Council-ing Together

"Come thou, therefore, and let us take counsel together."

Nehemiah 6:7

 The Zone Leader Councils in August and September, were wonderful, where the leaders of the mission were instructed and counseled together at the Mission Home.

Following tradition, the meetings began by having the Zone Leaders greet us from the front walkway while singing "Ye Elders of Israel." (This has got to be one of our favorite parts of the mission experience. And they sound really good, too!)

Elder Magallanes, Elder Yeates, Elder Bardford, Elder Durrant, Elder Fegan,
Elder Morrison, Elder DeYoung, and Elder Call....         ....Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson, Elder Young, Elder Hammond, Elder Winn, Elder Anglin,
Elder Robbins, Elder Thompson, and Elder Lewis

 Once inside, the group gathered either in a circle in the front room or around the dining table to give their Zone accountability reports, discuss problems, have "Tune-Ups, and receive training.

Elder Naylor and Elder Cope ripping it up on the piano

In between these segments, lunch was served by Yours Truly. 

Now the pressing question is: "Do Zone Leaders eat as much as the other missionaries do?"  And the answer is "YES!" That is something pretty much all missionaries do very well, 

In the foreground, Elder Norton, Elder Yeates, Elder Magallanes...
... Elder Fielding, Elder Johnson,  Elder Thompson

especially if the menu is a Giant Potato Bar with hamburger stroganoff, ham, and other fixin's and Buster Pie for dessert, or spasaga with cheesy bread, Olive Garden-style salad and raspberry Danish ice-cream dessert.

And of course, there has to be a photo shot at the end before they go back to rock their Zones with their enthusiasm and fresh ideas.

Back: Elder Yeates, Elder Thompson, Elder Winn, Elder Lewis, Elder DeYoung, Elder Durrant, Elder Magallanes,

Elder Fegan, Elder Johnson, and President Woodbury

President Woodbury, Elder Hammond, Elder Winn, Elder Magallanes, Elder Yeates, Elder Call, Elder DeYoung,

Elder Morrison, Elder Fegan, Elder Young(?), Elder Johnson, Elder Durrant, Elder Bradford(?),

Elder Anglin, Elder Robbins, Elder Thompson, and Elder Lewis