The Great Kentucky Louisville Mission - 2: Crestwood Zone Conference

The Crestwood Zone

Top row: Sister Woodbury, Sister Anderson, Sister Davidson, Sister Brooks, Hermana Wilkinson, Hermana Mason, Hermana Hansen, Hermana marsden, Sister Minson, Sister Peterson, Sister Oliverson, Sister Ewell, Sister Wu, Sister Buck

Second row: President Woodbury, Elder Souza, Elder Engstrom, Elder Faudree, Elder Tuttle, Elder C. Anderson, Elder Z. Evans, Elder Kibler, Elder Tg Johnson, Elder Buck

Front row: Elder Heslop, Elder Pradera, Elder Arnold, Elder Huff, Elder Adams, Elder Hawes, Elder Bd Allen, Elder Pyper, Elder Lawrenson, Elder Hicken

The Crestwood Zone Conference was held Friday, January 24th in Crestwood, Kentucky. Elder Hicken, an Assistant to the President, conducted the general meeting.

The Opening Song was "Sweet Hour of Prayer" led by Hermana Wilkinson with Hermana Mason at the piano. The Opening Prayer was by Elder Heslop and Recitals were by Sister Brooks. Miracle Conversion or Contacting Stories were given by Sister Anderson and Sister Wu, Hermana Hansen and Hermana Marsden, Elder Tuttle and Elder C. Anderson. Sister Woodbury did the Cleanliness Survey, song, and awards, and President Woodbury instructed about winter driving safety. Sister Woodbury spoke about the Choice of Faith, and Stake President Day talked about looking for the goodness below the surface in those we work with. Elder Souza did a beautiful vocal solo accompanied by Elder Adams.

Elder Souza

The President did Tune-Ups, beginning with a sort of State of the Union, rather, a State of the Mission, then a serious talk about missionary in-field misconduct and transgression. He said he felt like Jacob in Jacob 2 when he had to come down on the people, and had to talk about things that might offend the innocent. Still, he related how the first two weeks of this year were pure agony for him because he not only had to send home a missionary because of what he had done on his mission, but also his companion, who allowed and in some cases facilitated it. The President outlined specific behaviors that he will not tolerate, and had everyone stand up to witness that they have been warned.

Sister Woodbury led everyone in singing the Missionary Medley, then the President Woodbury spoke about sanctifying ourselves by putting our full heart and effort in the Work, being participants and not just spectators in the hastening the Work of Salvation.

After splitting into groups, three rotations of break-out sessions occurred before and after lunch, the first being President Woodbury on the topic of expanding our pool of members to use in Member Present Lessons.

The Zone Leaders, Elder C. Anderson and Elder Tuttle, did training on testifying of the Spirit in lessons.

Zone Leaders Elder Tuttle and Elder C. Anderson

Role-plays
Sister Ewell and Elder Hawes, Sister Oliverson and Elder Souza,
and SIster Davidson and Elder Heslop

The Assistants to the President led an inspiring and insome cases heart-rending demonstration relating to the Atonement. Like in the story of the Seminary class doing the same, In turn, Elder Evans asked Elder Hicken if he would do twenty push-ups for each person in the group, so they could have a donut. As they watched Elder Hicken do the push-ups for them, even if they didn't want the donut, the mood of the room grew more and more somber and more than a few tears were shed. Toward the end, Elder Hicken was shaking with the effort, having to split up the twenty push-ups and rest for a few moment, until all got their donuts. (Over 300 push-ups) Afterward he and Elder Evans showed a moving video on Christ's suffering and Atonement then talked about helping investigators to access the Atonement through repentance.

Elder Hicken doing the push-ups himself (over 300) for the first session
when he realized the Zone was fasting until lunch.

After meeting briefly back in the chapel to hear from President Blackwell, th counselor in the Mission Presidency, going in to the gym for lunch and singing "Called to Serve" GKLM-style for the Relief Society Sisters who provided lunch,

it was back to work, going back into the second and third rotation of break-out sessions.

This is Elder Arnold who was the hero of the
second session with the Assistants

When the break-out sessions were finished, everyone gathered back in the chapel for a wrap-up by President Woodbury and the testimonies of those missionaries finishing their missions before the next Zone Conference, namely Elder Tg Johnson, Elder Anderson, Elder Lawrenson, Elder Hicken and Elder Z. Evans. With a closing song and the prayer by Elder Pradera, the conference was officially over.

With her trusty tripod and camera timer, Sister Woodbury took a Zone picture (see the beginning of this post) and other shots after the conference was officially over. There were copies of the pictures she had taken recently, along with Ensign magazines, the current Trumpet, and two Sister Woodbury cookies each.

Checking out the Trumpet and looking at pictures

Sister Oliverson, Sister Ewell, Sister Wu, Sister Anderson, Sister Peterson, Sister Minson, Sister Woodbury, Sister Brooks, Sister Davidson, Hermana Hansen, Hermana Marsden, Hermana Mason, Hermana Wilkinson, Sister Buck