Week 15

Rain, rain, and more rain.  Wednesday and Thursday it rained for over 36 hours straight.  Sometimes heavy, and sometimes really heavy!  We've never seen the bayous, ditches, and ponds so full, but it's all normal for winter in Louisiana.  The picture below is of the Red River on Thursday, and the same bridge marker two days later.  After the rain stopped, the water from upstream continued to make the river rise.

The main event of this week was an amazing mission conference yesterday in Baton Rouge.  Presiding was Elder Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve, and accompanying him were Elder Bowen of the Seventy, Bishop Davies of the Presiding Bishopric, and Elder Johnson, the Area Seventy.  All of their wives were with them, and we got to hear from all eight of them!

This was the first time our entire mission has been together in the time we've been here.  That's all the missionaries in Louisiana and Mississippi.  Before we met all the visiting authorities, we had to get staged for a picture.  Elder Kerr took this picture just to get the scope of the mission.  Senior missionaries, President and Sister Varner, and the visiting authorities and their wives sat in the chairs, and some missionaries knelt in front, so this doesn't show anything like the finished product, but gives an idea of the size of the group.

After the staging, so everyone knew where to sit or stand, all the missionaries gathered with their district and waited for the General Authorities to come in.  They then shook hands, district by district, with every missionary.  After that, everyone returned to the stage for the picture.  But in the meantime, as soon as Sister Gong (or Susan Lindsay, as I knew her in Taiwan) came in, she came over to visit with me and we had a very nice, even if short, visit.  We have been in contact a few times in the years since our Taiwan missions and BYU days, but not a lot, and it was good to see her.

Sister Gong

The meeting was in the Stake Center next to the temple, and now they have started putting the stone exterior on--not quite as naked as when we were there a few weeks ago.

Now back to the meeting.  Elders Gong, Bowen, Johnson, and Bishop Davies had been in meetings with leaders from all the stakes in the area prior to the missionary meeting.  Then they had the missionary meeting. Following their remarks, Elder Bowen and Bishop Davies left to go to two other stake conferences in the area, while Elder Gong stayed for the Baton Rouge stake conference sessions.  Busy schedules!  Here are a few highlights of the conference

 First Sister Davies spoke about characteristics of successful missionaries--happy enthusiasm and careful obedience.  Bishop Davies reiterated the importance of obedience by saying,  "Don't ever distance yourself from the Spirit by doing things you know you shouldn't do."

Next Elder and Sister Bowen spoke.  He said that one of the things he always asked new missionaries when he was a president was, "Can I trust you?"  If your mission president can trust you, the Lord can trust you.  He said, "Have honor, character, and integrity, and let God do His miracles with you."

Elder and Sister Johnson then spoke.  She talked about keeping eternal perspective, and one thing I noted from his talk was, "We tend to get frustrated when with think it's our work.  When we realize we're simply helping with His work, we're much less frustrated."

Sister Gong spoke next, and related an experience that I remember well from our missions.  She had a companion who was extremely difficult for her.  One day they'd had an argument and each went into their bedroom, slamming the doors behind them.  She knelt down to pray and complain about her companion to Heavenly Father.  While doing so she heard a voice say, "She's My daughter and I love her.  You shouldn't talk about her that way."  Sister Gong said she knew she had just been chastised by the Lord, but felt only love and concern in the chastisement.  She talked about being filled with charity, even in hard circumstances.

Elder Gong spoke for the bulk of the meeting, and made four main points:

1. Missionaries are called by God through a prophet, then assigned by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.  Missionaries are assigned where they are for a variety of reasons and purposes, which may be different for different missionaries.  He counseled us to take care of each other (our companions) because you're together for a reason.
2. Citing Alma 17: 2-3, Elder Gong said what will we be able to talk about with our former companions in 30 years?  Live and act so there will be much good to share.
3. Teach people not lessons--prepare well in order to let the Spirit help you teach.  Learn to teach with the eyes and the heart--be open to the people you teach.  He also said we often receive revelation when praying to help someone else.
4. Referring to 3 Nephi 27: 7-9, he reminded us of the importance of using the correct name of the church and that everything we do is because of the Savior.  

All of the above was illustrated with stories, scriptures, and testimonies.  Even though most remarks were, of course, directed at the young missionaries, there was much for all of us to learn.  The Spirit was definitely present and it was a wonderful meeting.

Today we got a new branch president in Marksville--President Hazlewood is actually a member of the Alexandria Ward, but he and his wife will now serve in Marksville.  There are so few active Melchizedek priesthood holders in the branch that bringing someone in from outside the branch was not a surprise.