Elders Ricks, Welling, Russell, Simmons, Bennett, Brady, Thiriot, Groves, Muir, Equizabel, Bigler, Wood, Chambers, Kelly, Tanner, Gagnon
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Zone Leader Council March 2011
Elders Ricks, Welling, Russell, Simmons, Bennett, Brady, Thiriot, Groves, Muir, Equizabel, Bigler, Wood, Chambers, Kelly, Tanner, Gagnon
Friday, February 25, 2011
Zone Conference February 2011
Zone Conferences start off with the “Car Czar” talking about safety. We have revised our ticket policy so that if a driver gets a moving violation, riders in the car will pay a maximum of $25 towards the fine and the driver will be responsible for the rest. Since California is trying to make up its deficit with traffic tickets, they are very expensive. Running a red light is $450. That is a serious dent in somebody’s pocket (generally not the missionaries) so these are financial as well as safety issues.
Our theme for this conference was Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel, “Christlike Attributes.” President Baker did an introduction to the theme and reviewed some of the things that have happened since our last Zone Conference in November. An Elder from our ASL program talked for a few minutes on finding deaf people and getting referrals. Sister Baker gave a talk on Virtue based on Jeffrey R. Holland’s “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments.” Law of Chastity problems are the single biggest obstacle to baptism in our mission so I tried to help the missionaries have some background in why the Law of Chastity is so important.
We then divided into groups for our three break-out sessions. We had sisters from the Visitor’s Center teach how to get referrals from members. Two sets of Zone Leaders taught “Obedience and Diligence” stressing focus and attitude, and “Patience and Humility” focusing on getting along with companions and ward members. After the lunch break and zone pictures, the Assistants to the President taught “Faith” emphasizing goal setting. Then President Baker was the concluding speaker talking about “Obedience, the First Law of Heaven”. He explained that obedience is the basis for progress. He also used the story about the “Grapefruit Principle” found in the January Ensign to help missionaries understand that all change has to begin with ourselves. He shared some of President Benson’s talk on Pride and how it keeps us from obedience as well as from change.
Westwood Zone
South Bay Zone
Penninsula Zone
Metro Zone
Marina Zone
Lakewood Zone
Central Zone (with Doctor and Sister Lyman)
Our theme for this conference was Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel, “Christlike Attributes.” President Baker did an introduction to the theme and reviewed some of the things that have happened since our last Zone Conference in November. An Elder from our ASL program talked for a few minutes on finding deaf people and getting referrals. Sister Baker gave a talk on Virtue based on Jeffrey R. Holland’s “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments.” Law of Chastity problems are the single biggest obstacle to baptism in our mission so I tried to help the missionaries have some background in why the Law of Chastity is so important.
We then divided into groups for our three break-out sessions. We had sisters from the Visitor’s Center teach how to get referrals from members. Two sets of Zone Leaders taught “Obedience and Diligence” stressing focus and attitude, and “Patience and Humility” focusing on getting along with companions and ward members. After the lunch break and zone pictures, the Assistants to the President taught “Faith” emphasizing goal setting. Then President Baker was the concluding speaker talking about “Obedience, the First Law of Heaven”. He explained that obedience is the basis for progress. He also used the story about the “Grapefruit Principle” found in the January Ensign to help missionaries understand that all change has to begin with ourselves. He shared some of President Benson’s talk on Pride and how it keeps us from obedience as well as from change.
Westwood Zone
South Bay Zone
Penninsula Zone
Metro Zone
Marina Zone
Lakewood Zone
Central Zone (with Doctor and Sister Lyman)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Arrivals February 2011
Elders Ridl from Montana, Ewing from Utah, Kim from Idaho, Allred from Idaho, Grover from Mississippi, Kasteler from Utah, Shumway from Utah, Hernandez from El SalvadorSisters Olsen from Idaho, Malani from Fiji, Franks from Michigan
Trainers (and some Visa Waiters): Elders Keith, Bluth (Allred), Sisters Dansie (Olsen), Tittle (Franks), Contreras (Malani), Elders Poemape (Grover), Jung (Hernandez), Billat (Shumway), Spafford (Ewing), Deleon, Davis (Kim), Roundy (Kasteler), Szymanski (Ridl), Rose
Departures February 2011
row 1: Mary Madison, Kristina Christensen, Jori Nef, row 2: Jessica Thompson, Eliza Dickson, Sabrina McCollough, Carolyn Hancock, row 3: Preston Cazier, Victor Buzelli, Abraham Ortiz, Larry Hancock, row 4: Tyler Giles, Kipling Hetchler, Krystian Soto, Tyson Amundsen.
New Presidency
from left: First Counselor Paul White from the Los Angeles Stake, President Baker, Second Counselor John Jaramillo from the Downey Stake.
Paul and Suzanne White, President and Sister Baker, Anna and John Jaramillo
Monday, February 7, 2011
Clean Apartment Awards Feb 2011
Elder Kelly, Sister Hanselman, Sister Winn, Elder Porter, Sister Phillipy, Sister Nibley, Elder Salas, Elder Ohata. Our first place winners, Elders Conlin and Casteneda were busy doing a zone activity for investigators so they will get a rain check.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Korean Program
We received three new Elders to our Korean program. Elders Warr, Sweet, and Taylor are all from Utah.
These are all the Elders currently serving in the Korean area: Elders Jung, Warr, Sweet, Son, Taylor, Choi and Payne.
These are all the Elders currently serving in the Korean area: Elders Jung, Warr, Sweet, Son, Taylor, Choi and Payne.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
General Authority Visit
Elder Whitney Clayton, one of the Presidents of the Seventy, came this week and did a mission conference for the entire mission for three hours on Saturday. He was accompanied by Elder Reynolds, the area authority for our mission and the first thing they did was line up and shake hands and ask each missionary their name and home town. Elder Clayton said the meeting had one purpose and one purpose only: To help the missionaries to baptize more people who are all truly converted. We need people who will bless and strengthen the church. Missionaries should try to balance their efforts between baptism, retention, and activation. Properly done, activation and retention work should lead to more investigators and more baptisms. He said missionaries should look for families and reminded them that “seek and ye shall find.” They will find what they are looking for.
He asked how many of the missionaries had gone through all 13 steps in their weekly planning this week. Unfortunately, only a few raised their hands. He told them that planning is the process of revelation and promised that if they would be obedient to the planning guidelines in Preach My Gospel, they would have more baptisms.
The format for most of the meeting was allowing missionaries to ask questions. Elder Clayton used the opportunities thus presented to teach doctrine. He explained how important it is to be bold and clear in extending invitations to make commitments. He quoted 1 Nephi 4:6 and related how Nephi went forward in obedience not knowing what would happen. He had a very difficult experience but was blessed and everything worked out in the end. Many investigators will have similar experiences of going forward in keeping the commandments. He also read Alma 23:6 and emphasized that the Lamanites were converted to the Lord, not the missionaries. Keeping commitments is the way that investigators gain testimonies and blessings from the Lord.
He reminded them that the most diligent and obedient missionaries are the ones who get the referrals. Elder Clayton reviewed the story of the fig tree in Matt 21:19 and told the missionaries that it isn’t enough to wear the missionary uniform and look like missionaries, they have to bear figs (baptisms). He reminded missionaries that they are called to be angels. D&C 29:42. They should be as good as they can be and not even think of doing something wrong.
Sister Macdonald, President Baker, Elder Clayton, Elder Reynolds looking at the Book of Mormon pods.
Elder Macdonald, Sister Dansie, Sister Browning, Elder Clayton, President Baker (hidden), and Elder Reynolds during tour of Visitor's Center.
He asked how many of the missionaries had gone through all 13 steps in their weekly planning this week. Unfortunately, only a few raised their hands. He told them that planning is the process of revelation and promised that if they would be obedient to the planning guidelines in Preach My Gospel, they would have more baptisms.
The format for most of the meeting was allowing missionaries to ask questions. Elder Clayton used the opportunities thus presented to teach doctrine. He explained how important it is to be bold and clear in extending invitations to make commitments. He quoted 1 Nephi 4:6 and related how Nephi went forward in obedience not knowing what would happen. He had a very difficult experience but was blessed and everything worked out in the end. Many investigators will have similar experiences of going forward in keeping the commandments. He also read Alma 23:6 and emphasized that the Lamanites were converted to the Lord, not the missionaries. Keeping commitments is the way that investigators gain testimonies and blessings from the Lord.
He reminded them that the most diligent and obedient missionaries are the ones who get the referrals. Elder Clayton reviewed the story of the fig tree in Matt 21:19 and told the missionaries that it isn’t enough to wear the missionary uniform and look like missionaries, they have to bear figs (baptisms). He reminded missionaries that they are called to be angels. D&C 29:42. They should be as good as they can be and not even think of doing something wrong.
Sister Macdonald, President Baker, Elder Clayton, Elder Reynolds looking at the Book of Mormon pods.
Elder Macdonald, Sister Dansie, Sister Browning, Elder Clayton, President Baker (hidden), and Elder Reynolds during tour of Visitor's Center.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Apostle Visit
President Uchtdorf and his wife Harriet unexpectedly dropped by for a quick tour of the Visitors' Center before he spoke at the Westwood Second Ward Sacrament Meeting.
Our daughter Tracy and her family just happened to be visiting that weekend.
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