk Grove Zone in conjunction with their district meetings.  One of the districts has fun wearing matching colors to meetings in order to promote more unity.  We got a text on Wednesday night informing us that the color scheme was going to be navy blue and white and inviting us to join in on the matching game.  Since I did, I was invited to be in their zone picture.  

We had a lesson in contrasts that day following the interviews.  We went teaching with some sisters who needed help releasing a lady the missionaries had been teaching for a very long time.  As we sat in this woman's living room I could tell we were on a completely different page from her.  She had no desire to know if the Book of Mormon was true or if Joseph Smith saw God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, or if the restoration really happened.  She liked the missionaries coming over and helping her with chores and service and such, but had a completely closed heart.  We talk about how releasing an investigator is an act of faith.  If their hearts are closed, we need to move on and find those with open hearts who desire to know the truth.  Scott helped them release her in a very kind way and we went outside to process with the sisters for a bit.  We were talking about how we can bring the message unto their hearts, but they have to have an open heart to bring the message into their hearts.  

As we were talking, Scott leaves and walks across the street.  I was still talking with the sisters and after about 5 minutes he called us over.  He had seen Steven walking down the street and walked over to introduce himself.  After a 5 minute conversation he found out that Steven was looking for something in his life, he believed in the Old Testament prophets and accepted the fact that if God spoke to prophets then, he would be able to speak to prophets today.  You could see in his eyes his desire to know and understand these things.  Scott introduced him to the sisters, they exchanged numbers and he was eager to listen to their message about living prophets.  Then Scott said, 'Steven, what are you doing right now? Do you have some free time?" He said that he did and so we loaded Steven into our car and followed the sisters to the church, where I gave them treats left over from our interviews and they happily went into the church for a lesson.  One of the sisters has been here for less than two weeks and this was the first real lesson she had taught.  They called us after the lesson and they were so excited, like kids in a candy store. They kept talking about how receptive he was and how he had such a desire to learn.  The contrast between the first lady and Steven was marked and it was a very good example of a closed heart vs. an open heart, and also a confirmation that when one door closes and we have the faith to close that door if it is not going to go anywhere, He opens a window and the sun shines through.  

We left that lesson and went to another one with some elders to a woman probably in her 40's who has had her fair share of challenges.  Talk about a difference in lessons from the first one of the day. This woman was full of faith and hope and was like a sponge, soaking up everything we taught her, having such a desire to learn and grow and develop a relationship with our Heavenly Father.  She had one of the most open hearts I have ever witnessed and it was a strong testimony to me that it is all about the state of our hearts.  If we have open hearts, that leads to faith and hope and the ability to learn and grow.  It was a blessing to be in Gina's home that night, she was a wonderful example to me.

A few things of a more personal note:  We had to say goodbye to Ethan and Preston, again.  I love that we are close enough for them to come and stay with us often, it makes my mother heart happy that they have a 'home' close enough to go home to on their breaks. We had a wonderful time with them here over Christmas.  I love to see them come, and I really hate to see them leave.  

Ready to head to the airport and my smile is completely fake.  Luckily they are both coming back fairly soon.

Scott was able to have a little p-day fun with Elders Murphy, Yorgasen, Ludlow and Manalansang.  From what I hear he was still able to hold his own on the court.  I had an inkling it may have gotten a bit physical when I got a text from Elder Murphy saying that whatever President came home and told me about him, he was sorry.  Ha Ha. 

We were also able to see some of my family this week.  My brother Curtis was in town for business and we were able to go to dinner with him on Monday night and we had a great visit.  He is wonderful and we were so grateful to be able to spend the evening with him.  Then on Friday, my niece Annie, her husband Charlie and their darling baby Walter were able to stop by for lunch. They have been living in San Jose and are moving back to Utah and we were right on the way.  She had Walter about 2 weeks after we came on our mission so I had never met him.  I have to say, we got along really well, although he is such a happy darling baby, he probably gets along well with everyone.  We were so happy to be able to spend a few hours with them.  

We finished out the week with the baptism of Annie Dong Saturday morning.  Even though we don't understand much of what is said at the Chinese baptisms, we certainly can feel with our hearts the sacredness of the ordinances being performed.  The Chinese members are so supportive of each other, I love to see the charity and love they have for one another.  I was so proud of Elder Hammond, who has been teaching Annie. He was able to baptize her and he said the baptismal prayer in Chinese.  He doesn't speak Chinese! His companion Elder Chen had coached him and he did it!  He also said it in English after he said it in Chinese, just in case he didn't get it exactly right.  Afterwards I was talking to him and I asked him if he ever thought he would be coming to Sacramento to baptize someone in Chinese.  We laughed at how, on a mission, you just never know what is coming your way next.  You just stand ready with an open heart and willing hands to see what the Lord has in store, and then, with His help, you do it.