ZONE CONFERENCE - DAY 1
Zone conference week was upon us. It fell on a holiday week. Since the libraries aren't open on holidays, meaning the missionaries can't go there to email their family and friends, we have a regular work day on holidays.
That meant we had zone conference with the Vista and Carlsbad zones at the mission office church building on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It was a little bit weird having zone conference on a Monday because we usually have them on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But we adjusted and it turned out great!
Glen kicked it off with a review and more teaching of know, feel, do and how we need to keep doing all three to have full conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I talked about obedience--not because we have a disobedient mission--far from it. It's because with technology soon to be available to the missionaries, they need to stay committed to being obedient to the set guidelines to keep them safe.
I showed the video that is centered around Elder Keetch's talk about the barriers that were set up to protect the people from the sharks that were swimming just beyond the barrier. What once seemed like such a hindrance to the fun of enjoying high waves just beyond the barrier was now realized as a protection for all the people playing in the water.
It was very impactful when I shared the story of Elder Caleb Ward, my nephew, serving in Honduras and how he was assigned to be a companion to a very disobedient elder and how disgusting the place was where they were living and how horrific an experience it was for Caleb to live with that companion for a week.
But, the amazing thing is he saw how miserable the elder was who was breaking all the mission rules and he compared it to the happiness he felt at obeying all the mission rules. What an example he is to me and now to all our missionaries of "wickedness never was happiness." Whereas obedience bring safety and peace.
The assistants taught from a case study all the missionaries had been assigned to read about a sister missionary who was able to have great success wherever she served. There was a discussion about all the things she did to get herself known, how she got to work in the wards where she was assigned, how she got to know the members and combined efforts with them doing missionary work.
The missionaries then went off to meet as districts to talk about how they could apply what they had just learned.
The Relief Society women were there to feed us lunch. They are always so willing and happy to help us out in that capacity.
Glen finished up the meeting by teaching how we can follow the pattern for making decisions and have perfect knowledge as we do so. It was really good and inspired and we all loved being taught from the scriptures.
Turns out it was a very busy day for us as we were hosting the senior Family Home Evening at our home that night. Sister Sattley was such an angel. When she realized the FHE was going to be on a zone conference day, she offered to make lasagna for the main dish instead of us worrying about having to cook something.
I told her it really wasn't that big of a deal to grill some meat, but she insisted. Turns out there were some missionaries who needed to talk with Glen after the zone conference and we got home much later than we'd anticipated. It was nice to only have to worry about the paper products.
Glen had the Kopenhefers share their testimonies as it was their last time to attend. These were the attendees this time:
Elder and Sister Van Aarle, Elder and Sister Kopenhefer, Elder and Sister Spiegler (he's one of our mission doctors), Elder and Sister Sweetwood, Elder and Sister Atkinson, Elder and Sister Sattley, Brother and Sister Neal (our nurse), Sister Maughan (our other nurse whose husband always takes the photo) and us.
It turns out it was a blessing for us to have preparation day on Tuesday this particular week as that was the day the announcement was being made about the new First Presidency by our new prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.
We watched the announcement made from the temple and then the press conference the next hour. Glen spent the rest of the day reading and answering 159 missionaries' letters while I did laundry--our usual preparation day activities.
That evening we attended the baptism of this wonderful woman who was so happy to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She feels so much peace in her life as she has come to know the truths of the gospel. We love hearing new converts share their testimonies.
ZONE CONFERENCE - DAY 2
Wednesday we were up north in Murrieta having zone conference with that zone and the Temecula zone.
That evening we went to Escondido with the assistants to be the guest speakers at their stake's mission preparation class. We did the same thing we have done with other youth groups. The assistants tell the youth what they wished they had known before their mission.
I talk to them about three things they can be doing now to prepare for their mission. Glen tells them the three things he wants missionaries to know. The assistants join in for a short question and answer period. Then Glen has them close with a 4-minute Restoration lesson.
It is so powerful! The Spirit is always so strong as Joseph Smith's own words are quoted when relating the experience he had in The First Vision. He saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. God called Joseph by name. He knows each and every one of us. He is our loving Heavenly Father and has provided prophets who have the Priesthood power to administer in his name here on the earth.
Joseph Smith was called by God to be his prophet of the restored gospel. He translated the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Through reading the Book of Mormon, each one of us can gain a knowledge for ourselves through the Holy Spirit that it is the Word of God and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God.
I love this knowledge. I love this gospel. I love my Heavenly Father. I love my Savior. I love that we have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost to help direct us while we are here on earth. It is our Heavenly Father's plan for each one of us to return safely back to him. How blessed we are to have this knowledge.
How wonderful it is for the young missionaries to be entrusted to take this message to all the world. It is life-saving knowledge--both temporally and spiritually. So inspired. So wonderful. We are so blessed to be a part of it.
ZONE CONFERENCE - DAY 3
Thursday we met with the Del Mar and Escondido zones in the La Costa building which is relatively close to our home.
We had been enjoying listening in on each district's break-out session. We couldn't find one of the districts. We walked around the church twice and couldn't find them. Mystery solved when they walked in from outside where they had been meeting. Can't blame them. The weather is amazing here.
I was sad I had missed getting a photo of them in their study group and asked them to strike a pose as if they were discussing something. The elder in the middle pulled out a photo of his grandpa holding up a huge fish and said he was somehow going to work it into their presentation to the whole group.
Sure enough he did! Actually three of them were able to work a fish analogy into their comments. It was creative and great!
When I posted this collage on Instagram that night, the elder's mother commented, "My dad is going to be so thrilled with Daniel showing his fish picture, haha!! That's funny you caught that. Thank you!" So glad it made her day!
The Relief Society sisters from the various stakes usually try to involve mothers of missionaries to help with the lunch. They always cry when the missionaries sing "Called To Serve" to them as a thank you for fixing us lunch. This particular day we had almost every lunch helper with a missionary out or soon to leave, so lots of tears during the song.
That day after zone conference, we had the assistants meet us at the mission office. Elder Radford joined us so we could keep working on trying to figure out what we are doing with technology.
The assistants had phones and were going through the process Elder Radford had printed out of how to download the stuff they need onto their phones as the first step in the technology process.
Glen told them to work with their phones and with the apps that are on the phones and get comfortable with them so they are knowledgeable with them and can help out the other missionaries.
Elder Radford had been in touch with the Missionary Department and the phone company and has been getting his head wrapped around what he needs to do to make sure the SIM cards are properly tied to the right telephone number for each companionship and turned on at the right time. He is also tracking when the phones come into the office to make sure all the missionaries are getting their phones bought.
We are seeing the wisdom in assigning various people to be "technology specialists." Very sound wisdom!!
After such a busy week, we found ourselves with some down time on Friday. We decided to do a robust hike for our morning exercise. We started our hike at Discovery Lake in San Marcos and began the walk up the mountain.
It was a well-marked trail and the view of the surrounding area was spectacular.
Upon closer reading of the fine print on the sign posted on the trail, I was glad I was not hiking alone and I was glad we did not have young children with us. I guess I was also glad I wasn't hiking at night.
We made it to Double Peak Park at the top of the mountain.
We had actually driven to the top of Double Peak another day. It was a different experience hiking vs. driving.
We looked down on the nearby homes being built and were deciding if we wanted to live there. We are always looking for options of where we could live after we are finished with our mission.
We made the trek back down the mountain to where we began, giving thanks that our knees held out the whole way for us.
I checked my health app on my phone and found that we had already fulfilled our 10,000 daily step quota (which we rarely ever get these days).
The real thing to be thrilled about was we climbed 63 flights. That was quite the accomplishment considering my problematic heart and lungs.
Something to celebrate!! We did it!! *applause* Good for us!!
