Sunday, June 24, 2018

Moving van came, Final Stake Conference!

Well, I guess we really are going home since the moving company came on Tuesday and loaded up all of our belongings!  We really are just living with the things we can pack into our suitcases now!  I'm hoping mine will all fit!
The remodel of the mission home is completed, but there is cleaning to be done, draperies to be steamed, and a few odds and ends.  It looks beautiful and will be so nice for President and Sister Keung when they arrive on Friday.  There is such a great spirit in the mission home, and we have really missed living in it for the past month and a half.  Hotel living, even in a good hotel, is just that--hotel living!
This past week we held our New Trainer's meeting for all of the missionaries that will train the 16 new ones arriving this week.  It was such a great meeting!  We really left this meeting feeling like these new missionaries will be in good hands!  It is really weird to think that we won't be here to watch them progress.  We love watching the new missionaries come, and then be able to see them grow and blossom and gain confidence and everything else that happens in the first transfer.  We will miss that.  We will miss this whole mission experience--what an incredible blessing it has been for us.
We feel so privileged to have been able to serve in this capacity.
On Thursday evening a little social gathering was held for us for all the Stake Presidencies in the Calgary area to come and say good-by.  We have so grown to love these good men and their wives and are so grateful for the friendships that have been created.  One of the great blessings of serving in the church are the friendships that are made because of that service.  We know that we will be able to stay in touch for years to come, and are looking forward to it.
Friday we had a fun dinner at the Stephen's home with our mission presidency.  We have loved serving with the Gedlaman's and the Stephen's and are so grateful for their friendship and their devotion to the work.  Steve also released them that night as his counselors!  It was hard to hug them good-by!  We love them!
This Saturday we participated in the final stake conference of our mission, the Fish Creek Stake Conference with President Kipp Craig.  Originally we thought we were speaking only on Sunday morning, but when we looked on the program on Saturday evening, there were our names!  And also on Sunday morning!  So, I took a little gulp, said a silent prayer, and just shared what came to my mind.  I have learned to trust in the Lord to 'give me what to say in the very hour' when I need it.  He is so kind and merciful and wants to bless us.  I mean, He really wants to bless us!  It was such a great stake conference, filled with the spirit, as we learned more about ministering as the Savior would have us do.  And the music was incredible--I have loved listening to all of the choirs in the stake conferences!  Today, for the intermediate hymn we all stood to sing "The Spirit of God".  I have never felt more power as the whole stake stood in unison to sing that hymn than today.  There was an outpouring of the spirit, and as the hymn says, 'the spirit of God like a fire is burning'--I really felt that today as it was sung.  We were so grateful to be there.
We have attended about 27-28 stake conferences a year--so in doing the math, that's about 80 or so!
And have spoken in at least one or more of the sessions.  It's been such a blessing, but I am happy to go sit in the congregation now!
We are looking forward to our transfer week this week!  We say good-by to 21 missionaries on Wednesday morning and welcome 16 new ones that afternoon!  It's always a fun week.  This one is different for us, because we welcome them really for President and Sister Keung.  I actually think the Keung's will be able to meet them in the MTC on Tuesday, because they are there at their New Mission President's Seminar--so that would be wonderful if they do!
As our mission comes to a close, it is beyond difficult to articulate my feelings for this experience.  I will be forever grateful to the Lord for letting us have this time to serve with these incredible missionaries and be part of the gathering of Israel.
Boxed and ready to load!

Moving van is here!

President and Sister Nzojibwame of the West Stake, and us!

Us and President and Sister Thompson of the Bow River Stake

Us and President and Sister Craig of the Fish Creek Stake

lunch at New Trainer's meeting!

All of our New Trainers! They will be awesome!

Fun visit from two of our returned missionaries-Cally Rumbolt and Courtney Messick!

Us with Sassa & Tony Stephen- Steve's second counselor in the mission presidency.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Final Zone Conferences of our Mission!

Well, on Thursday and Friday we held the final zone conferences of our mission.  It was a tender time.  Because of the 5 week transfer we have, we didn't have enough days to do full zone conferences, so we held two each day for 3 hours each.  On Thursday we held two in Calgary and on Friday we held two in Lethbridge.  They were wonderful, and there was a great spirit there as we discussed what we have learned from President Nelson since he has become the prophet.  The missionaries have all felt he is asking us all to 'rise up' and they love his enthusiasm and faith.  They all feel more committed to stay on the covenant path as he has asked us to do, and are so inspired by him.
We also had the missionaries break into groups and answer the question, "Why do we strive to be exactly obedient?"  It was a fantastic discussion afterwards as they shared scriptures about how we are blessed because of our obedience.  They also came to realize that as we choose to be more obedient we are fighting off the natural man and becoming more like Christ.  It is also one more way to show our level of conversion, and to live a more consecrated life.  They began to really realize that as we keep the commandments and the rules of the missionary handbook, we are allowing the Lord to bless us more.  It was such a great discussion.  I love the insights the missionaries always have to share.
We also spoke to them about the transition in 2 weeks when President and Sister Keung arrive to lead this great mission, and reassured them of our witness that they have been called of God at this time.  I know some of them have a little anxiety about it, but many said they have just had a peaceful feeling that it will be good, for which I am so thankful!  I know the Keung's will be such a blessing and I am excited for them to come have this experience and serve with these amazing missionaries.
Steve and I each took a little time to just share with them some things from our heart, and then we had a testimony meeting which is always powerful!  I wish everyone could hear a missionary testimony meeting.  There is such a strong spirit there.  And I love seeing missionaries grow in their faith and testimony.  We had some share their testimonies who when they first came out were so shy and nervous, and to see them stand and boldly declare what they know is quite a miracle!  That is truly one of the coolest parts about our calling!
We are so grateful for this experience and privilege to lead these missionaries and be part of this great work.  It is a time we will always cherish!
Our Bow River, Confederation Park, Fish Creek and Foothill Zones

Missionaries signing my tablecloth!

Sister Ziegner bought me German chocolate!

Our 2 elders from Spain-Elders Isern and DelMolino

Our Calgary, Calgary North, and Calgary West Zones

Our Lethbridge East, Medicine Hat, and British Columbia Zones

Our Lethbridge and Cardston Zones

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Visit from the Prophet!

Pictures with the Medicine Hat zone at their meeting on Monday!

They wanted a selfie picture!  Love them!
Well, it was quite an incredible weekend.  First off we participated in the Taber Stake Conference with President Baldry, the stake president, and Elder Thomas Priday of the Seventy.  We stayed with the Baldry's at their home Saturday evening, and they, as always, are so gracious and good to us!  They save their 'special' room downstairs for us and even leave us chocolates!  They are too good to us and we have grown to love them so much.  One of the greatest blessings of this mission has been the friendships we have developed with the stake presidents and their wives.  They are such good people, all of them, and we are so grateful for their support in this missionary work.  After the conference we were invited back to their home for a yummy lunch before we needed to leave for Raymond to see the prophet.
In Raymond we were invited to participate in the dinner with the prophet prior to the devotional.  It was held in an upstairs room (this is a pretty unique building!).  All of the tables were decorated by the cute little Achievement Day girls, and they left little messages for the prophet which were so cute.
Sister Nelson took him around and introduced him to all of her extended family and close friends that were invited to the dinner.  When it was our turn, we not only got a handshake, but a hug from the prophet!  He held both of my hands in his and asked how I was doing, to which I replied, "So good!"
How can you not be good when the prophet has just embraced you and is tenderly holding your hands? It was quite a special experience!
We were also able to shake Elder and Sister Rasband's hands and they thanked us for our service, and wished us luck as we return home.
The devotional was amazing-to hear from both Sister Rasband and Sister Nelson and Elder Rasband and then the prophet!  We were able to sit right behind them all, and it was just so special to be in their presence.  I just kept looking at President Nelson and thinking to myself, "I'm sitting right here by the prophet!"  It was a sweet experience to have close to the end of our mission.
I have such a testimony of a living prophet, and since President Nelson was called my testimony of them has grown even more.  He is truly leading us to do the things the Lord wants us to do.  I sustain him with all my heart, and hope I can always be found following the prophet.
Fun visit from one of our returned missionaries- Lydia Williams and her family!

This sign was on our door at  the Baldry's!

Elder Priday, President and Sister Baldry, and us, at the Baldry's home.

The room where we had dinner with the prophet.

The Raymond Stake Relief Society President presenting Sister Nelson with a quilt from all the sisters in Raymond.  President Nelson is looking on.

One of the centerpieces made by primary girls!

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Interviews and our last MLC!

This last week we began our final round of interviews with our missionaries and also held our last Mission Leadership Council.  It really is an unusual feeling to be doing things for the last time.  We will be very busy up until the day we leave, but knowing that each time we interview a zone of missionaries it is our last time to do it is bittersweet.  We never anticipated the love we would feel for our missionaries, and how deeply we would care for them--so it is a tender time to know we will be leaving them.  But, we also know that the Keung's are called of the Lord and will bless this mission immensely!  From the first time we skyped with them, the spirit confirmed to me that they are the ones to take this mission to new heights.  It took all of 30 seconds to love them!  So, we know our missionaries will be in good hands, and we are excited to see what happens.
We left Calgary on Tuesday evening and met with President and Sister Lybbert of the Cardston Stake on Tuesday evening.  We have so loved the friendships we have formed here on our mission-what a blessing!  Then on Wednesday we had a great MLC with our zone leaders and sister trainer leaders.  I just love this meeting!  I love the faith and excitement and dedication and hard work of these great missionaries.  They are inspiring!  Following our MLC we drove to Glenwood so Steve could do an interview of a baptismal candidate, and I was able to sit in on the baptismal interview of her 9 year old daughter, Alyssa.  It was the sweetest experience to hear this cute little girl talk about Jesus, and repentance, and be so excited to get baptized!  After her interview, she demonstrated 'the flosser' for me!  Which is a new dance I didn't know much about, except that my 8 year old grandson has been doing it!  It gave me a real laugh!
On Thursday through Saturday we did interviews with our Lethbridge, Lethbridge East and Cardston zones, and after interviews on Saturday we drove to Magrath to participate in the Stake Conference there with Elder Eduardo Gavarret of the Seventy.  He is such a humble, kind person.  We have been with him in another conference in Calgary and enjoyed that one so much.  He is quite spontaneous though--and we thought we weren't participating in any of the meetings except Sunday morning.  But he asked us to speak in the Saturday afternoon leadership session, and then again on Saturday evening.  So, we spoke in all three sessions, only one of which we were prepared for.  But, it was a wonderful conference in Magrath, and we were grateful to be there with President Maxwell.  We have really come to love all of these stake presidents, and we will miss them!  But, they all come to Utah occasionally, and we will be able to go back to see them, so our friendships will be able to continue, for which we are grateful!
After the Magrath conference we drove to Medicine Hat and were invited for dinner by President and Sister Salmon, who we have also grown to love.  We had a wonderful visit with them before heading back to our hotel room.  Tomorrow we will do interviews in Medicine Hat and be there for their district meeting and will arrive back in Calgary tomorrow night.  So, it's been a six day road trip!  We laugh because we basically go from hotel to hotel to our 'home hotel' in Calgary!
This week we will do 4 days of interviews and on Saturday will drive to Taber to participate in their Stake Conference, and then to Raymond for the visit from the prophet!  Yes, the prophet is coming to Alberta!  We can't wait!  He and Sister Nelson and Elder and Sister Rasband will be in Calgary on Saturday evening, and then on Raymond on Sunday evening.  We are just so excited for him to come!
What a thrill it will be.  I am so grateful for a living prophet here on the earth.  Our lives have been so blessed by following the counsel of the prophets.  I am so grateful for the direction they give us, which I know is from the Lord, to assist us as we meet life's challenges and just navigate through this mortal existence.  Having a prophet to lead and guide us is a manifestation of the Lord's love for us--that He doesn't leave us alone, but gives us someone to lead us!
Our Mission Leadership Council!

Sisters Fonda, Bodily & Perez with Alyssa who got baptized!