Louisville Central and Louisville West Zones Conference

        The date was February 27th, 2013, and the location was the Louisville Stake Center. The missionaries of the Louisville Central and Louisville West Zones had met together for the first Zone Conference of the year... and it was set to be a great one!

LOUISVILLE CENTRAL ZONE
Top: Elder Roskelley, Elder Whitehad, Elder Kibler, Elder Carson, Elder Murphy, Elder St. Martin, Elder Leavitt
Middle: Elder Schroeder, Elder Knudson, Elder Duran, Elder Hawes, Elder Howard, Elder Chambers,
Elder Clarke, President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury
Front: Hermana Messerly, Hermana Okay, Elder Pritchett, Elder Singleton, Elder Johnson,
Elder Seal, Elder Champion, Elder Warner

LOUISVILLE WEST ZONE
Top: Elder Haws, Elder Miller, Elder Leake, Elder Warner, Elder Murphy, Elder Fry, Elder Jacobsen, Elder Robison
Middle:Elder Taylor, Elder Wood, Elder Sutherland, Elder Tolman, Elder Brinkman, Elder Berube,
Elder LeFevre, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury
Front: Elder Barker, Elder Holt, Elder Evans, Sister Brinkman, Sister Egbert, Sister Heywood, Elder Barlow

        The main meeting began in the chapel with an opening hymn and the prayer by Elder Fry. Everyone stood for Recitals, the missionary purpose and Doctrine and Covenants Section 4, led by ELder Barlow, then listened to a conversion story by Elders Carson and Kibler, and a contacting success story by Sisters Egbert and Heywood. Sister Woodbury did a segment regarding cleanliness and order which included the Cleanliness Report Card with the highest "G.P.A.'s" being rewarded with a container of half dozen each of Sister Woodbury's coveted chocolate chip cookies. President Blackwell, counselor in the Mission Presidency addressed the assembly, then the Hikes Hermanas, Hermanas Okey and Messerly, rendered a  beautiful arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." President Woodbury took the pulpit and talked about physical, legal, moral, and spiritual safety, followed by music instruction by Sister Woodbury, including how to read the basics in hymns and how to lead music. We also practiced the Mission Medley Sister Woodbury created and had arranged before coming to Kentucky 20-months ago. President Woodbury once again took over to do Tune-Ups and otherwise instruct and remind the missionaries about mission guidelines, policies, goals, and improvements. By the time lunch was ready, we were likewise, and eagerly moved into the gym/cultural hall where we found a lovely meal provided by the Relief Society Sisters. As is customary, we thanked these wonderful women for the kindness and work by singing "Called to Serve", GKLM-style.

"Called to Serve Him..."

Elder Roskelley, Elder Whitehead, Sister Messerly, Sister Okey, President Blackwell, Elder Warner, Elder Leake, Elder Leavitt, Elder Dutherland, Elder Duran, Elder St. Martin, Elder Champion, Elder Prtihett, Elder Clarke, Elder Carson

The wonderful Sisters who provided our delicious lunch

"Go-o-o-o- forward,  pressing forward...."

"Go baptize!"
Elder Taylor, Elder Wood, Elder Roskelley

        After lunch, the two Zones split, one going into a side room with President Woodbury and the other going to a different side room with the Assistants to the President, Elder Murphy and Elder Warner. In the former, President Woodbury trained about helping investigators overcome Word of Wisdom challenges, and in the latter, the Assistants trained about more effective contacting. When the alloted time was over the groups traded rooms and training principles.   

President Woodbury doing a training session

President Woodbury's afternoon training session

Front row: Elder Duran, Elder Howard, Elder Champion, Elder Pritchett, Elder Whitehead, Elder Roskelley
Second row: Elder St. martin, Elder Carson, Elder Kibler, Elder Knudsen, Elder Singleton, Elder Chambers, Elder Hawes
Back row: Elder Seal, Elder Johnson, Elder Schroeder, (Hermana Messerly, Hermana Okey)

        Zone Meetings came next with each Zone receiving instruction and training from their respective Zone Leaders, Elder Duran and Elder Howard with the Louisville Central Zone, and Elder Wood and Elder Taylor with the Louisville West Zone.  

Role-plays
Elder Duran, Elder Knudson, Elder Singleton

Role-plays
Hermana Messerly, Hermana Okey, Elder Duran, Elder Leavitt,
Elder St. Martin, Elder Singleton, Elder Knudsen

Role-plays
Far left: Elder Clarke, Elder Kibler, Elder Carson, Elder Hawes
Foreground: Elder Johnson, Elder Seal,
Elder Whitehead, Elder Roskelley

More role plays
Elder Johnson, Elder Seal, Elder Kibler, Elder Carson
Background: Elder Howard, Elder Murphsy, Elder Champion, Elder Pitchett, Elder Clarke

Zone Leaders Elder Taylor and Elder Wood

         Meeting together back in the chapel, President Woodbury did a wrap-up of the day's matters, reminding them of proper protocol for the Saturday Mission Conference with two Apostles, then the missionaries having their last Zone Conference, ie. going home before the next one, bore their testimonies: Elder Duran, Elder Tolman, Elder Wood, and Elder Murphy. After the closing song, Elder Jacobsen gave the closing prayer.

        Congregating back in the cultural hall, Zone pictures were taken along with lots of small group ones, and Trumpet newsletters, photo prints of pictures taken by Sister Woodbury at previous events, keys to cars after being inspected by the Halvorsens, and two-each Sister Woodbury cookies were given out for the road. (She's a softy for all the missionaries regardless of their cleanliness, especially when they give her that pleading, puppy dog look...) 

Elder Roskelley, Elder Schroeder, Elder Whitehead,
Elder Sutherland, Elder Tolman

Sister Heywood and Sister Egbert talking to President Woodbury

Elder Robison, Elder Wood, and Elder Barlow

Elder Fry, Elder Jacobsen, Elder Haws, Elder Evans, Elder Barlow,
and Elder Miller showing proper cookie-eating technique

Elder Jacobsen, Elder Fry, Elder Berube, Elder Hawes, Elder Kibler, Elder Carson, Elder Robison,
Elder Johnson, Elder Seal, Elder Levre, Elder Clarke

         You might think that was it, but it wasn't. The Sisters/Hermanas met in the Relief Society room with Sister Woodbury basically to do Sister Tune-Ups and talk about the influx of new Sister missionaries, including riding bikes in skirts, a first for our mission.

        And then the Zone Conference was over. Everyone left having been fed spiritually as well as physically, with renewed enthusiasm, desires, and commitment to be the best missionaries they can be.