We held our Mission Leadership Council in Lethbridge on Wednesday, and as always, it was a great meeting. We had a lot of trainings by different missionaries, and they do such a good job. These zone leaders and sister trainer leaders are amazing and we love listening to them share their insights and ideas. Steve always does such a great job in teaching and training these leaders. He spoke to them about the Book of Mormon and challenged them to use it more effectively in their work. It truly is the keystone of our religion, and if we can get people to read it with real intent, and then to pray about it, they will come to know for themselves it is true. We love the Book of Mormon and have such a testimony of its truthfulness. It is a powerful witness of Christ.
Then on Friday we had our Retrainer's meeting, where all of the new missionaries that arrived 5 weeks ago come with their trainers and we teach and train with that group. It is so fun to see them a month after getting here! They have already grown in confidence and experience and it is fun to see them and the great missionaries they are becoming. We love their enthusiasm.
On Sunday we left at 7:20 a.m. and drove to Lethbridge for a special meeting with all three of the stakes in Lethbridge. The meeting was held at the big Enmax center to accommodate everyone. Elder James E. Evanson of the Seventy was presiding, and they did a huge re-alignment of the stakes. We knew this was coming, and it is going to be great! New wards were created, and boundaries were changed, and it will have such a positive impact down there. We think it is going to be great for the missionary work! They also announced that a new Young Single Adult stake will be created in Lethbridge in August. This is also monumental! It is the ONLY YSA stake created outside of the U.S. The only states that have YSA stakes are Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and one in Washington, D.C.
So, this is a big deal! We are pretty excited about this, too!
After the meeting we then went to the Lethbridge stake center to do interviews with the departing missionaries in that area. Then we drove to Taber and interviewed two more departing missionaries. Since we have 37 missionaries leaving next week, Steve has a lot of departing interviews to do this week! This is the biggest group we have (or ever will have) going home. And we will have 28 coming in! That will also be our biggest group to arrive. It is making this transfer a tricky one- determining who will be training new missionaries and all that, and then with the changes in Lethbridge and new wards, it adds a lot of dynamics! But we know it will all work out.
After our Taber interviews we stopped by President and Sister Baldry's home to say Hi and talk about the changes for his stake, since one of the wards that had gone into Lethbridge is now assigned to his stake, and one ward in his stake was dissolved. The Baldry's have become dear friends, and of course she had brownies and ice cream to feed us before we headed back to Calgary.
One of the great blessings of this calling has been the wonderful friends we have been able to meet! We know they will be lifelong friends, and we love knowing that we will be able to see them because Canada just isn't that far away! And they frequently come to Utah to visit for General Conference!
We got home Sunday night about 9:45! I don't think we have ever been so tired in our lives! But we find that the Lord renews our strength and keeps us going! As I've said before, we go to bed exhausted and wake up tired! This is great work, and we are so blessed to be part of it. We pray we can be instruments in the Lord's hands to bless the lives of these missionaries.
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| Pizzas for lunch at MLC! |
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| Me with all the Sister Trainer Leaders at MLC |
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| Lunch after Retrainers Meeting |
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