California Los Angeles Mission: Zone Conference February 2012

We began our Zone Conference with Elder Olsen trying to teach the missionaries to “pay attention” when driving. Elder Olsen inspects the cars during the conference and we now have a policy of making missionaries with low scores on cleanliness stay after to clean their cars to Elder Olsen’s satisfaction. Sister Mayorga talked to the missionaries about healthy eating. She committed them to eat one head of Romaine Lettuce every week.

The theme of our Zone Conference was “Teach with Power.” President Baker began by talking about the Holy Ghost. He used a clip from “March of the Penguins” to demonstrate that it takes both familiarity and concentration to hear the voice of the Spirit amidst all the other clamor in our world. Sister Baker taught about the Apostasy, using material from The Inevitable Apostasy by Tad Callister. Then missionaries rotated through three breakout sessions taught by Zone Leaders: Making a Lesson Plan, Companionship Study with a Lesson Plan, and Planning with Mobile Area Books.

After lunch, we heard 6 or so missionaries share an experience where they had followed the Spirit. They were asked to be prepared and then called out of the audience by President Baker. The Assistants taught that missionaries need the Holy Ghost as well as good planning to be powerful teachers. They used the theme of the Ten Virgins and being prepared by adding to our oil “drop by drop.” President Baker then concluded the meeting by teaching that being “willingly obedient” makes a mission both easier and happier. He tried to help them understand that “sacrifice” isn’t that difficult when one realizes the blessings that result.

Athens Zone