Another full week here in the Great Texas Houston South.
On Monday night we went to the Men’s Clay Court Championship tournament in downtown Houston and it was amazing. There were 32 pros participating and to watch them hit the ball and volley up close and personal was unreal. Jessie’s tennis coach helped us get tickets and it was well worth the time. I love how Jessie has taken to the sport so much so that I want to take tennis lessons when we get back to Utah.
We went to our final mission president seminar in Las Vegas this week. We flew out on Wednesday and returned early Saturday morning. President Uceda, and Elders Pearson, Cornish, and Godoy led the seminar discussions and we love the interaction we have had with these brethren.The central theme of the seminar was ministering and built upon the recent changes announced at conference. The pattern of ministering follows what we do with our missionary work as we identify the needs of those we serve and then bless them based on how the Spirit guides. A part of that ministering is how we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others. Missionaries can forget that at times and instead teach lessons vs teaching principles that connect to a person’s needs and hopes. Elder Pearson used the analogy of someone walking into a dealership and asking to buy a specific car, but the salesman will only give it to them after they have a three hour lesson on the history of the car company. For a person with a specific need to feel peace or understand how to get through difficult times but is taught a lesson on the restoration, won’t want or able to understand why it’s important because it doesn’t address their need. It’s really a basic and simple principle: learn to listen so you can listen to learn their needs.
President Uceda is a brilliant teacher. He goes back and forth between the Greek, Hebrew, and Latin translations of the Bible to help give context to the nature of what the Savior was teaching. He walked us through Luke 15 and it was eye opening to have greater context on why the Savior taught the parable of the lost sheep, coin, and prodigal son focused on ministering. It emphasized the importance of our missionaries continued efforts to use the Book of Mormon and their personal testimonies as a way to invite the Spirit and make disciples of those they teach.
We were invited to share our testimonies as one of four departing mission presidents and wives. We have heard the testimonies of those that are departing the previous two years, but to do it ourselves was far harder than I expected. To share what we have learned and experienced in just a few minutes is almost impossible and we have come to love all those we have served and started with. I shared how my testimony of the Savior and His doctrine has strengthen and deepened over the past three years. It’s become so personal and real to me. We talk of all the changes we see in our missionaries, but this is true for us as well. Aaron shared his gratitude and love that Heavenly Father trusted us enough to have this experience and made us enough to be His representative in this capacity. To bless and serve our missionaries in an individual manner so they could feel the Savior’s love for them. He also shared his witness of God, the Savior, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and in living prophets.
We will have had 520 missionaries serve with us by the time we come home and to think that we’ll have some modest effect on them and their posterity is amazing. We hope we’ve done it right, we’ve worked our hardest, and know the Lord has made up for our weakness. Truly an amazing blessing and experience. One of the greatest blessings of our experience will always be the interaction with those who are home. We had two sisters come visit us while in Las Vegas. It was wonderful to see how they’re doing, share their faith with us, and to reconnect. What an amazing tender mercy to have this sweet reunion. These two sisters have taken the same principles they’ve learned on their missions home with them and they’re thriving. We hope to have many experiences like this for years and years to come. The interaction with the other mission presidents is always great and it’s good to simply discuss challenges and opportunities with those who are going through the same experience. A great seminar, two very fast days.
Zac started his job this week at Rudy’s Barbeque. Bring on the smoky bbq smell filled clothes. Zac is took the ACT Saturday morning. He is nervous about doing well. Not sure how he will fare since he didn’t do a lot to study for it. He and Bode made sure that Jessie got to dance and tennis while I was gone. I am very grateful that they care for each other and do it happily. Makes a mom's heart happy. We are blessed beyond compare. We only have 2.5 months remaining. It is official we arrive home on Saturday, June 30th at 1pm. Until then we’ll be sprinting to the end.