Our week started in League City for their Sunday session of Stake Conference. Yes, we had two Stake Conference over one weekend so we went one stake on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Elder Mayne of the Seventy was presiding and asked Aaron and I to share our testimonies. I had written some ideas of what I wanted to share but as we sat in the meeting my focus shifted to my knowledge of having a loving Heavenly Father, who is a God of miracles. The same yesterday, today and forever. And because I know God loves me through my own personal experiences I have had through His gospel, witness miracles in my life. Miracles that came about through prayer, reading the Book of Mormon and/or reading and listening to talks by our prophet and apostles that allowed me to receive distinct impressions from the Holy Ghost of what I needed to do to see God’s hand in my life. All of which was made possible through the restoration of His gospel by Joseph Smith. I am grateful for my testimony of God, His son Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and living prophets. They truly help me be better as an individual, a wife, a mom and a friend. I feel blessed.
Our new Chinese Elder arrived on Monday. After some introductions and training is was off and running with his new companion to share the gospel to our Chinese speaking friends. I got some much needed grocery shopping done. I also prepared for the companionship studies I have arranged for the next day. I had many thoughts and ideas of what would bless and help their investigators feel the need progress in the gospel knowledge the missionaries were sharing with them. This preparation is a highlight of my experience on the mission. I can feel God’s love for those the sisters are teaching.
I started my companionship studies in Sienna Plantation Tuesday morning. The sisters also had great personal studies in regards to their investigators. They also had some wonderful questions to help them be better as missionaries. I then headed to the sisters that are in the Silverlake area, 30 mins further southeast, for another amazing companionship study. Their emphasis was teaching tying in the restoration to those that requested a bible but also agreed to receive a Book of Mormon too. I had a lot of fun role playing different approaches they could use. I quickly grabbed some lunch from home and I headed to Rosenberg , 25 minutes west of our home, to the sisters that are serving in the Brazos Branch. A fun afternoon of role playing and teaching more effectively through asking questions to be able to teach to the investigators needs. All the companionship’s I visited today have one sister that has only been out for less than two weeks so being able to help them with the fundamentals of the restoration, Book of Mormon and teaching to the investigators needs develops their confidence in how to share what they know to be true. What a fun, busy day!
Wednesday morning, I went to the District Council at the Bearing Building with the missionaries that cover the H1 ward. The theme was on including follow-up in our teaching. By including follow –up those we teach will feel more accountable to actually do what they agreed to accomplish until the missionaries next visit. I got to be the investigator for the role plays with each of the companionships. Always fun. Afterwards I joined the H1 sisters for their companionship study. These sister’s had me study for the restoration, introducing the Book of Mormon and how to begin teaching for effectively. It is always a witness to me of the influence of the Holy Ghost guiding my studies because though the topics are very similar the approach is different for “who” we are studying for. As we prepare for the needs of investigators in different ways to help them increase their faith in the Savior and His Atonement, the outcome is unique for them. I love that because just as we are each distinct and different the gospel can meet our needs individually.
The kids had a half day on Thursday so I did some preparations for the kids to look after themselves while we are at the Mission President Seminar. After Jessie got home, I took her and two of her friends to a pumpkin maze in Alvin at the Froberg Farm. We had a great time even though we were expecting the games and rides to be open. I timed the girls to see how fast they could go through the maze, we played corn tag with dried corn on the cob while chasing each other in the maze, and we also “shot” at each other with the dried corn on the cob. Who knew you could have so much fun flicking dried corn kernels? We topped our adventures by stopping for a snow cone at Bahama Bucks on the way home. J
That night as I drove to the hotel for the Mission President’s seminar, the traffic was horrendous. However, I made the most of it by talking to Allie the majority of the way there. It was a great opportunity to catch up with her and get into the byways and highways of her life. She’s headed to California for the weekend with Alan, Jeanne and some cousins for the WSU/CalPoly game. She is excited for a quick getaway. I love that girl!!
Zac is really enjoying golfing practically every day after school. Monday is the only day he doesn’t have some kind of practice. He is also going golfing on Saturday with one of the guys from the team on Saturday. I am so glad he enjoys it so much. I think it helps him like school more too, at least his grades reflect that.
Bode tells me he is not cutting his hair until we move back to Utah. He is also asking if he can have dread locks or corn rolls. I am trying to convince him dread locks and corn rolls won’t look good on him. The kid kills me with some of the ideas he comes up with. He has been on and off all week about going to homecoming this Saturday with his friends but did end up buying a ticket on Thursday. Zac had no interest from his experience his year here. The Homecoming dance is different here at Clements although maybe my sons just do their own thing. Seems more like a glorified stomp. Bode didn’t even go to dinner afterward because he didn’t want to waste his money. Just went to hang out with his friends and show off a few dance moves. ;)
Here’s a few highlights from our Mission President seminar
Elder Uceda kicked off the conference teaching from the scriptures on the pattern the Lord uses to establish His church. He was recently called as one of the seven quorum presidents of the seventy. He’s from Peru and you will never meet a more humble and loving man. The big announcement came from Elder Brent H. Nielson regarding the deployment of smartphones in all US missions between now and next May. We are on the list to begin in December and Aaron is excited to finally be able to utilize technology. The phones will allow us to have visibility into the missionaries daily planner, area book, progress records, and how and where they’re spending their time. The apps the Church has developed will allow the missionaries to work their areas more smartly by identifying all possible people to teach in the immediate area (members in all varieties, former investigators, recent converts, referrals etc.) Too much to mention on this point, but we are looking forward to helping the missionaries stay purpose focused and using their phones as a tool to move the work forward. Elder Pearson lead a great discussion on how missionaries can know if they’re teaching by the Spirit. If you ask a missionary if they are teaching by the Spirit, there are relatively few that can tell you if they know. They can give good answers, and they generally are good at speaking from their minds, but not necessarily with their hearts. He emphasize how the missionaries can experience this as we demonstrate, through role play, ourselves teaching with the spirit by giving them opportunities to feel it themselves. The wives had a breakout session highlighting our callings, roles and that we are enough with the Lord’s help. We went to NASA on a field trip, where we had a special presentation by two members that work for NASA. One is a scientist and the other an engineer. It was so interesting to hear and see how their work with NASA strengthens their testimony of God and His gospel. We then went to dinner in Clear Lake at an Italian restaurant on the lake front. Beautiful. On Sunday, we had a Sacrament service and talks that were uplifting and inspiring. They filled my spiritual bucket. A wonderful way to end the seminar.