The Hague Zone President's Training

We have just finished a most remarkable week of Zone Training Meetings. I say remarkable because Sister Brubaker and I cannot remember a set of Zone Conferences where we felt the Spirit as consistently and strongly. (from President Brubaker's letter to missionaries this week). We started our week in the Leiden church with the Hague Zone.

This zone is blessed to have three senior couples! Elder and Sister Deleeuw are our newest couple, who are serving in Amsterdam. They are already attached to the single young adults whom they work closely together with. Sister DeLeeuw said she already dreads their release date, and they have only been here a month! Elder and Sister Salden loved their first mission here so much, they are back on their second mission. The missionaries are so spoiled! Why? The Saldens spend their days and nights upgrading the physical living conditions of our missionaries. There is nothing these two cannot do! Elder and Sister Pankratz left early to get supplies ready for the missionaries for tomorrow! They are also on their second mission! They are serving in the office! What would we ever do without them? Blessings are so numerous with senior couples giving their all to the missionaries and young adults!

President Brubaker discussed with the missionaries how the Book of Mormon is an incredibly powerful tool for missionary work. He probed the issue of what to do when an investigator is not progressing; and determined that often simply all they need is to read in, and pray about the Book of Mormon.

The missionaries practiced reading passages with their investigator. As they role-play with each other they become DRAMATICALLY better teachers.

They learned what is the best way to do this? What do they need to watch out for?
The missionaries got together with their companions and took turns being the investigator.

The skills of “how and when to read with our investigators” were covered.

We determined that we couldn’t really continue teaching the other lessons, until those we teach commence in earnest the process of reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.
In Preach My Gospel it states:

The Book of Mormon combined with the spirit

Is your most powerful resource for conversion.

It teaches the doctrine of Christ plainly, especially

in the lessons you teach investigators.

Use it as your main source of for teaching the

restored Gospel.
Zuster Tanner and Zuster Townsend found it so helpful to have an investigator in mind as they role-played the part of the investigator.
Zuster Jeffs and Zuster Stout love their investigators so much, and found the introduction to the Book of Mormon so helpful in explaining so clearly what the Book of Mormon is!
Zuster Moses and Zuster Hinchcliff love learning from Preach My Gospel to help them become Preach My Gospel missionaries!

Elder Larson and Elder Cundick practiced reading one sentence at a time, and then checking for understanding.
It takes lots of concentration and diligence to be able to be willing to practice over and over agin. The missionaries were reminded of the importance the Book of Mormon plays in true conversion.