September 2012 Zone Conferences - Crestwood and New Albany Zones

        As said in the previous three posts, Zone Conferences are great opportunities to gather as Zones to receive counsel, instruction, and encouragement from the Mission President and his wife, the Assistants to the President, the Zone Leaders, and others, to strengthen and rally the troops, so to speak, and help them become even better missionaries and more effective servants in the Lord's mighty army. 

Crestwood Zone
Elder Shaffer, Elder Earl, Elder Howard, Elder Day-Nuah, Elder J. Wood, Elder Lowe, Elder Crichton, Elder Starks, Elder Greenup, Elder Bradford
Elder Schroeder, Elder J. Tolman, Elder Peterson, Elder Ahern Elder Gonzalez, Hermana Meeks, Hermana Arreola, Hermana Okey, Hermana Gonn, Hermana Lawter, Elder Broomhead, Elder Jolley

New Albany Zone
Elder Blake, Elder Nielsen, Elder Barlow, Elder Funk, Elder Stevenson, Elder Bowman, Elder Lipsh, Elder K. Wood, Elder Molleman, Elder Murphy, Elder Fisher
Elder Ipson, Elder Baker, Elder Smith, Elder S. Cox, Elder Souza, Sister Roberts, Sister Walker, Sister Ash, Sister Hunt, Hermana Navarro, Hermana Guerra, Elder Dimter, Sister Erickson, Elder Erickson

          The New Albany and Crestwood Zones mustered forces Friday, September 21st, at the Crestwood Stake Center, where the missionaries heard from:

- President Woodbury, who did "Tune-Ups" and also gave instruction in a break-out training session about using the Ward Mission Leaders, Bishop, and other ward and branch leaders to assist in the work

- Sister Woodbury, who gave her customary talk on a Christ-like attribute, this time, kindness, and also led the group in our mission's song, the Missionary Medley she put together.

- Elder and Sister Beckwith, our Area Mental Health Advisors, with Sister Beckwith presenting training on stress management, sleep, and controlling obsessive thoughts.

Elder and Sister Beckwith

 - President Blackwell, a counselor in the Mission Presidency, who spoke about conversion and baptism

- President Day, Stake President of the Crestwood Stake, who talked about the Atonement

-  Elder Bradford and Elder Shaffer, the Assistants to the President, who conducted the other training session on working with less-active members and part-member families, which alternated with the one President Woodbury was doing.

- Zone Leaders Elder Jolley and Elder Broomhead for the Crestwood Zone, and Elder Smith and Elder Bowman for the New Albany Zone, who conducted their respective Zone Meetings which included instruction and training. 

Elder Broomhead and Elder Jolley

Elder Smith and Elder Bowman
Elder Stevenson, Elder lake, Elder Molleman, Sister Walker,
Hermana Guerra, Sister Roberts, Hermana Navarro, Sister Ash, Sister Hunt,
(?), Elder Nielsen, Elder Barlow, Elder Souza, Elder Dye,
Elder Lipsh, Elder Baker, Elder Funk

Elder Souza and Elder Dye
with Elder Funk, Elder Erickson, Elder Fisher, and Elder Dimter behind

- and lastly, the Elders and Sisters who are returning home at the end of their missions before the next Zone Conference, who each bore deep and touching testimonies.

     Midday we had lunch provided by the wonderful local Relief Society Sisters, and to thank them, as is traditional, we sang "Called to Serve,"  GKLM - style.  

"Go-o-o-o- forward, pressing forward..."
Elder Funk, Elder Magleby, Elder Molleman, Elder Ahern,
Elder K Wood, Elder Souza, Elder Baker, Elder Howard,
Elder Dye, Elder Stevenson, Elder Barlow, Elder Schroeder

"...As the triumph song we sing - Go baptize!"
Elder Stevenson, Elder Barlow, Elder Schroeder, Elder Nielsen,
Elder Tolman, Elder S. Cox, Elder J. Wood, President Woodbury

"Sons and daughters, children of a King..."
Elder Lowe, Elder Starks, Hermana Gomm, Elder Crichton,
Hermana Guerra, Elder Gonzalez,
Hermana Lawter, Hermana Navarro, Hermana Okey

"Go baptize!" (2nd verse)
Hermana Guerra, Elder Bradford, Elder Erickson, Elder Starks,
Elder Crichton, Elder Gonzalez

          After the conference was over everyone congregated in the gym for lots of picture-taking and visiting before heading out.

They all served in the Capitol District
Sister Walker, Elder Baker, Elder Funk,
Elder Stevenson, Elder Jolley, Elder Molleman

Elder Ipson, Elder Bradford, Elder J. Wood

The self-proclaimed defensive line
Elder Bowman, Elder Molleman Elder Malgeby
Elder Stevenson, Elder Lipsh

Elder Souza, Elder Smith, Elder Dye, Elder Starks,
Elder Blake, ELder Fisher, Elder Dimter

Sister Woodbury and Hermana Guerra

Elder Bowman, Elder Earl, Elder Ahern, Elder Peterson, Elder Day-Nuah

        Who knows when we'll get the chance to have both our Samoan (by birth or ancestry)  Elders together in one Zone Conference, so at Sister Woodbury's suggestion (she lived in the Samoan Islands when she was a child), Elder Crichton and Elder Stevenson did some impromptu teaching and led the other Elders in a little GKLM war chant. Haka actually originated with the Maoris in New Zealand, but they, and everyone else, seemed to know what to do anyway...

Some quick rehearsing 

Here we go!

And the finale!
Elder Stevenson and Elder Crichton in front
Behind: Elder Bowman, Elder Shaffer, Elder Smith, Elder Gonzalez, Elder J. Wood,
Elder Lipsh, Elder Molleman, Elder K. Wood
Above: Elder Funk, Elder Blake, Elder Peterson, Elder Earl, Elder Barlow, Elder Lowe,
Elder Dimter, Elder Fisher,
Elder Starks, Elder Dye,  Elder Jolley, Elder Bradford

         Then gradually, the fearless warriors, one and all, left the Conference ready to continue the battle for the souls of men, but with their armor a bit shinier, their weapons a bit sharper and more effective, and their faith, power and determination a bit stronger than when they had started the day.