The Week of Zone Conferences

We've had a really good week and it's been fun to be at the office and do our work and the other activities for the week.  I mentioned last week that we thought our July transfer would be lighter because of the new mission president coming, but we found out that we have a lot more missionaries coming, so now we are up to 21 new missionaries coming!  Can you believe it?  And now we have 26 new missionaries coming on Monday!  The missionaries are just pouring in and I can barely keep up with all that goes on to prepare for them.  Glen will have to open new apartments until the week before we leave it looks like. This is so unprecendented!   But how exciting!  I think we may be up to 240-250  missionaries before we leave.  And I love them all--we just really have some awesome missionaries and I just love them!

On Monday we had the treat of Dave and Chris Rothschild stopping in to visit us on their way home from the California Long Beach Mission where they served a 6 month mission in the office.  We compared how things were in our missions and there were similarities and differences.  We went out to lunch--yes, I WAS able to leave the mission office--and it was so great to be with them.

I love Tuesdays as I have said many times because we get to see all of the zone leaders.  I love hearing about their meetings and who they are teaching and what's going on in their zones.  I looked up from my desk to see Elder Manning and Glen just chilling in the chairs by his office, and I couldn't resist the picture, although it doesn't capture how darling it was to see them just sitting there.  Elder Manning is a great missionary. 

The mission had three zone conferences this week and each zone conference had four zones attend them.  We knew the Mesquite zone would be coming into the office after the zone conference to get the supplies they need since they are 1 1/2 hours away.  Elder Edwards and Elder Ririe came into the office and had been there for about 20 minutes when I asked where the other missionaries were.  They said, "They're still in the van!  We told them they couldn't come into the office because it would take them too long!"  So I went out to the van to see them and they were being so obedient to just stay in the van!  It was so funny!  But since Elder Edwards still had things to do in the office I had them get out to take a picture and we had fun with them.

On Wednesday night we had girls night out again with the employment center sisters, Sister Black, and Sister Dana.  We had a fun dinner and then played Balderdash--and we were laughing so hard the tears were just streaming down our faces!  It was such a fun fun night--I just love being with them.

We were super excited to get some fabulous almond roca in the mail from Lindsey and Brandon!!  Boy, did it hit the spot!  Thank you Lindsey!

On Thursday we received some new vehicles from Salt Lake for the missionaries to drive, so Elder Dana asked Elder Crapo and  Elder Peacock and Glen to drive a car to the mission office from the dealership in Henderson. Here is  the elders 2013 Chevy Cruz.

And here is MY 2013 Chevy Cruz with ONE MILE on it that I got to drive back to the office! I've never driven a car with only two miles on it before! Can you believe what the elders get to drive?  On the way back, the elders were following me, and as I turned off of  I-15 and onto Craig Road, I could hear sirens, and looked just in time to see a big firetruck about four seconds from me!  I hurriedly went to the side of the road and it barreled past me.  It was so scary!  There was a huge accident about a block from where I got off the freeway and it looked pretty bad.

We had zone conferences this week and Elder Dana asked Glen to help him inspect the missionaries' vehicles.  Elder Dana said that Glen could pick out dents and scratches so easily because he is a dentist and is used to "inspecting teeth carefully."  Here is Sister Hanson and Sister Monson checking the oil in their car.  

Glen also did a presentation on teaching the missionaries some cleaning skills to keep their apartments clean.  He was funny and charming and the missionaries loved it!  He ended his presentation by saying, "Remember--mess equals stress."

Sister Dana asked me if I would do her presentation that she had done at the other two zone conferences on the correct way to do referrals.  I had to learn "the correct way" since I didn't know how to do referrals at all!  

I love love love the part of zone conference which is after lunch and the missionaries all stand and sing "Army of Helaman".  "And we are now the Lord's missionaries to bring the world His truth."  It's amazing to be there and be a part of it!  I am also responsible to make sure that the zone conference luncheon happens--I choose which stake is hosting it, organize it with the Stake Relief Society President, schedule the building, and arrange with the zone leaders what needs to be done.  The Relief Society always tells me that it's their favorite thing to do, which is very gratifying.

It's so awesome to see the love and comradery!

I was asked to play the piano for the zone conference, which meant I played about 30 minutes of prelude and an opening and closing song.  After the closing song and about 10 minutes of postlude I was able to talk to some of the missionaries who were still in the chapel. Here I'm talking to Sis. Mataele to tell her how some of the elders were telling me about what a great sister missionary she is. She was genuinely blown away and kept thanking me for telling her.

At every zone conference, the missionaries who are departing before the next zone conference are asked to give their departing testimony.  Since the next zone conference is in August, Glen and I were among those who gave their departing testimonies.  It seemed so weird, because Glen and I still have two more months, but Elder Dana and Pres. and Sis. Black and several missionaries also gave theirs.  

On Friday night we went out to dinner and then to the temple with our good friends, the Christensens and the Wilhelmsens. We just love them!

On Saturday we went to the baptism of 13-yr old David, who is pictured in the center.  I was with the sister missionaries two or three times when they went to teach him, so it was pretty cool that he was baptized.  A 15 year old girl was also baptized at the same service, and she cried through the whole program because she was so excited to be baptized.  Pictured here are Elder Madore, Elder Barlow, David, Sister Ali'ifua and Sister Dewey.  Everyone there loves these sister missionaries so much!  It was really neat to see.

Sister Dewey and Sister Ali'ifua.  They love being on a mission!  And so do we!