The purpose of this blog is to highlight the beautiful city of Guadalajara; the faithful members, the valiant missionaries who serve here, as well as the people, culture, and food.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

June Mission Council - To New Heights!

Getting ready...


ok...Here we are!
Mission Council for June



We had of course, a wonderful day together.
There was much instruction, inspiring
discussions and unified resolve.
Here are just a few bullets of what we talked about.
Our theme?
To New Heights!

President:
*How can we achieve new heights?
-The Lord is hoping for more
-What can we do better?
-Understanding the importance of our callings
-The Lord's sacred trust
-Our committed Purpose
-To invite others to Come Unto Christ
-To teach repentance and baptize converts
*How can we do that better?
*Key Indicators
-How do we measure our progress?
-What can we control?
*Being equally yoked together
-Goals
When performance is measured, performance improves.
When performance is measured and reported, the rate
of improvement accelerates.  President Monson

Sister Clayton:
*Accountability 
-Returning and reporting
-Let every man learn his duty D&C 107:99
-Being anxiously engaged
-Doing many things
-For the power is in us D&C 58:26-28

Our assistants:
 introduced our new theme
 with a flag, similar to the Title of Liberty

They had one Elder try to get himself up
the pole to retrieve the flag, but he could not.
They brought out a ladder and he was
then able to climb the steps of the 
ladder to reach the flag.
They invited our mission council 
to think what steps we must take
as a mission,
to reach our goals, our potential?

As they talked about President Clayton's vision
at this time in our mission,
they highlighted Moroni's vision
for his people and how his people rallied
 behind their leader.
Moroni 46: 11-36

As we came back into the church,
the assistants led a wonderful 
discussion about the steps 
of the ladder representing how we as a mission
can achieve new heights. 
Step by step.
They detailed:
-Reporting
-Divisions

Individual, district, zone and mission goals
must be aligned and purpose driven.
The assistants invited each member of the 
mission council 
to sign their name on the original flag, 
and then they additionally gave each zone a flag 
to introduce and raise in their own areas and zones.

Sister Clayton:
*Leaving it better than you found it. 
-Your ward/branch, neighborhood, apartment
-Your area books, reports, maps, and lists

President:
*We are going to work
*We are going to focus on doctrine and teachings
*We are going to stay worthy

Alma 22:10-20 
What evidence is there that Aaron 
was an effective teacher?
-King Lamoni's responses were tender and genuine
-Aaron was talking about eternal life, not baptisms
-If we are teaching the doctrine with power, our
investigators will have the desire to act.
After Aaron taught King Lamoni with the
power of the Holy Ghost to accompany him,
-verse 17 tells us, King Lamoni humbly fell to his knees.

Worthily pray for the power of the Holy Ghost
 to accompany you that you might 
-Teach with power and 
-Testify boldly 







Mission Mexico Guadalajara 
To New Heights
We teach repentance and baptize converts!











our dedicated assistants 
Elder Kotter and Elder Teichert
















Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Our 8 New Missionaries!

Here they come!  Our 8 new missionaries.
We had one new missionary come in last week.
He will be joining us for our training tomorrow.







They are fabulous and eager to begin.


We took the sisters in our car to drive from the 
airport to the church to meet their companions
for the day. 


A quick bite to eat.


And they are off to spend their first
full day of proselyting with a companionship
from here in Guadalajara. 



                   They spent all day, came back to the church for 
a quick bite to eat and went back out, and spent 
the evening with their companionship.

First thing this morning, we met at our mission
home, and began our first full day of training.





We were anxious to hear about their first full day experiences.
They all had many positive and eye opening experiences day one.
We  couldn't be more pleased. 
As President Clayton interviewed each new missionary,
I talked to them about their daily schedule,
their apartments, their health, and the opportunity
for those that do not speak English to learn it
while they serve here in the mission.  We set some goal 
to that end and were able to answer a few questions for them.



President Clayton finished his interviews and we
were able to drive over to the church, 
to continue with our day long training.
We were greeted by the office Elders and 
trainers who have been called to lead, guide, teach 
and train our new missionaries.
Each new missionary will go through a 12 week
 training program with these first training companions.

We continued our training, as the assistants
taught, about security and legal questions, 
and Elder Sherwood, our financial secretary
taught about reimbursements and their mission
 credit card, their visa and pass ports and on and on. 
It is such important information, but the day is 
getting late, and they are saturated with information.
We know... but,  President taught a bit more.
It is a full, full day.

Here are the new missionaries ready to meet their trainers.


Trainers set to meet their new companions 


and..... they've met!



Here we go with the perfect matches..
Trainer Hermana Capellan 
with Hermana Nunez   




Trainer Hermana Hernandez with Hermana Marquez




Hermana Vega with trainer Hermana Osorio



Hermana Hernandez with trainer Hermana Garduno



Hermana White with trainer Hermana Hooper



Hermana Rojas with trainer Guerrero



trainer Elder Randall with Elder Taylor


 
                                Elder Acosta
                               with trainer Elder Flores



Trainer Elder Hernandez with Elder Rodriguez




Here we are!


Saying goodbye


It's time.  We were up at 3 am to get everyone 
to the airport on time.
Some going here, others going there...
this is where our assistants really know how
to get everyone where they need to be, when
they need to be there.  Well done.






one last picture 


We headed back to the car for a brief hour to wait
for our arriving 8 new missionaries.
Here are our assistants at work.