Our theme this quarter is "How To Maximize Your Missionary Experience". Opening song was "Improve The Shining Moments", very fitting. Elder Boone conducted and opening prayer given by Elder Swenson. Our first speaker was Sis. Tiechera, wife of our 70 here. She commented on how grateful she was to serve among the missionaries. She asked us to remember our Missionary call letter. She quoted a standard letter to us that included being given the call by the Prophet, learning of our assignment and the time we were to serve. She said we needed to maximize our call before we can feel real joy. She continued that we were called to be an official representative of the Lord and are to be held to the highest standards. We must follow mission rules and leave behind us the cares of the world. We are expected to invite others to come unto Christ, help them receive the gospel and the Lord will lead us in this work. If we do these things, we will be rewarded for our service. Pray you will be effective, and you will experience more happiness than you ever have. We were asked to increase our knowledge of the gospel and our testimonies will increase. The Lord knows we are a valued person. He will help us become an effective missionary. Preach My Gospel page 10 says that if you lower your expectations or your goals you will become less effective and your capacity to follow the spirit will be diminished. You will be successful if you will love the people and develop Christ like attributes. Our mission will become a part of our families, friends and the people in Europe. The first missionaries had a hard time leaving their families, but they were obedient and their families became stalwart members of the church.
Second speaker was Elder Tiechera. He said that the Lord loves us and knows us better than we do ourselves. He knows our shortcomings and blesses us with what we need to overcome them. He trusts us. He sent us here to make a difference in peoples lives. He talked about the parable of the talents. We are each given talents according to our capacity. We need to maximize our talents or our responsibilities. We made the choice to be here. He expects us to make something of what we have been given. When we are called, we become responsible for that calling. He talked about his life when at 26 yrs old he was called to be a 70 from Portugal. Before that time he had been Stake President for three years. His first assignment was to accompany President Hinkley on a special tour. He received a call from the first Presidency and said that President Hinkley could not be there, but Elder Faust came in his place, along with Elder Holland. They all met in a Lisbon, Portugal hotel. Elder Faust told him that wherever he goes he will have Apostolic authority. When you go you are the Lords missionary. He asked the questions, "Have you made your mssion a better place since you have been here?" "Is your relationship with the Lord better today than when you started?" If you can answer those questions in the affirmative, your mission will have been a success. The Lord has called us here to bless someone. We must set ourselves above the world in thought and activity. We need to change the way we think. It is a much more enduring process. We must move away from sin. Repent everyday, the results will be, that we will feel God's love and his forgiveness.
Elder Boone talked about the flower spoken of by President Uchdorf at General Conference. He said there is a German legend about a little blue 5 petaled flower. When God was forming the flower, it was the last one to get its name. It looked up at God and said "Don't forget me." and God said, "That shall be your name." Elder Boone introduced our next 5 speakers that explained what each petal meant,
Sister McBride said we must never forget to be happy, NOW. She talked about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. How Charlie hide in a few of his candies a golden ticket that if found would be the winner of a tour of his factory and a chocolate bar everyday the rest of their lives. She said the candy bar itself lost its meaning and all that was important was the golden ticket. Everyone is looking for that golden ticket instead of concentrating on our self worth, our talents our service and our sacrifices that we are doing now. Learn to love ourselves so that we can love others.
Elder Bradley spoke about the way, the why and the how of the gospel. The scope of it is beyond our comprehension. He told a story about a small boy who asked his mother the question, "How old is God", the mothers response, "Why don't you ask God?" so the little boy left and came back a while later and asked, "How old is Infinity?" We can not imagine Infinity, but that is how long and how much our Father in Heaven loves us. Scientists have found 170 billion galaxies and each one contains billions of stars, and that is just what they can see. Think of the purest all encompassing love you have ever imagined. God loves us infinitely more. How can we better love him? He quoted from D&C 66:3 "Verily I say unto you, my servant........, that you are clean, but not all; repent, therefore, of those things which are not pleasing in my sight, saith the Lord, for the Lord will show them unto you." He is saying that we must repent of the little things everyday and live the commandments. He also quoted from Alma 5, which talks about a mighty change that must take place in our hearts to be spiritually born of God. From II Peter 5 he talked about the importance of having faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, charity and brotherly love towards all men. The last scripture he gave us was D&C 121:45. When Joseph was asking for help from the Lord. The answer from the Lord was "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the Priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven."
Sister Bradley spoke on loving ourselves. Her words were moving to me as she spoke of the trials she had to go through as a child in an abusive situation. How she was able to pull herself up from despondence. She joined the church and was able to feel Gods love for her. I was so engrossed in her words that I forgot to write any thoughts down about it, but I got the feeling that even though we go through horrendous things in our lives the Lord will help us overcome our feeling.
Sister Wells talked about being patient with ourselves. She and her husband served their first mission in the African South East area. She said god knows our perceived weaknesses and helps us with them. Changes can be measured. Don't be discouraged, it is Self Centeredness that brings on discouragement. Thinking only about ourselves makes us become discouraged if we do not perceive ourselves as being perfect. The scriptures say to be patient in our inabilities. Be humble and temperate in long suffering and above all be patient with ourselves. Recognize the good in ourselves. Ask for the blessings of the Lord. Do what you are asked and the Lord will take care of the rest. Recognize that you have done a good job and given it your very best. We all have weaknesses and strengths. Our offering will be good enough. ACTIVE WAITING IS BEING PATIENT. Talking negatively about ourselves will hinder the spirit from helping us.
Elder Wells spoke about finding happiness in the little everyday beauties around us. A Father reading to his son is more important than an Economic Summit. God loves us because we are his child. Blessings are given, trials may come our way, there is nothing we can do to make God stop loving us, but being prideful and seeking the honor and praise of man, keeps us from receiving the help that we need.
We adjourned to the cultural hall for lunch. Subway sandwiches and three kinds of soup. Lentil, chicken noodle and potato. Afterwards we heard from two new couples missionaries who just came in and then testimonies from 2 outgoing, the Vorwallers and yours truly. What a sad day for us, our last Zone Conference and our last day to see everyone. Our daughter and two sons will be here in Germany on Sunday, can't wait. The next blog you will read will be our twoweek travel adventure before we leave for home on March 12. More adventures coming, you never know where we will be heading to.
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