Picture of the assistants, all of the zone leaders, and us at zone leader’s council.
I am writing this a day or two earlier than usual as we will be traveling this weekend to go to a baptism in North Bend on the coast later today - Saturday. We will overnight there and attend church out there on Sunday and witness the confirmation, and then drive further north on the coast to speak at a fireside in Newport that night, and we will stay there Sunday night and drive home on Monday. Ivan’s home ward is the ward we are speaking at on Sunday night and we look forward to seeing him. We will then leave on our next trip on Tuesday morning to start the interview process again in the south. So if I don’t write now I may miss getting a letter off this week.
This was a week # 1 and it was great!
Specifics for this week – ending 8-9-08
Sunday was a great day. We went to the Eugene 3rd Ward and enjoy attending all three meetings there and feeling the spirit of missionary work in the ward fast and testimony meeting. The counselor in the Bishopric who conducted the meeting was a convert of about 10 years and had been introduced to the gospel by his children who were friends with children of a member in the ward. The two children of the counselor went on to serve missions and he is as polished as any life-time member I have heard conduct a sacrament meeting. That should get missionaries and members alike charged up about doing missionary work. In addition I spoke with various Elders about a variety of issues.
Tuesday was zone leaders’ council. We have 9 zones and therefore 18 zone leaders (had 19 this time as one of the companionships has 3 in it until Elder Bangerter goes home mid-transfer.) We had them and the assistants over for breakfast – Sister Macdonald fixed a masterful meal etc. – and then met for a few hours at the church house. I was amazed at how polished and spiritually in tuned they all were.
Throughout the week Sister Macdonald and I visited with missionaries on health and other issues. We fed the Zone leaders on Wednesday night and fed the sisters and mission assistants in the area on Friday night. They taught us a discussion. I love the sprit they all bring into our home.
Wednesday and Thursday on this week – that is 6 weeks after we arrived – I finally got the final things organized in both the home office and the mission office and now feel a bit like I know where things are. I visited with a great home ward Bishop who has been instrumental in helping a missionary he sent out get recommitted on his mission – he did a great job. I should point that the vast majority of missionaries need no “special motivational speeches” to stay upbeat and those who do get one of those “talks” get back on the path right away and stay there. Occasionally one needs a little bit of an extra push.
In addition to the needed office work I did, I prepared some of the talk I am giving this weekend and started preparing for another round of interviews and a brief discussion at those meetings.
Thursday evening we were invited to go with the Lees (who are missionaries in the office) to visit the Christensen (who are serving in Lincoln Beach.) BTW - Sister Christensen and Sister Lee are actually sisters – you know grew up in the same home with the same mother and father etc. :>) Both of these couples are going home in a month. The stake president over the Lincoln Beach area would like me to replace the Christensen with a companionship of Elders to work in that area. We spent the evening out that way and drove back home early Friday morning. I got a little feel of the area and I look forward to studying this out more and praying for guidance on what to do there.
This morning it is Saturday and we need to leave to drive to Coos Bay / North Bend to get to the baptism. This is a beautiful area we have been called to serve in and with wonderful missionaries.
This was a week # 1 and it was great!
Specifics for this week – ending 8-9-08
Sunday was a great day. We went to the Eugene 3rd Ward and enjoy attending all three meetings there and feeling the spirit of missionary work in the ward fast and testimony meeting. The counselor in the Bishopric who conducted the meeting was a convert of about 10 years and had been introduced to the gospel by his children who were friends with children of a member in the ward. The two children of the counselor went on to serve missions and he is as polished as any life-time member I have heard conduct a sacrament meeting. That should get missionaries and members alike charged up about doing missionary work. In addition I spoke with various Elders about a variety of issues.
Tuesday was zone leaders’ council. We have 9 zones and therefore 18 zone leaders (had 19 this time as one of the companionships has 3 in it until Elder Bangerter goes home mid-transfer.) We had them and the assistants over for breakfast – Sister Macdonald fixed a masterful meal etc. – and then met for a few hours at the church house. I was amazed at how polished and spiritually in tuned they all were.
Throughout the week Sister Macdonald and I visited with missionaries on health and other issues. We fed the Zone leaders on Wednesday night and fed the sisters and mission assistants in the area on Friday night. They taught us a discussion. I love the sprit they all bring into our home.
Wednesday and Thursday on this week – that is 6 weeks after we arrived – I finally got the final things organized in both the home office and the mission office and now feel a bit like I know where things are. I visited with a great home ward Bishop who has been instrumental in helping a missionary he sent out get recommitted on his mission – he did a great job. I should point that the vast majority of missionaries need no “special motivational speeches” to stay upbeat and those who do get one of those “talks” get back on the path right away and stay there. Occasionally one needs a little bit of an extra push.
In addition to the needed office work I did, I prepared some of the talk I am giving this weekend and started preparing for another round of interviews and a brief discussion at those meetings.
Thursday evening we were invited to go with the Lees (who are missionaries in the office) to visit the Christensen (who are serving in Lincoln Beach.) BTW - Sister Christensen and Sister Lee are actually sisters – you know grew up in the same home with the same mother and father etc. :>) Both of these couples are going home in a month. The stake president over the Lincoln Beach area would like me to replace the Christensen with a companionship of Elders to work in that area. We spent the evening out that way and drove back home early Friday morning. I got a little feel of the area and I look forward to studying this out more and praying for guidance on what to do there.
This morning it is Saturday and we need to leave to drive to Coos Bay / North Bend to get to the baptism. This is a beautiful area we have been called to serve in and with wonderful missionaries.
1 comments:
President and Sister Macdonald,
Greetings from Orem. Whew, reading your schedule makes my head spin—hats off to the two for you for doing a superb job in building up the Kingdom of God in Oregon!
I hope Sister Macdonald is getting help in the kitchen; now I know she can handle it, but it sounds like quite a few large dinners (albeit, I bet excellent).
After rereading yesterday’s priesthood lesson I walked away with the distinct impression that there is a lot for me to do to improve and become a Zion focused individual. The one thing going for me is my wife—with her I have a much better chance of making it. Other than this, there is not much to report from our work-a-day lives.
Well, this is just a short note to wish you both the best and to let you know that your well-being is our constant prayerful consideration.
De Von Tu’ua
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