DEER VALLEY and GLENDALE ZONE CONFERENCE 2/14

 PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE FOR ALL PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT
Our third day of Zone Conferences was down in the valley with the Deer Valley and Glendale Zones.
The day started with President Taylor teaching about the Godhead, then about being a consecrated missionary.  We learned how important it is to give our will to the Lord, to lay distractions or fear or pride or anything else on the altar that could hold us back from being the missionaries that the Lord wants us to be.
We learned that the difference between hot water and boiling water is only 1/2 a degree...yet that 1/2 a degree increases the power of that water by 1720 times!
We want to be the CONSECRATED MISSIONARIES!  We want to be like Ammon or Alma!

My first discussion was about PLANNING.
I illustrate how we can fit in all the things that we need to do if we start with the BIG ROCKS FIRST and then the smaller rocks, then the gravel and then we can even fit in the fluff...or water to fill the gaps.

If we start with the small stuff...there is not room for the big stuff.  A good lesson for life!
We also learned how to use the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST in our planning.  This means that as we plan for investigators or anyone else we are teaching, we look to increase their FAITH their REPENTANCE/CHANGE their DESIRE TO MAKE PROMISES WITH GOD, their EXPERIENCES WITH THE HOLY GHOST and to know how we can help them ENDURE WELL.
As we plan this way, and then evaluate how we do, we can really be SPECIFIC in our planning and the Spirit will definitely guide us.  Planning is a process of revelation.

We practiced using what we call our VGPTA
Vision
Goals
Plans
Tasks
            using the Doctrine of Christ.
            Then we also evaluated, or used our
Accountability to report how each person was doing using the same Doctrine of Christ.  "How did this persons FAITH increase?"

 The Assistants taught a great lesson today on OBEDIENCE vs PRINCIPLES that was really great.  We practiced explaining beliefs based on principles instead of rules.
Many times members want to question missionaries about things like dinner policy or why we dress a certain way, or why we cannot do certain things.  You know how that is with non-members questioning beliefs like the Word of Wisdom.
How much better is it to direct them to the principle instead of just saying "WE CAN'T..."

We had a sweet musical number by Elders Elliott, Murdock, Barrus and Ure today that was just incredible.  The harmonica never sounded so reverent as it did today..."SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER!"

 Lunch as usual is a highlight.  Time to visit with old friends and make new ones.  The local wards and stakes put on the lunch for us so I do not have to stress about feeding hundreds of missionaries every month.  It is a huge blessing to the mission!

 After lunch we sing Army of Helaman as a thank you song, then bring it in to sing our Mission Fight Song!  It is an amazing thing to behold!

We celebrated a bunch of February and March BIRTHDAYS!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Elder Searle
Elder Lutz
Elder Elliott
Elder Pehrson
E;der D Jones
Elder Hunsaker
Sister Taylor
Sister Pickett
Sister Probeyahn

 We like to sing in every language that we have in our audience...
We always do English and Spanish for our mission languages.



Today we heard also from Elder Handley in German...

 Elder Anderson and Cook with the Kings in French...

...and Elder J Hall in Italian!!



Zone Conferences are a special time to learn a lot and to gain revelation on things that will bless each individual missionary in a very personal way.  I know that each one that came prepared, went home with what they needed to learn that day.

 Front: Sisters Barton, Brewer, Jones, Connell, Hutchinson, Taylor, Pickett, Palomino, Wade, Wardle, Vallejo, Probeyahn, Clark and Tolley.  Standing: President and Sister Taylor, President Juchau, Elders Barrus, Ure. J Cook, Silcock, Searle, Burgoyne, Baker, Anderson, Thiel, Cordero, J Hall, Murdock, T Anderson.  Back Row:  Elders Wardle, Lutz, D Jones, Elliott, Pehrson, Hunsaker, Parks, Severe, Lewis, C Cardwell, Nistler, S Cardwell, Parkinson and Handley.

My health presentation was on "Unproven Health Practices" so our Assistants poked some good fun at missionaries in general by pretending that our mission is the "APM...Arizona Protein Mission."  If you can blend it, it must be good for you.  Ok, we encouraged them to follow the Word of Wisdom and use moderation in all things and to let good nutrition be their source for most of their needs.  I love that the Gospel of Jesus Christ and latter-day prophets have given us guidance on pretty much every aspect of our lives!


The Assistants are great sports to help with these skits!  We all look forward to them very much!

Later in the afternoon, we had break-out sessions with each zone.

Elders Barrus and Ure for Deer Valley.


Elders Baker and Wardle for Glendale.

They both taught how to help teach to baptism and how to use the Doctrine of Christ in planning and helping people see that they know enough as they use progress records/Baptism calendars to mark off the things they are progressing in.
It is important for all of us to celebrate the things we are doing well and are learning as well as to see what we are needing to work on.
We are ALL works in progress!
It was a fabulous day with these two great zones.  They are amazing people that have made great commitments to live, love and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.  As they do this, their own understanding increases and they become the deepest converts of all.  It is all just so good!