Hastening The Work in Guadalajara

Monday, January 8, 2018

Welcoming in our 14 new missionaries!

And, here they come!!!
Thirteen of our fourteen missionaries arrived this
morning from the Mexico City airport.
We will receive our solo missionary at 9:00 pm this
evening arriving from Brazil.

They look marvelous!!

President Clayton and I took the five sisters

with us in our car to the Union Stake

Center by the Guadalajara Temple.

What sweethearts they are!

I love them already!

President Clayton's welcome

and a quick bite to eat...

My introduction to holding the Book of Mormon

in our hands all day every day...

In the four finger power hold..

The assistants introducing contacting

material and giving examples of

how to contact and begin a conversation

with someone on the street.

Now that each missionary has their own copy

of the blue Book of Mormon that they will be

carrying each day... here is our first picture together.

Ok, it was so bright and sunny on the steps

of the Temple, we thought we would try taking

a picture over in the shade... it didn't turn out

very clear of our faces..

Here we are on the steps of the Guadalajara

Temple....squinting eyes and all!

Our new missionaries are ready to go out

with these seasoned missionaries for the

afternoon and evening.

They are ready to find out who they will

spend their first day in the mission with!

Here they are!!!

Our office Elders met and picked up

Elder Motta at the airport late last night

at 11:00pm. We are thrilled to have him

also join us here in the mission!

Farewell Weekend! 1-7-18

We are saying goodbye to 13 outstanding missionaries!
I can hardly stand to see them go!
President Clayton interviewed 6 missionaries on Friday
and 7 missionaries on Saturday.
We enjoyed a session at the Temple Saturday evening.

Sunday, we had our final dinner together,

followed by our final testimony meeting.

What a sweet experience.

With those prized certificates

of completion!

We love these missionaries!

Faithful, Faithful, Faithful!!

me with the sisters

President with the Elders

One more picture with Sister Vega and Sister Ramos

who left at 2:00 am this morning.

Our office Elders took them to the airport.

The office Elders took a quick picture of them

as they were ready to board the plane.

5:00 am bright and early we were at the

airport to see these wonderful

missionaries off.

We are sending them home with

much, much love!

#we love our missionaries!

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Coordinating Council 1-7-18

Here is a picture from President Clayton’s Coordinating Council today.

Outstanding leaders and dear friends all.

Top row from left to right:
President Chavez Union Stake President
President Arias Santiago District President
President Ocampo 2nd Counselor Mission Presidency
President Rios Manzanillo District President

Second from the top row left to right:
President Cortez Colima Stake President
Brother Olguin Secretary to President Chavez
President Olguin Lomas Stake President
Third row from the top left to right:

President Reyes Vallarta Stake President
President Castaneda 1st Counselor Mission Presidency
President Anaya 1st Counselor Temple Presidency
Front row left to right:

President Clayton Mission President
President Alcaraz Guzman District President
Elder Chavez Area Seventy
President Reyes Independencia Stake President
President Ruerta Tepic Stake President

President Clayton with the three District Presidents

from left to right

President Rios Manzanillo District President

President Clayton

President Alcaraz Guzman District President

President Arias Santiago District President

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Church in Ameca 12-31-17

Last day of the year!
We went to Ameca for church today.
Wonderful meetings and sweet spirit today.
Elder Manua and Elder Schmidt are serving in Ameca at this time.

Mission Council 1-3-18

January 2018 Mission Council!!
We had a beautiful morning as we began our mission council for this new year! Much to talk about, fresh goals and new commitments to make. It was a great day!
First and foremost, our beloved Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson has passed away. We love him and honored him today as President Clayton talked about him, and all that lies before us as a new prophet is sustained and continues forth in these latter days.

Here are some highlights of our day together.

A quick picture just before we began.

8 fundamentals!

1. Doctrine of Christ - The Missionary Purpose
2. The Role of the Holy Ghost in conversion
3. Revelation through Prayer
4. Revelation through the Book of Mormon
5. Revelation through Church Attendance
6. Teach People, Not lessons
7. We Invite, They Commit, We Follow Up
8. How to Begin Teaching

President had each zone leader companionship take one of

the fundamentals and preach the doctrine of it to the group

They did a fabulous job.

***Promise***A missionary who has great faith and understands these 8 fundamental
*Will teach repentance and baptize converts
*Will help others understand repentance and how to make and keep sacred covenants
*Will receive blessings from God.

***Alma 14:28- they received power because of their faith in Christ***

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sister Clayton's teaching

Unity

****Elder Boyd K. Packer tells a story about his visit to a country fair.
Country fairs are opportunities for farmers to come together to demonstrate
their expertise with livestock. (Farm animals)

He tells the story about a contest where pairs of oxen pulled enormous
loads while they were joined together with heavy wooden yoke bound
tightly around their necks.

He observed that the oxen that could pull the heaviest loads,
were not always those that were the largest or strongest animals.

Rather, those that won the contest were those oxen that, regardless
of their size and strength, were 'equally yoked'.

This means that when the signal was given, they worked with,
not against, each other. Their unity was the key to their success.

***What can we learn from this story?

How can we apply this to our missionary work?