Training for the new missionaries and the trainers

A new training  program has recently been introduced to the missions throughout the church. Because the responsibility to train a new missionary is so important and because the trainer has such a profound and lasting influence of the new missionary's attitudes, habits, and ability to fulfill his or her purpose, the new program allows for an additional 60 minutes to be spent in companion study for the first 12 weeks of the new missionary's mission.

The companionship will be following a training schedule that will include study from Preach My Gospel, watching DVDs that have been provided, and applying the training model through role playing; to explain, demonstrate, practice, evaluate and repractice.

Meetings are held for the trainer before the new missionary comes to the mission to teach how to apply the program. Once the new missionary and the trainer are together there is another meeting held to train the companionship together. Those who have started this program have thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated the training that it provides for both the new missionary and the senior companion.

This is the group of new missionaries and their trainers

serving in the north area of the mission.

Zone Lead Council -- In the South and in the North

 Zone Leader Council is held the first week of each month. President Black and the Assistants train the Zone Leaders so that they can go back and train the Zones and the District Leaders. Because of the transfer and because so many of the previous Zone Leaders went home we have a number of new Zone Leaders called to serve.

North Zone Leaders

 Elders Summers, Andrews, Camp, Hensley, Theurer, Marks, Asay, Kiaha, Bunnell, Chamberlain

 President and Sister Rands; President and Sister Black

President Rands is a Counsellor in the Mission Presidency.  The Rand's live

in Reno and help take care of the Mission in the North.

 South Zone Leaders

 Elders Lento, Kiaha, Hugie, Corvalan, Sugiyama, Mathis, Smithey, Rice, Cooper

Elders Stevens, Miller, Bunnell
(Elder Bunnell and Elder Kiaha serve as Assistants to President Black)

And, again, the caravan moves on! Transfers...November 29, 2011

Two years later......

Another group of Elders finished their service as missionaries on November 28th. We had a farewell dinner and a testimony meeting before taking time to sign journals and settle down for a few hours of sleep. At, what seemed like still the middle of the night, everyone was up, showered, dressed, packed and eating breakfast before loading up the trailer to head to the airport. Again, it was a bittersweet farewell to a group we have come to love.

 Elder Bush

 Elder Towns

 Elder Robinson

 Elder Petersen

 Elder Simmons

 Elder Estes

 Elder Smith

 Elder Wilson

 Elder Pomee

 Elder Williams (and his mother)

 Elder Sine (and his mother)

Companion Study with the Zone Leaders

President Black and I  have been able to spend a number of mornings going to the apartments of the Zone Leaders and joining with them in companion study. It has been great to sit in as they share insights with each other from their personal study, prepare for specific teaching appointments, discuss those they are teaching and make plans to apply what they are learning.  We also participate in role playing a lesson they will be presenting that day.

The Zone Leaders do the same with the District Leaders and the District Leaders spend time with the companionship's in their Districts .

 Elder Thuerer and Elder Summers

 Elder Marks and Elder Hensley

 Elder Bunnell and Elder Kiaha

 Elder Petersen and Elder Smithey

Elder Williams and Elder Camp

Welcome Elder and Sister Conder

We welcome Elder and Sister Conder to the mission family. They have been called to serve in the mission office. The Conders are from Pleasant Grove, Utah. Elder Conder will be serving as the vehicle coordinator. We have approximately 69 vehicles in the mission. He keeps track of everything that has to do with the vehicles. Sister Conder is responsible for all the baptismal records that come in from the missionaries. She also helps with the referrals that come into the mission.

Leadership Training

Leadership Training was again held for all the zone leaders, district leaders and the trainers in the mission.  The training was "Teach People, Not Lessons" and "We Invite, They Commit, We Follow-up".

Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Kazuhiko Yamashito

The mission recently had an incredible experience. Elder KazuhikoYamashita, of the First Quorum of the Seventy, visited our mission for a mission tour. On Monday morning, November 7th, Elder and SisterYamashita stood at the door to the chapel and shook hands with each  missionary before the conference began. While speaking, Elder Yamashita emphasized how important it is to focus on the good things, how important it is to think about God and to seek for and invite the spirit to be with us at all times.  Sister Yamashita told each missionary to go home and list 100 good qualities about his or her companion and then share the list with each other. She also told us to "open your mouth" and share the gospel with everyone that you come in contact with. 

 After that meeting we left for the airport to fly to Reno to do the same with the missionaries in the Reno area on Tuesday. The meetings were unbelievable. The love that was felt from Elder and Sister Yamashita was incredible.  The missionaries have not quit talking about what a great experience it was. It was a spiritual high for everyone!

Elder and Sister Yamashita

South

North

"Open Your Mouth"
Sister Yamashita taught everyone how to fold a piece of
paper to look like a mouth that would open and close.