With the Mission President Seminar, I felt way behind in life. After meeting with the AP’s on Monday morning with Aaron, I used the rest of the day like a p-day. So I spent the day washing clothes, taking Issy to the groomers and grocery shopping. I even ran into the AP’s at Walmart while they did their shopping too. Bode had a great first “official” football game. They were crushed by a team of all black kids that looked like grown men. Bode kind of ran around the field looking like he wanted to tackle someone one and was there once someone did get tackled.
I joined Aaron and the AP’s on Tuesday morning to help with the lesson review and assessment meeting with the Elders and Sisters that have been here for eight weeks. Aaron added this meeting to help our missionaries with their ability to teach and lead. For many of our arriving missionaries there is a great need to accelerate their gospel knowledge and teaching abilities. This lesson review and assessment meeting is to see how our Elders & Sister are progressing. They come in with their trainer and teach all five lessons demonstrating their knowledge of each principle, scriptures mastery, ability to testify simply, teaching skills (questions, listening, adapting to investigator needs), and extending invitations (pray, read, church attendance etc) to another trainer. There is no way for us to get around to each of our missionaries individually and see them teach everything they need to know in their respective areas, so this was a great way for us to see where they are. Aaron put together an assessment checklist for each lesson that the new missionary and trainer completed after they taught each lesson so they could know what they're doing well and where they still need improvement. We learned a lot of great things throughout the day. For the most part the missionaries teach the first lesson (The Restoration) quite well.
After the meeting I picked up Jessie from school and then headed to pick up my dad from the Hobby airport. It is a smaller airport then Bush International. However because they have so much construction going on with the parking I just had to drive around and around until he came out. Unfortunately He had forgotten his cell phone at home I had you rely on higher communication. ;) I had to say a couple of prayers to get my dad to follow the whisperings of the spirit to come out of the airport. I am so glad to have him here in Sugarland with us for the next couple of weeks. J
Allie Homecoming update: so as a part of Homecoming festivities there are lunchtime activities each day. Tuesday Allie Facetimed me so I could witness her very attractive hairdo. Her date, Tyson, had to do her hair. I would describe it as a combination of a bohemian bird’s nest and Weeknd’s hair. It was very interesting and apparently heavy. Allie thinks he used 8 lbs of hairspray to make it stand up. ;)
On Wednesday morning I wanted my dad to experience for himself what an amazing area we live in. So I showed him a 1-mile loop he could do but he wanted to explore more. I tried to show/explain to my dad some of the many places that he could go walking around in our neighborhood beyond the 1-mile loop. I decided I would jog the designated new loop and meet him back home. However I was concerned that it was longer than I had anticipated so I went back looking for him and Issy. My dad didn’t exactly make it to the trail I had laid out and went exploring a different way. Luckily all trails eventually lead back to Sweetwater, which is where I found him and Issy. Dad was great but Issy was pooped. The rest of the day I was still trying to play catch up at home. Zac informed us at dinner they made another cut in basketball class. He continues to make the cuts so at this point it looks like he's made the high school team, although I have said that before. Zacs’ sports experience couldn't be better for him here, so grateful that it's been a positive experience. Zac also continues to love early morning seminary. His teacher truly is a rock star to me. Allie’s homecoming lunch activity today was make-up done by Tyson today as well. I had prepared myself for drag queen makeup. However he had made her into a cute pink bunny. Go check out Instagram for pictures. J
Aaron saw the need to start holding a District Leader training. The first one was held on Thursday. After dropping Bode off at school, my dad and I headed for the meeting. Several topics were covered at the meeting; leadership in the Lord's way, exact obedience, ministering, district meetings, accountability meetings, weekly reporting, kindly correction (how to call out disobedience), baptism interviews and baptism services. My dad sat in the meeting until about 10:30 and then went to help out the senior missionaries in the office. At break time, I found my dad putting together bookcases for our missionaries’ apartments. I asked him later what he thought of the day and he told me the best part was putting together the bookcases. He also commented that the senior missionaries’ have the best job because they come in at 9:30/10 and leave when they have their jobs done for the day. My dad loves to work and be busy. It makes him so happy! My dad rocks!
After the District Leader training, I headed to meet with one of our sister companionships for lunch and then to help them in their planning. The biggest thing I see in these planning sessions is that they don’t plan for the specifics of their investigators needs. We began with one investigator who they had a teaching record for but the whole family needed their own teaching records. Included in the investigators’ home is a recent convert, less active and member that is struggling with an addiction but luckily still attends on Sundays. I helped them see the need to plan specific approaches to help each of them in their journey to come unto Christ. Later that night when I was talking to Aaron about the planning meeting I told him I wasn’t sure if I had been any benefit to the sisters and their planning efforts. A few days later the sisters’ sent me a text all excited because the ideas we came up with for that family worked. Yeah! I made a difference. Bonus was that they were able to get two of their investigators and recent convert to accept an invitation and actually come to the Women’s Broadcast on Saturday. Double victory!
After dropping the kids at school on Friday, my dad and I headed for the mission office again. My dad was excited to help the senior missionaries again. However we didn’t know what was on the list of things to do. He ended up driving to Bay City with Bro. Embody to unlock the sisters car because they locked their keys in the trunk. While there he got to experience Whata Burger. I haven’t even tried Whata Burger yet but apparently they are huge in the south. I myself joined Aaron for quarterly interviews this time around since the kids are in school. I really wrestled with what I could chat/teach/share with the missionaries. I decided I’m doing a Wellness Update. I ask them about how they feel about waking up on time, exercise, nutrition and anything else dealing with their wellbeing. I share with them exercise ideas, recipes, ask about family and have them share family photos, and basically just love them. President Eyring told us we would love them and I do. I love watching them grow, improve, and see them become amazing youth men and woman sharing their beliefs of God.
A big thanks to the Megan for helping us be apart of Allie’s homecoming events at the game last night. I am so grateful for FaceTime and the opportunity to see her cheer and be escorted as Homecoming royalty. We'd really like to be there for these kind of events and it kills me, but I am so glad to see it live. Kudos to Megan for breaking every rule and just going on the field, following Allie around and acting like a BOSS! Allie had a great Homecoming experience with all the activities that went on. Her date was great, no awkwardness just fun! Makes a mom happy!
After a long bike ride on Saturday morning, we enjoyed the afternoon swimming in the pool as a family. The pool is a sweet benefit. I really quite like having a pool in my backyard….I might need one when we get home. ;) We enjoyed more family time at a local wings restaurant. The boys LOVED the wings! Jessie and I enjoyed chicken tenders. ;)