Zone Conference

Tuesday morning, before heading off to Eugene for Zone Conference, we gathered up sweet Ida Cluff and took her on a special private tour of the Bandon Branch building.  We want her to feel comfortable when she comes to Church on Sunday.  The last room in the building we entered was the Chapel.  We stood there in silence for a while and then I asked: “Ida, do you feel it?”  She said; “Yea, the Spirit is here!”  Cool.  I asked her;  “How long have you  been inactive?”  I was blown away by her answer…. 45 years!  Welcome home Ida!

Since Zone Conference was to start at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, we decided to do the three hour drive from Bandon on Tuesday afternoon.  Once in Eugene, the first stop was Costco!  M & M’s, Muffins, and Cookies…. And you were thinking we were there for real food!  Next stop…… The Outback Restaurant for gluten free baby back ribs and some Chocolate Thunder from Down Under!  Thank you Outback for that delicious gluten free dessert!  There are joys in a big city!

Zone Conference was totally awesome!  It was District Meeting times 6! Here we had 53 beautiful Elders and Sisters! 

President Young is such a dedicated Mission President.  He is our cheering squad!  You can’t help coming away wanting so badly to be a more dedicated and spiritual missionary.  Such inspirational talks!  We took pages of notes!

Lunch time was fun time!  Great meal provided by one of the local wards.  After lunch we have some fun.  Each district got to write their own original song.  Elder Johnson wrote the one for our Pacific District.  Yea Elder Johnson.  But then we had to sing our song for the group.  We were a pretty sad as a choir. But everyone cheered for us and for each of the other groups.  So try singing our song to the tune of “God be with you till we meet again”….

Pacific District Song

--Elder Johnson

Baptisms are scarce here on the coast
We can’t find people to teach
It rains every single day
It’s always cloudy, always gray

Chorus:
But we won’t get down
We won’t show a frown
We will keep our spirits up
We will “Stand up Tall”
Because “P” Young knows all
We’re happy to be serving on the coast

We are ten Elders who love to teach
Even crazy hippie druggies
We will baptize young & oldies
And bring every one unto the fold

Chorus:
But we won’t get down
We won’t show a frown
We will keep our spirits up
We will “Stand up Tall”
Because “P” Young knows all
We’re happy to be serving on the coast!

Believe it or not….. we took second place with that one!  They also had been inspecting the mission cars and gave out awards for the cleanest cars.  The winner got a golden license plate frame put on their car!  It was just a time of fun and laughter!  Those young missionary Elders and Sisters are just delightful to hang around with!

Then it was back into the Chapel for more spiritual feeding and testimony time.  We ended at about 4:45 p.m.  and, it was already getting dark and raining.   It was a long 3 hour drive back to Bandon in the rain and wind with windshield wipers that did not work so well.  It was a miserable trip, especially for Elder Wels, since he was driving.  Note to self… if it is that kind of weather come our next Zone Conference in February….. we will stay over another night.  Sad to admit it, but we are getting older and prefer the day time driving!

We received our very first referral from the mission office!  Apparently it was a referral from Temple Square in Salt Lake.  So what to do first?  Okay…. Rule #1… contact them within 24 hours of receiving the referral!  You want to contact them while the “iron is still hot!”  The referral was to deliver a Book of Mormon.  Zoom!  We were on it!  We called Leo and Allen Lewandowski and set up an appointment to see them the next evening.  Leo and Allen?....  A cause for worry?  Not when we got to meet Leo and Ellen!  A lovely couple who had been to Temple Square LAST spring!  The iron was definitely cool already!  But we had a lovely visit and did give them a Book of Mormon with our testimony and picture in it and a written invitation to read certain parts of it combined with prayer.  We will check back with them after Thanksgiving.

We made a lot of visits to members and non-members this week.  So sweet of everyone to welcome us and say that having senior missionaries is a treat for them.  We had a lovely evening with Fred and Kim Yates and their adorable daughter, Cassidy.  Kim is the sister of Cynthia Wright, wife of our Central Point Stake President Wright.  Kim is an absolute hoot!  She certainly tells some fascinating family stories.

We worked at the Family History Library Thursday night and two of the three computers are now up and running!  It was very exciting.  We hear through the “grape vine” of Pam Hansen, the Library director that we are going to be called to work a set schedule in the Library.  It will give us an opportunity to work with the community through family history work.  We are excited about that!

Our week ended with a smile! The sun was shining today after days of rain!  And, Ida Cluff came to Church today!  She was so warmly welcomed by our branch members.  She got to meet her new Home Teacher/Visiting Teacher couple, President and Marita Stockford.  We definitely got her the best.  She is a lovely lady and deserves the best.  May this be the first of many Sundays we find her in attendance!  Can I also wish that the sun keeps shining?