Short, But Sweet - The Visit of Elder Kopischke and MLC

        Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the First Quorum of the Seventy, paid the GKLM a quick visit August 8th and 9th. The members of the Seventy are assigned to various missions and are to come some time in a six month time period. It just so happens, actually like it did last year, that the visits of both Elder Kopishke and Elder Nash occurred back to back within a few days of each other. And we loved it!

Elder Kopischke, President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Elder Hymas

        Elder Kopischke was accompanied by Elder Robert W. Hymas, our Area Seventy, both of which stayed at the Mission Home with President and Sister Woodbury. Time and missionary mileage didn't allow Elder Kopishcke to meet with the whole mission, but he did conduct a wonderful training session with the mission leadership: the Assistants to the President, Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and District Leaders. 
        Using Jaron 1:7, Elder Kopischke talked about being mighty men and women in the faith of the Lord, and that missionaries are not only influenced by the Mission President, but  also shaped by what they see in the leaders of the misssion. He said to never think of leadership as a career and that a mission can only be as strong as its leadership. 
        One of the most effective parts of Elder Kopischke's training was when he talked about being unweary in the service of the Lord, and not being afraid of working our hearts out, using Helaman 10:4,5,12 as his basis: 

        "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people.  And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will  make thee might in word and in deed, in faith and in works; year, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not do that which is contrary to my will.

        And behold, now it came to pass that when The Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitude...

        He also said that we live below our privileges, as referenced in quotes by Brigham Young and Neal Maxwell: 

        "There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the spirit of The Lord to signify according to his will, and to guide and direct him in the discharge of his duties in his temporal as well as spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far below our privileges."

                                                                                                                                   Brigham Young

     "This gift of the Holy Ghost truly is one of the greatest blessings available to

the membership of the Church. Actually, many gifts come from the Holy Ghost. 

These are given in every age and dispensation but certainly no less in the

commotion-filled last days of the last dispensation. They are likewise needed in

every stage and and in every station of life. Yet for different reasons...

many of us live far below, or are unaware of, our privileges."

                                                                                                                                   Neal A. Maxwell

        He additionally encouraged that when we are telling people to do something, to consider saying, "Let's do this together," "Let's walk together," or "Walk with me."

        The meeting was a spiritual feast.

Standing: Elder Sizelove, Elder Anderson, Elder Butcher, Elder Potter, Elder Crook, Elder Fry, Elder Taylor,
Elder Behling, Elder Thomas, Elder Blauer, Elder Howard, Elder Stevenson, Elder Wharton, Elder Evans,
Elder Rollins, Elder Quick, Elder Musgrave, Elder Dopp, Elder Jacobson, Elder Earl, Elder Haws, Elder Lowe,
Elder Arnold, Elder Rueda
Kneeling: Elder Stoddard, Elder Singleton, Elder Hicken, Elder St. Martin, HErmana Kearsley, Hermana Arreola,
Sister West, Sister Hodges, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Vikari, Elder Anderson, Elder Berube, Elder Seegmiller,
Elder Stohel, Elder Carly

Elder Berube, Elder Fry, Elder Behling - getting down to everyone else's
level, (Elder Rollins) Hermana Kearsley, Hermana Arreola, Elder Earl

While the President was in his later meetings, Sister Woodbury took 
the opportunity to have dinner with the English Sister Training Leaders 
at her favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, across the street from 
the Stake Center.
Sister Vikari, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Woodbury, Sister Hodges, Sister West

        Following the missionary session, Elders Kopischke and Elder Hymas conducted a special multi-Stake conference for members of the respective Ward Councils within the mission boundaries, wherein "The Work of Salvation" was talked about as was presented in the June worldwide broadcast.   

        And after the general session was over, Elders Kopishcke and Hymas, along with President Woodbury met with the six Stake Presidents the rest of the evening before coming back to the Mission Home for the night.
        Much earlier in the day, we had a shortened Mission Leadership Council. Shortened  Zone Reports were given and shortened Sister Training Sister visits outlined. President Woodbury did shortened Tune-Ups, instructions, and calendaring, and we had a shortened (but still delicious) lunch, then closed and took off for the meeting with Elder Kopischke. 

 

Mission Leader Council
Above: SIster Woodbury, Sister Vikari, Elder Wharton, Sister Mickelsen, Elder Musgrave, SIster Hodges, Elder Potter, Sister West, Elder Evans, Hermana Arreola, Elder Stevenson, Hermana Kearsley, Elder Anderson, Elder Berube, Elder Quick, Elder Earl (Missing President Woodbury)

        Bright and early the next morning Elder Kopischke and Elder Hymas drove on to do much the same program as they had done here, in the Tennessee Knoxville and Tennessee Nashville Missions.
        Although Elder Kopischke's visit was short, it was great, and sweet, and we learned a great deal from this wonderful and inspiring servant of the Lord.