What a fun week it has been!

 

Along with the normal week of calls, interviews, reports, etc I have enjoyed two zone conferences and a weekend with my granddaughter, Cicilee, and my son, Jake.

Normally there are four zone conferences but this time, to celebrate Christmas, there were only two LARGE conferences. The south zone conference was held on Wednesday in Central Point which is adjacent to Medford. The north zone conference was held on Friday. We have over 200 missionaries so each conference had over 100 missionaries in attendance.

The meetings began at 10:00 with training and lasted until 1:00. Talks and presentations by missionaries, President and Sister Cornelius, President and Sister Hopkins (1^st counselor in the mission presidency), the assistants to the president, Elder Barker (car business) and me (health business).

Lunch was then served with games and fun following. I will include pictures to let you know how the days went.

Training session in the chapel

This chapel in Eugene is an older chapel. It is beautiful with its wood construction.

Lunch is served

After lunch, all were divided into four groups for games and activities. They rotated through the activities over the next 2 hours.

This game divided the group into four smaller groups. They played Prophet or Princess. Quotes were read from prophets or Disney movie characters. The group had to choose who the quote was from. A lot of competitive spirit here!!

Each district decorated a gingerbread house. Here are Elders Welch, Tufuga, and Reynolds displaying a couple of creations.

The gingerbread house decorating room

Passing the hoop game

This challenge is stacking the cups with a web of rubber bands – no hands allowed

Here you see two missionaries holding plungers against their bodies, no hands, trying to get a washer tied to a string to wrap around the stick.

Next was a talent show. Each zone presented. Here is a sampling. It was fun!

This zone did a haka but I got a phone call and didn’t get more than a few seconds of a video so I took a screen shot of one frame. I felt so sorry that I missed it. Took me back to my New Zealand days

Following the talents show, the Christmas gifts were distributed. Beginning in November, the family of each missionary was asked to send their Christmas gifts to the office labeled “Christmas Gift” so we had a cargo trailer full of gifts to haul to each zone conference. You should have seen the office! It was wall to wall boxes in a couple of rooms.

The gifts were hidden behind the curtain on the stage waiting for distribution

To end the day, after the fun and games, there was a devotional.

I was blessed to have my granddaughter, Cicilee, come to spend a few days with me. She arrived on Friday. We drove down to Bandon, my favorite beach town to visit, on Friday afternoon and returned to Eugene on Sunday evening.

My son, Jake, was traveling to see the redwoods and joined us for our time in Bandon. It was so fun walking on the beach, finding places to eat, playing UNO and laughing until our sides hurt. I took so many pictures that I couldn’t put them all here in my blog so I have made a separate post on FB with additional pictures.

Jake and his dog, Sugar, on the beach at sunset. I didn’t get any pictures of Jake with me because he was always behind the camera taking pictures. He is a fantastic photographer. 

These 2 pictures are photographs taken by Jake

Took this as I walked down the street in Bandon

The weather over the week end was fantastic!!!

Friday evening sunset over the beach

Saturday morning walk along the bluff overlooking Bandon Beach

Coquille River Lighthouse at sunset

Sunday morning before returning to Eugene, I went to Sacrament Meeting with some wonderful missionaries.

Overlooking the nativity in the foyer with Sister Sutherland

Sisters Davis and Sutherland. Elders Darrington, Nilson, Sibley, and Robison

Welcome back to Eugene LOL

In my zone conference presentation, I talked about homesickness and missing family especially at this Christmas season. It is important to stay healthy during stressful times by eating properly, exercising, and keeping a positive attitude. Attitude can truly affect our physical and mental health. An attitude of gratitude is especially important. I challenged the missionaries to keep a gratitude journal and to write down 3 things for which they are grateful every night before going to bed.

I also know that thinking of and serving others is healthful. I love the following quote by President Spencer W. Kimball. I read it and try to incorporate the thoughts into my life everyday regarding service but it is a good quote for the Christmas season.

From the words of President Spencer W. Kimball: 

“Though we make an effort to follow the pattern of gift giving at Christmas time, sometimes our program becomes an exchange—a gift given for a gift expected.

Of the Savior's service, and His example to us, President Kimball goes on to say: "Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in His life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did He give shoes, a scarf, or a vehicle; never did He give perfume, a shirt, or a fur wrap. His gifts were of such a nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value.

His gifts were rare ones: eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing.

His friends gave Him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of Himself, His love, His service, His life. The wise men brought Him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should strive to give as He gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift."

It is my prayer that you have a wonderful Christmas.

I love my Savior.

I love you my family and friends.