Zone Conference Week

This week we enjoyed 4 zone conferences.  The First one was Wednesday in Nazareth, PA.  After it was all complete, we headed back home via Bethlehem and we saw the local police on horseback!

Elder Jones had the responsibility this week to inspect all of the mission vehicles.  That added up to about 100 cars in 4 days, which was quite a feat in itself.  By the last day he had it down to a science.  The photo below is the parking lot of the Dover, DE chapel.  We noticed that since it was further south the leaves were still on some of the trees and this particular location had amazing fall foliage still!

 It was a bit cold outside and this shows Elder Jones wearing his new scarf and his beanie to keep warm.  His favorite line from the missionaries was "uh....a dipstick?"

 At the Dover building we enjoyed an especially lovely Thanksgiving dinner.  I took this photo because the stake Relief Societies of the various areas were to prepare a lunch.  This one was done by 2 couples, one who did catering.  They decorated the gym with linen tablecloths, chargers and china, goblets and cloth napkins and beautiful fall centerpieces.  The meal included every possible Thanksgiving entree and was exceptional.  I almost cried to see the work that these couple went to to provide such a special luncheon.

I learned many things this week as we visited with every one of the missionaries within the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Mission.  The Lord is in charge of this work.  The missionaries are more prepared and dedicated than ever.  Angels are protecting our missionaries.  In Nazareth the night before our arrival an elder was going too fast on his bike down a hill and did not stop at the 4-way stop at the bottom.  He hit a pickup truck, landing on the front windshield and breaking it, then flying through the air, landing on his back in the road.  He ended up sore and with some steri-strips on 3 places around his lips, but that is all.  He was very blessed to be alive.  The stress of the conferences was to teach by the Spirit and to teach short, well-planned lessons using the pamphlets.  We saw this demonstrated many times and then heard the results the next day as this technique was used.  It is effective and will convert!  It was a privilege to be able to attend these conferences and to meet the wonderful missionaries within this mission.  We had a brief session to present on records, commissary and cars, so we got to rub shoulders with the missionaries personally.  We bear testimony that this is the Lord's work and he is in charge.  Thank you for your love and support while we serve this mission!  We love you!