Monday, March 18, 2019

Zone conference, carrot and chocolate silk cake, testimonies, and clean apartments--Living the missionary life!

The famous California Poppy, the state flower! Because of the rain,
they and other wild flowers are out in full bloom.
What a spiritual experience we had this past week in multi-zone conferences with the missionaries from all seven zones in three "multi-zone" conferences. We asked the missionaries what they learned from these conferences. I decided I would share what I learned in short and powerful summaries: 
 
Riverside Zone

Menifee Zone

Lake Elsinore Zone
Both President Norman and President Hansen enlightened us on how “We gain spiritual self-reliance as we come to recognize, know, and understand how the spirit works through us.” They discussed how we must become reliant on the Spirit to help understand what we need to be doing. President Norman used 1 Samuel 3:3-10 to teach us that “It took Samuel’s action to learn who the Lord was. The Lord could have told Samuel, but the Lord wanted him to find out for himself who the Lord was. Then, he could say, ‘I am ready, Lord.” President Hansen talked about the “peace, safety, strength….” when he entered the chapel with you sitting there. He said, “all of these feelings are blessings from God. They are gifts sent from on High. All things from God are sacred. We need to become 100% spiritually self-reliance and dependent on God.” 


Moreno Valley Zone

Hemet Zone
Corona Zone
“Joyfully Fulfilling Our Missionary Purpose”
I discussed seven ways we can better prepare to fulfill my missionary purpose:
1.           Recognize and understand my source of power and abilities
2.           Love the Lord and the people in your mission
3.           Prepare myself spiritually
4.           Enhance my teaching, finding, and inviting skills
5.           Develop and maintain a “I-can-do-it” attitude
6.           Develop Christlike qualities
7.           Become a servant-leader

Missionaries singing to the Hemet Relief Society sisters

Birthdays: Elders Moon, Larsen, Escobar, Gallacher, and Stewart: Sister Corder
“Elevating Your Persona”
Sister Hammon and Sister Training Leaders (STL) discussed missionary grooming, standards, language, clothing, haircuts, missionary attire, music, sunglasses, daily schedule, technology, attitudes, etc. From Preach My Gospel, we learn: “The attitude you have toward your mission experience is a reflection of your love toward your Heavenly Father and His Son and your respect for the priesthood” (Preach My Gospel, Chapter 8: “Use Your Time Wisely.” p. 151).

Lunch in Menifee

Lunch in Menifee

Lunch in Menifee
“Comparing yourself to others is not part of the plan!”
Sister Training Leaders discussed the important of not comparing, always remembering that success comes from obeying the commandment and learning “whose you are,” for we are Heavenly Father’s children and have been endowed from on High. One of Hermana Peter’s comments was “Heavenly Father wants to transform us. We must act in faith. Heavenly Father knows us best. Kneel down and pray and sincerely ask God how He feels about you.”

Lunch with the sisters

Lunch with the elders
Preach My Gospel, Chapter 11: “How I Help People Make and Keep Commitments?”
Several zone leaders quoted our missionary purpose. Also, Elder Holland said, “When you teach people to keep their commitments, you are teaching them to become covenant-keepers…People won't change unless asked to do so.”

Delicious lunch with the elders

More lunch with the Elders
“Finding with Faith and Power”
The quote from President Hinckley summarized this session: “So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way is through the members of the Church.

Moreno Valley lunch table with elders

Moreno Valley lunch with sisters

We love to eat at multi-zone conferences
“Being a Consecrated Missionaries”
Only the Hemet, Lake Elsinore, and Menifee zones received this training because of the number of zone leaders, three compared to the two in each of the other multi-zone conferences (MZC). What are the blessings of becoming a consecrated missionary? The Master spoke of the “second mile” and told us to go there (see Matthew. 5:41). These are some of the blessings: 1) We will have a greater measure of the Spirit. 2) We will become what the Lord wants us to become. In essence, “The Lord has a vision for you, and He will Guide you as you turn your will over to Him. Through you, He will accomplish things that you never would be able to do alone. He will turn you into some one greater that you could become without Him.”

We eat wonderfully well during multi-zone conferences
“Asking Inspired Questions”
The Assistants taught the answer to this question: “What Makes a Question Inspired?” Answer: 1) Are simple and easy to understand; 2) help people think about what you are teaching; 3) help you determine how well they understand what you are teaching; 4) help people apply what they learn; and 5) help those you teach share their feelings and by so doing discover a growing testimony.

Golden Plunger Award for cleanest apartment: Elders McInnes and Abraham
“One concept/principle I have learned in my person and/or companion study. Counsel: How can we make our personal and/or companion study more effective?”
Several missionaries discussed the various concepts and principles they have learned during their companion and/or personal studies.

Golden Plunger Award for cleanest apartment: Sisters Hackley and Andersen
with Elder and Sister Powell, Housing Inspectors
 
Golden Plunger Award for cleanest apartment: Elders Lowry and Campbell

Golden Plunger Award for cleanest apartment: Sisters Griffeth and Foster with Sister Hammon
“How Do I Work with Stake and Ward Leaders and Members?”
One of the questions on a recent missionary survey was to “choose three chapters from Preach My Gospel that you feel are your weakest topics.” The first one was “Chapter 13: How do I work with stake and ward leaders.” Fifty-eight percent (58%) recorded Chapter 13 as their weakest. Consequently, we discussed this topic. We also watched a touching video titled “I’ll Go Where you Want Me to Go.” It can be found here: https://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/members-and-missionaries. There are lots of videos that can help us.

Dessert!

Hemet Relief Society sisters

Moreno Valley Relief Society Sisters 
Testimonies
What incredible testimonies we heard from the incoming and one outgoing missionaries and one senior couple, Elder and Sister Glaus who are serving in the Moreno Valley Stake in the Tongan branch. The missionaries shared testimonies of the things they have learned and have enjoyed about being on the mission.


Golden Plunger Award for cleanest apartment: Sisters Moore and Gaughan

Jurupa Relief Society sisters and high councilor
Being with all of our missionaries on three consecutive days can simultaneously be both exhausting and exhilarating. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them and look forward to our next multi-zone conferences. They are incredible young men and young women! We are honored to serve with them.
Hillside of California Poppies

Single purple flower

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