MLC and Inspiring Mission President's Seminar

This past week we continued with interviews in two zones, then we had an awesome Mission Leadership Council on Wednesday.  We had about 10 new zone leaders and sister trainer leaders, and we just had a wonderful meeting!  We discussed President Nelson's talk on receiving personal revelation and also linked it with Chapter 4 in Preach My Gospel on Recognizing the Spirit.  Our assistants,  Elders Grinwis and Chapman led this discussion and it was really great.  Steve also spoke to these leaders about the importance of having vision in the work, and how it influences us in setting our goals and making plans.  He used the scripture in Proverbs which says 'where there is no vision, the people perish.'  We try to help the missionaries have a vision of what our mission can do, what their zones can do, and what they in their companionships can do.  I think it is really a powerful principle.  We also spoke about the 'small and simple' things as President Oaks taught us in General Conference, and how those are the things that determine not only our missionary work, but also what happens in our lives.  We also had trainings from Elder Urling and Sisters Christensen and Johnson, and they all did such a good job.  You would be in awe of how great these missionaries are when they stand up to teach and train--they are pretty incredible, and we are so proud of them.
We also had a little fun playing a 'pictionary' type game with phrases from the scriptures and other missionary words.  The winners got some pretty good candy bars!
On Thursday we left for Denver for our interim Mission President's Seminar.  These seminars are so uplifting, and we look forward to them every 6 months to recharge us!  This one was very special because we had two apostles with us!  Elder Andersen and Elder Soares!  We felt blessed at our last seminar to have Elder Andersen, and then we got him again, along with our newly called Elder Soares!  It was so incredible to be taught by them, and have them with us.  We also had Elder K. Brett Nattress,  Elder Joaquin Costa, and President Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy.   All of their wives came with them, and we love getting to know them.
The last morning, we had the blessing of hearing Elder Andersen speak to us about the sacred experience of seeing the First Presidency reorganized and then also the calling of two new apostles.  To hear him share his testimony about it was so incredibly special.  It was something we will never forget.  We felt so blessed to be there.

President and Sister Pattison, us, and President and Sister Craig
we all serve in Canadian missions

Our MTC group-
The Craigs, Griffins, Wadsworths, Hess, Us, Gardners, Hancocks

 

Another transfer week complete!

Well, another transfer week has come and gone!  We sadly sent 5 missionaries home to their families, after completing their wonderful service here, but then we welcomed 10 new excited missionaries straight from the MTC!  Transfer week is always a week of emotions for me.  Our final testimony meeting with our departing missionaries is always so touching.  To witness the amazing missionaries they have become is nothing short of a miracle.  I wish everyone could hear their final testimonies--it is so powerful.  I'm always a little teary in that meeting!  But, I just think of their families waiting to greet them the next day, and I remember what it was like to have our missionaries come home, and it makes me so excited for them!
And then I love greeting our new missionaries at the airport and seeing their enthusiasm to be here.  It's so fun to have them come, and meet them and begin to get to know them.  I get excited for them to meet their new companions and get to their areas and begin being a missionary in the field!  Transfer week is really such a fun week!  We always tell the missionaries it is a great time to rededicate themselves to the work, and to set goals and make plans to have the best transfer ever!
Prior to transfer week we had to pack up and move downstairs to the basement of the mission home since the main floor is going to be remodeled prior to the new mission president coming in June.  So, we have a makeshift office in the training room, but it is all working out fine.  It can be a bit noisy when the workers are here hammering and pulling out tile, etc., but we make do!
On Saturday we began interviews again for this transfer, and so the cycle begins again!  Today we were able to speak in the Highlands Park YSA ward, which was really fun.  There were four non-members attending, which they were hoping to have happen.  So, we had prayed and prepared in advance something to say that might inspire them to want to investigate the church and this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ.
 We are preparing for our Mission Leadership Council on Wednesday, and in 2 weeks we will have zone conferences.  In between those we will attend our Mission President's Seminar, which is always an incredible couple of days as we are taught by the General Authorities over our area.  So, we have a lot to do, and are excited for this new transfer.  We are so grateful for the renewal of both body and spirit as we go about this work.  So many times we feel so exhausted, but the Lord always blesses us to do His work, and we feel it.  We continue to pray that we might be an instrument in the Lord's hands to bless our missionaries and this mission and help further the missionary efforts here in the Canada Calgary Mission.  We love this gospel, and we love our Savior, and are grateful to have the blessing and privilege to be able to serve in this capacity.

Missionaries in the Bow River zone playing a p-day game!

At the temple with our 5 departing missionaries!

One more group shot at the airport before they leave to go home!

And of course, one last selfie with them!

Greeting our new missionaries at the airport!

The main floor of the mission home under renovation!  We now live in the basement!

Beautiful baptisms!

Last week we were able to attend 3 different convert baptisms.  Our schedule usually doesn't allow that to happen, but it just worked out and each one was so touching.  We were able to see a mother and her 11 year old son be baptized, Xinia & Kale Ketilson, then we saw Eulalie Akambu be baptized by her husband (talk about special!), and then Sally Deng, also be baptized.  I wish everyone could have witnessed them and have been able to hear them share their thoughts at the end.  Sally was just weeping with happiness--she said she felt so loved!  I also came to know of the importance of the members of the ward in each one of these instances.  The members really 'ministered' to each one of these sweet women, in many different ways;  always making them feel included and loved, and it made such a difference.  For every convert there is a spiritual conversion, where they have to have felt the spirit strong enough in their heart bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel for them to go forward with faith and want to be baptized.  Yet there is also a social conversion--where they truly feel adopted into a ward family, and loved and accepted.  This is so important as they are making crucial changes in their lives after having been baptized.  It is such a sweet thing to see how members fill this role, and love them, and help them along.  We each need to be aware of what more we can do for those who are investigating the church..we can give them the love they need as they are also seeking for the spirit to touch their lives.
On Friday we held our New Trainer's meeting for the missionaries that will be training our new missionaries arriving on Wednesday.  It was a great meeting and these trainers are going to be awesome!  We know they have been called by the Lord to this assignment at this time--and they will do a great job.
Sunday  morning we drove to Fort MacLeod to participate in the Stake Conference there with Elder K. David Scott of the Seventy.  We had more snow the night before and the roads weren't very good, but we made it in time!  It was a nice conference, and they had a beautiful Primary children's choir, which sounded like little angels.  We made it back safely to Calgary that afternoon to meet with our assistants to discuss the transfer this week.  We are excited to welcome 10 new missionaries on Wednesday!  And sad to see 5 go home--yet also excited for them to begin this new chapter of their lives.  It is always a revolving door in the mission field!  Every 6 weeks you sadly say good-by, and happily say hello!

Baptism of Eulalie Akambu, with Elders Leghorn and Higashi

Sisters Jorgensen, Anderson, Moffett & Hermansen at New Trainers lunch

Elders Dennison, Cleghorn, Higashi, Hatch, Tu, & Hancey (and the ward mission leader) singing at Sally's baptism with the primary children-"I Am a Child of God"

The elders at New Trainer's lunch!

Great Week!

What a great week we have just had!  We completed interviews for the transfer and on Friday we held our 'Retrainer's' meeting where all the new missionaries with their trainers come for a 2 hour training.
This is such a great meeting because we can really talk about how they are adjusting as missionaries, what they have learned, what their challenges are, and we answer questions all pertaining to missionary work.  They don't realize it, but we have already seen them grow!  Yes, some are still quite homesick, and some are still overwhelmed, but they are beginning to really feel what it is like to be a missionary and are learning to throw themselves into the work.  The quicker they can do that, the
happier they are.  Sometimes it is hard to let go of home--but as they take the counsel that President Hinckley's father gave him, to 'forget yourself and go to work', the happier they are and the more effective missionary they become.  It's quite a unique thing to witness!  After the meeting we had a pizza lunch in the cultural hall before sending everyone on their way back to their areas.
Friday night we were able to attend the baptism of Rory Swoboda.  It is just so special to attend a convert baptism!  There is nothing like the sweet spirit there as you watch someone change and follow the example of the Savior and be baptized.  It is also so cool to see how it impacts the ward members.  It really unifies a ward, and builds their faith as they watch someone take this step.
General Conference weekend was so inspiring, and our missionaries loved it.  Of course, for all of them this was the first solemn assembly they can remember, and it was very special for them to participate in it and sustain our new prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.  And then to hear of all the inspired changes that were revealed--it was quite a conference to remember!
This weekend being Easter was also the day we completed our reading of the Book of Mormon together as a mission.  It was very fitting that this time we underlined all the references to Jesus Christ, and to realize just how much the Book of Mormon testifies of Him.  We have come to realize in an even more profound way just how much this book talks of Him.  I know it was powerful for our missionaries to read it this way, and their love for their Savior grew.  I know mine did.  I know as we read and study His life in the Bible and Book of Mormon, we come to realize His great love for us, and also His great mercy, and goodness, and his perfect example.  I am so grateful to know that He suffered for me, for each of us, because of His great love for us.  And I am so grateful to know that He lives, and because of His glorious resurrection, each of us will also be resurrected and have the opportunity to live with Him forever if we remain faithful in His gospel.  What a great blessing!
To have General Conference on Easter Sunday is just the best!  Our missionaries just loved it, and were so inspired and lifted up.
We keep hoping for spring, but we have had some cold temperatures and snow!  I don't think spring is coming until at least May!  I don't think the snow in our back yard will melt until July, haha!

Sisters ready to eat pizzas at the Retrainer's meeting & lunch!

All the elders at the Retrainers meeting!

All the sisters at Retrainer's meeting!

The snow in our backyard!

Baptism of Rory Swoboda with Elders Woltron, Barnwell & White

The 'warm' spring weather in Calgary!-ugh!