May MLC

We had our MLC right after we got back from Roatan with the kids. The power was out at the office and the church attached to the office so we went to La Lima.  I have never been more grateful for A/C. Here is what we discussed at the MLC

Unity

• One zone activity and one district activity during Preparation Day, focused on getting to know each other better and strengthening relationships. The activities should integrate the missionaries and place them in situations where they interact with people they normally would not interact with.

• You are responsible for helping your missionaries—zones and sisters—speak Spanish and get involved. Encourage everyone to speak Spanish.

• Make sure that each companionship is doing companionship study. Participate in two random companionship studies each week to verify that they are doing it.

• During Preparation Day, ask two companionships how their companionship study went that week.

---

Technology

• Contact the Assistants regarding any serious disobedience, and we will quickly schedule a meeting with the missionary’s bishop and stake president to help him or her.

• The Zone Leaders will conduct a thorough technology inventory with each missionary, including the sisters, once per transfer.

• The Assistants will send a training video to the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders about how to conduct the technology inventory.

• A surprise inventory will be conducted in each area once per transfer. It can be done through technology, although it is better to do it in person. We will get keys for each house.

• Phones should not be used in bed. Companions are responsible for reminding each other. This should be put into practice especially during exchanges.

---

Bringing About Change

• In this zone council, the Zone Leaders should review the steps for holding a companionship council by reading them together.

• Before exchanges, talk about the things you want to improve and have a clear vision for the exchange.

• During exchanges, plan your inventory during personal study. Identify the things you do well and the things you need to improve: at least four strengths and two areas for improvement.

• Plan a specific commitment and also how you will follow up.

• A District Leader council will be held to train the DLs and answer their questions every second and fourth Friday morning at 10:00 a.m.

 

Kids in Roatan

Our kids flew into Roatan to visit us!! We finished the seminar at 1pm and drove to the airport.  Tanner, Emilie, and Jade were already waiting for us when we arrived.  Lori Hiatt was with us (and a lot of the other mission leaders that were flying back to their missions). She took a picture of me greeting Tanner. We got our rental van and went to lunch at the food court in Roatan. Then we went to Eldon's and did our grocery shopping. Katie did meal prepping for us so all we had to do was make a list and buy the groceries.  It was so nice of her! Then we went back to the airport and picked up Katie and Kyden. We drove to the house we are staying at.  Our mission dentists, Amy and Sloan Jorgensen, have a house on Roatan and they were so genenerous and let us stay in it.  The house is incredibly nice! We feel so blessed.  We got there and had dinner.  We swam for a while and then we all crashed because we were all so tired. 

First hug with Tanner. I wanted to hug Jade, but I didn't want to scare her.

Jade at the food court. She waves and says hi and talks to everyone.  Everyone was just in love with her.

Jade loves to eat. She is so messy though.

Saturday we got up and went to the West End. Tanner and Katie took a basic scuba diving lesson while Kyden went out on a dive.  Kyden is already scuba certified.  Kirt, Emilie, Jade, and I hung out at Half Moon Bay and swam, played in the sand, and enjoyed the sun. Then they all came and had lunch with us.  Then the 3 of them went out and did a beginners dive. We all went out to a "pirate ship in the Half Moon Bay" and swung on the rope swing.  Then we went back to the house and had dinner and swam some more in the pool.

Sunday we went to church at the Roatan Branch. The little kids just loved Jade.  They all wanted to talk and touch her. We went to a baptism after church. There were 5 people getting baptized. We went back to the house, swam, played lots of water volleyball, read our books on floaties in the water, and just thoroughly relaxed. 

Monday was more of the same swimming, water volleyball, relaxing.  We took pictures out on the dock that evening.  It was an amazing time. The only thing that could have made it better was having Garret there. We all talked about how much we missed him. 

Tuesday we got up early and left the house at 6:45am to go back to real life. We all flew to San Pedro. The kids took our car back to the house and we went to the office for MLC. We didn't get home until 7pm that night because we had a lot of fires to put out after the MLC.

 

Mission Leader Seminar in Roatan

We had our semi-annual mission leader seminar in Roatan this time.  We flew over Tuesday afternoon with the Hiatt's. They picked us up from the airport and took us to the Kimpton Grand Roatan Hotel to stay.  It was a gorgeous hotel.  We stayed in a little cabin off of the main hotel.  We had a dinner that night with all of the other 18 mission leaders.  We sat and visited with the Choys and the Spencers. Wednesday we had meetings for the seminar until 3pm. Then we went and snorkled.  We had dinner with the Langfords, Olsens, Youngs, and Venagas on the breach. Thursday we had meetings in the morning, then we took a glass bottom boat and went snorkeling.  They took us out to the exact spot that we swam to from our hotel beach yesterday, but it was still fun. Then they took us to the Pristine Bay for dinner. Friday we had a separate meetings for the hermanas and the Mission Presidents. We finished about 1pm.  We went back to the airport and Tanner and Emilie were there!! (To be continued in the next post)

Flying to Honduras with the Hiatts

Our beautiful cabin

Hotel pool

Beach on Wednesday afternoon

Thursday morning

Glass bottom boat

Bus ride to Pristine Bay

Pristine Bay

Friday Morning

Elder Brown and Elder Ortega who are 2 of our 8 missionaries on Roatan, came to the seminar and did a presentation with Brother Cordon (the church employee over family history for our mission). They talked about how we help our recent converts to attend the temple after they are baptized. 

Kirt, Elder Olsen, Elder Brown, Elder Ortega, Elder Casillas

Hermana Giuffra, Hermana Olsen, Hermana Casillas

Me and Hermana Young

The meeting for all of the hermanas. The wives of the area 70's joined the wives of the mission presidents for this meeting. 

The 8 mission leaders that started at the same time as us.

Hermanas Galan, Hiatt, Me, Urizah, Langsford, Venaga, Spencer, Pincay

Drone picture of all the hermanas

View of the ocean from the balcony of the hermana meeting. You can see all the cool coral that we went snorkeling in.

Tanner, Jade, and Emilie were at the airport waiting for us at the end of the seminar!!