Zone Conferences Were the Highlight of Our Week

Our theme for this Zone Conference was Teaching to Save Lives, Love as the Savior has taught us, and Having a Changed Heart. We wee excited to help our missionaries learn important skills to improve their teaching. Our first Zone Conference was held in Lille, France. President Brubaker started the training by talking about the many types of questions that we ask. The most important question are those questions of the heart. He taught the missionaries about learning how the Savior taught. He is our best example, and he delved into this subject, and had a lot of participation. He had prepared a nice power point presentation to help with his teaching.

We were blessed to hear musical numbers at each one of our Zone Conferences. Our missionaries are so talented, and are kind to let me sing with them from time to time. I wish I could have recorded all of the musical numbers! Zuster Driggs, Zuster Miller, Elder Mann, Elder Pinnock, Elder Wood (violin) and Elder Nelson (piano) were practicing during interviews the week before for Zone Conference. I recorded their practice ( at bottom of post). They all added a special feeling to our Zone Conferences.

The missionaries look forward to seeing their fellow companions from the MTC at Zone Conference. Many memories are kindled and friendships renewed as they spend the day together. Elder Otonelli, Elder Cox, and Elder Monson met in the MTC.

Lots of hugs for Zuster Baxter who has been a great example and trainer to three missionaries. We love you Zuster Baxter, and please know there will be a huge void that will be felt by the members and the missionaries!

Our sister missionaries in Brussels and Liege enjoy being silly from time to time! We are missing three sisters! We love you Soeur Gagon, Hulet, and Bagwell!

Elder and Zuster Servoss will be sorely missed by all of us. They will return to the loving arms of their family next week. They have given tirelessly for 18 months in Rotterdam, Holland. Elder Servoss served in Holland as a young missionary 40 years ago. Sister Servoss has a special gift to make people feel right at home. She welcomed me into the mission, and I felt we were renewing an old friendship. I will miss her immensely!

Our wonderful Zone Leaders had lunch all ready for us! The Senior Couples are always ready to help with the lunches as well. In Amsterdam Zuster Dabel, Zuster Spek, and Zuster Salden had prepared home made soup, salad and pumpkin cookies for all the missionaries. We love you so much, and wonder what we would do without our senior couples! The missionaries love our senior couples so much. We are so blessed to have 6 couples on the Dutch side, and 3 on the French side of our mission.

Our missionaries are happy and content, and enjoy their meal time!

Elder and Hoffman and the Zone leaders; Elder Christensen and Elder Stringham produced a beautiful luncheon for all of us for our Zone Conference in Antwerp.

The assistants were well prepared, and taught with lots of enthusiasm. Elder DeMaas and Elder Simonsen asked the missionaries to brainstorm for a few minutes and write on the blackboard the many traps that missionaries might fall into when teaching. Then they used companionships to role-play with them. First they role played some of the traps that they had listed on the blackboard. Then they role played a good teaching example. Our assistants involved the missionaries and everyone learned from this role-playing. Afterwards, I learned that Elder Simonsen was not feeling well, and didn’t even have to act like he was sick in one of the role-plays. I think he has the flu! You would have never guessed it. He taught so well!

Our first Zone Conference was held in Lille, France. Don't you think we have the best looking missionaries? They truly exude all the attributes of Doctrine and Covenants 4. We start every Zone Conference by repeating in unison:

1 NOW behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.