Today we started our mini Zone Conferences with our missionaries in Lille, France. Thank heavens for cell phones! Our GPS didn’t quite get us to our destination. So we called our ever faithful assistants, and they put Elder Bailey on the line. He had served in Lille for 7 transfers, and was able to get us to the church on time! What a sight as we walked into the chapel! There were 30 missionaries to greet us! I wanted to take each one and give them a big hug! I had an overwhelming feeling of love for them! I only got through the second row, when it was time to start.
It was the first time in my life I didn’t feel nervous right before a talk. After the opening song and prayer, Scott started out. He told stories of his great great grandfather John McTaffee McDonald, and the sacrifices he made for the Gospel. He talked about his mission and about the Fourney’s who he baptized in Herstal, Belgium, when he was here as a young missionary. The missionaries were very interested. After Scott finished, we stood together, and told how we met. Since we met the 1st night of Scott's mission, the missionaries were very responsive! We opened our family photo, and talked about our family. And then I spoke about the Holy Ghost, and shared our experience in Philadelphia. with our daughter Rachel. Elder Valenza had lived in Philadelphia, and I could tell he really could relate to my story. Then each elder stood before us, introduced himself, and then shared a missionary miracle with us. I am still amazed by what we heard. Each missionary had a miracle to tell! Each day the missionary has a consecration hour, where he or she devotes an hour to spiritual finding. They spend this hour trying to know what the spirit wants them to do, and where to go. It has made a big difference in the mission! I wish I could have recorded the meeting. It was so inspirational! One missionary after another told of being impressed to go to a certain area, and finding someone to teach! These missionaries are the best! I feel we are going to learn so much from them! It is a great responsibility to try to teach, inspire and lead them!
The Zone Leaders prepared the lunch. President Brubaker and I enjoyed going around and visiting with some of the missionaries.
We spent the next three days meeting our other missionaries in Brussels, Den Haag, Apeldoorn, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerpen. This is truly a mission of many miracles. I am so impressed with our missionaries. They are very kind and are trying to do what is right. We are so grateful for their dedication to serve a mission, and we are looking forward to getting to know each one of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment