First Sisters Meeting

It was really a treat to have every sister in our mission together for our first Sisters Meeting. We used the theme: "What I wished I had known sooner." We had beautiful music presented by our talented sisters, we heard from Sister Pilette, who had returned home a few weeks earlier, and just happened to be in town the day we were meeting and from Sister Boulter who was going home two weeks after our meeting. They both Inspired us with their wisdom and testimonies of the Savior. Sister Pilette taught us the "The Savior doesn't sleep when we suffer." Sister Boulter encouraged us to step out in faith and confidence. She taught us that blessings come with obedience, but miracles happen when we implement with exactness. The highlight was hearing from each of our senior sisters as they shared their personal experiences and lessons learned from trials and living the gospel day by day.

Back Row: Horan, Schulz,Daley, Hill, Charland,Earl,Pilette,Bunker

Middle:Boulter,Myer,English,Riddle,Jack,Holmes,Thomas

Front: Javier,Worthen,O'Rillian,Woods,Vance,Martineau,Bruening

Sister Woods--"Don't let your weaknesses define you, magnify your strengths." You've been those a lot longer"

Sisters Jack, & Holmes

Sister Pilette

Sister Boulter

Sister Martineau--"It's not about you" It's about the Savior and those that you serve

Sister Vance--"Mother Knew Best"

Sister O' Rullian--"Life is too short to look at the negative" Attitude is everything"

Sisters Schulz, English, & Hill

Sister Schulz, Riddle, & Charland

Leadership Conference

There are some changes coming to the curriculum at the MTC in January of 2011. It is still completely Preach My Gospel but there is more emphasis on the what I call the "Human side of missionary work;" meaning that they are going to work on listening skills, asking good questions and understanding the needs of the people from the answers they give and then being led by the Spirit to teach to their needs. If you would like more details a about this , see my "leadership training" page. We were instructed to bring all of our zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers into Baton Rouge for a Leadership Training meeting. We were given 8 lessons to present to them in those 4 days. They stayed in the apartments of the local missionaries and 13 of them stayed here at the mission home. I fed 55 missionaries breakfast and lunch all four days. It was a wonderful four days. Our leaders came prepared to be taught from on high and and Heavenly Father answered our prayers by pouring out his spirit for four days. Those of us that instructed could feel that we were being instructed as much as the missionaries were by the spirit at we taught. The exciting part were the miracles that we saw in the evening when they went out and implemented the things they had been taught during the day. when they returned at 9:00 p.m. we would sit around in a big circle and marvel at how inspired the instruction was by how well it worked as we went forward in faith. It is a thrill to see the faith and dedication of these young people. Not only our leaders, but the young missionaries that were left to keep the ball rolling in the field. There is not question that the Savior is very personally involved in this work as he loves, teaches, supports, and redeems us as we strive to serve Him. Enjoy the light and joy that you see in the faces of your wonderful missionaries.

photographs donated by Brother Easley

Elders Falco, Witt,Richins,Thorton, Neilsen, Cranny, Cox, Heger, Jones and Harrison

Sister Wingate and Riddle

Sister Dupaix, Schulz, Hill, Woods, Thomas, Wingate, & Riddle

Elder Woodings and Richins

Elder Nielsen & Richins

Elder Heyrend, Neilsen, Sister Riddle, Thomas, & Elder Thornton

Elders Jones & Cook

Elders Butterfield, Meyer,Day,Chamberlain,Woodings,Belknap,Thompson, & LaPorte

Elders Heuter & Gibson

Sisters Dupaix & Schulz

Elders Spackman & Smith (Assistants to the President)

Elders Falco,Griner,LaPorte(from France), Sister Hill,GibsonBounds,&Witt

Elder Hatch, Sister Schulz & Sister Dupaix

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BOOK OF MORMON

In Our December Zone Conference President gave all of the Missionaries a paper

Back Book of Mormon and asked them to underline all of the references to Jesus Christ. He wanted them to underline all of His direct teachings, anyone quoting Him., any time He was being referred to by any of His names. President and I also enjoyed the assignment. It turned out to be a powerful experience for all of us. I personally was so grateful for the experience. It strengthened my testimony of the Book of Mormon as "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." It deepened my love for Him as I saw so vividly what a "hands on " Savior He is. He was speaking to, admonishing, blessing, endowing with Power, correcting, expressing love for, guiding, and teaching His children constantly. He loves us so much. I already knew that, but it was so vivid as I was underlining on every single page. We asked several of our missionaries to share their experience at the Zone conference in January. Here are a couple of quotes from them

Sister Missionary

I have learned how consistently He blesses those that are obedient and how consistently He is in our lives. I have felt my purpose more deeply –why I am here. I know more than ever before that He is the only Way. I know that He lives, that He came and was resurrected. It wasn’t just then but it is for now and for ever. It fills my whole being

ELDER

I learned that the Book of Mormon is true in more than one language. WE read Lord, Lamb of God, ......but as we focus on who is really speaking through the prophets -- who is teaching ----It is all our Savior

"It has made me want to be a better Missionary . It has intensified my focus. It has made me a better teacher. I can direct my investigators to The Savior—what he teaches—what he said.

We testify that God lives , that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, That They have appeared once again to man. That the plain and precious truths that Jesus Christ taught and the organization that He established when He was on the earth has been restored in it's perfection to the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. We testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God revealed to His prophets, that we have a prophet on the earth today Thomas S. Monson. We testify that the Priesthood Keys have been restored to seal families for eternity, and to Baptize in His name. We invite all to "Come Unto Christ"