MISSION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL Jan 1, 2014

 We know how to start off the year right...
MISSION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL!!
We are still able to fit into our family room here and love it!  We have all our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders in attendance and they all participate and we learn together...COUNSEL together!

 President Taylor started off the day talking about the BOOK OF MORMON.  Truly, this book contains the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He used the analogy of two pieces of wood.  With one nail in them (the Bible) the two pieces can be twisted all directions...

 ...as a second nail is hammered in on the other side ( of the world) the two pieces stay firm.

This is how it is with the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  We need both of them, the two witnesses from both sides of the world, to testify and teach of Christ and of his doctrine.

We know that some of the pure and simple truths of the Gospel were removed from the Bible.  We know that we need the Book Of Mormon to clarify and present those truths that are necessary for us to have all of God;s counsel and commandments for us to be truly happy and ABLE to return to his presence.

We are reading the Book of Mormon over the next 3 months underlining the Doctrine of Christ:

FAITH
REPENTANCE
BAPTISM
GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST
ENDURE TO THE END
ATONEMENT

If you would like to join us in this, please do!

One of my assignments was to teach ACCOUNTABILITY/STEWARDSHIP

This was done using the analogy of "getting the water to the end of the row"...and then back!
This means that we understand what we have stewardship over, the assignments we have, and we actually follow through on them completely and REPORT BACK!

It was a fun lesson to teach.

I had the missionaries actually talk through a bunch of different stewardship assignments to see what they could come up with in what kinds of questions to ask to do the best job they could.

We learn so much from "Hands-On" practice!

The Assistants led a training as well about our STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE.
They look pretty serious about it here, and yes, it is a serious topic.  We discussed the goals that we have and decided that it is good to have a high standard to reach towards so we can always be reaching up...and not become complacent with lower than possible goals.

Tradition has it that we celebrate the upcoming birthdays for the month.
HAPPY JANUARY BIRTHDAYS TO:

Sister Dayton
Elder Knobbe
Elder Knabe
Elder Cardoso

Sister Dayton waited a long time thinking of the wish she had for this year as she blew out her candle...LOVED THIS PICTURE!
I hope she wished that she never has to go home!  That is MY WISH!!!

Front:  Sisters Dayton, Carter, E Walker, A Walker, Jackson, Neary, Vallejo, Probeyahn and Taylor.
Second row: Elders W Larsen, Wade, Livingston, Barley, Ure, Bryant, Wrigley, Leonhardt, Zayas, Nield, Wardle, Parsons and President Taylor.  Row #3: Elders Knobbe, Cardoso, O'Neal, Weiler, Pres. Juchau, Elders Lower, Q Wilson, Hughes, Andrus, E. Jones, Baker and Barlow

NEW TO THE COUNCIL:
Sister Training Leaders Jackson, Carter and Probeyahn and Zone Leaders W Larsen and Barlow.

THEY ARE AWESOME!!!

It was SO NICE OUT...that President moved the meeting outside for the afternoon...mix it up a bit!

We discussed how we can TIGHTEN UP in our ONLINE PROSELYTING.

Parents, we certainly appreciate how you try to never be a distraction to your missionary as their only purpose online is to teach the Gospel.
It is hard when friends try to be casual in messages or have posts that distract or ask them to do anything but their missionary purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ.

We love the Doctrine of Christ, which is also our Missionary Purpose:
"Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end."

No matter how we share it...in person, through email or facebook, the message is the same.  By following the example of Jesus Christ, and trying our best to live the commandments of God, we will be blessed with everything that we need to successfully and happily navigate this life and have eternal happiness in the life to come.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE APM!!!