W MARICOPA/BUCKEYE GOODYEAR ZONE CONFERENCE 2/14

 PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE FOR ALL PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT
Our last day of Zone Conferences...it went really fast and we have loved every day of it!
We were way out in Buckeye for this day of conference.  The stake center is in a rural farming area and always smells like a farm!  Sort of fun!
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.

"The more specific our plans, the more angels we will have to help us fulfill them!"  (Elder Kevin Duncan)












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?"




We were so grateful to have Elders Linkogle and Z Jensen with us after their stay in the hospital!  What a miracle and blessing that they could be with us to feel the Spirit and learn what they needed to learn!

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 February and March birthdays.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
Elder Kellett
Elder Gapinski
Sister Carrigan
Sister Lechner
Sister Riches
Elder Parry
Sister Carter
Sister Barnett (her birthday was that day!)
Elder Gerritsen
Elder Madsen
Elder T Peterson

 And as traditional...we sang in all languages we knew.
English by all
Spanish by our Spanish assigned missionaries

Samoan by Sister Hunt

Portuguese by Elder Cecena

 And French by Elder and Sister King!

Front: Sisters Hixson, Dayton, Carter, Millett, Lechner, Carrigan. Summerhays,  Messick, Barnett, Hansen, Santana, Welch, Jenson, Ratto and Beazer.   Standing on floor:  Sister Riches, Elders Dodd, Ramos, Longhurst, Cecena, Dart, Farnsworth, Yoxtheimer, Timm, Gerritsen, Okelberry, Z Jensen, Linkogle, Sisters Harris, Hunt, Sister and President Taylor.  Sitting on Stage:  Elders Andrus, Reid, Soper, Kellett Gapinski, Parry, Blake, Rusk, Nokes, Madsen, Clay, T Peterson.  Back row:  Elders W Larsen, Schultz, Busick, E Jones, Ja Weeks, Wolfgramm, Giron, Jo Weeks, Lundgren, Pemberton.


 Music is an integral part of our zone conferences.  Today was no exception.  Elder Farnsworth sang accompanied by Sister Santana and it was beautiful!

 There was one of my favorite medleys...
As Sisters In Zion/Army of Helaman also performed.

 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 day we had break out sessions with each zone and their Zone Leaders.

Elders Andrus and Dart in W. Maricopa and





Elders W Larsen and E Jones in Buckeye Goodyear.

 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!