Tornados, winds, rain, flooding and Zone Conference

 Watangi Ball is a Florida Tampa Original game
named in honor of our Kiwi missionary. The principal is to stay in your area and here to stay in the lines as per Elder Hollands conference talk.

In the St. Pete Zone the zone leaders taught about
how important it is to use the Book of Mormon in their teaching. The principle was the Book of Mormon combined with the spirit is our best tool. Elder Smith made a duct tape hammer and nail which represented one without the other. Then they used a real hammer and nail showing how together the Book of Mormon combined with the spirit does the job. There were tons of laughs . We got the message and committed to use the Book of Mormon and to teach with the Spirit

Some dedicated Elders ready to go to work after the Zone Conference. They are all fired up!!

“Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.” Alma 26:6

August 2012 Arrival and Departures

 These are our wonderful new missionaries. Their present and future success and happiness is a passion for us. We pray the Restored Gospel will go deep into their hearts. Many come expecting the Spirit to automatically be with them just for being here, but they learn they must work very hard and be obedient and do their part to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Missions are very hard, but they are worth it. We all need encouragement to continue to press forward. These missionaries will be fine. We love each and every one of them.

 And so they leave us one by one...on to the next grand adventure in their lives.

 They go home happy and tired if they have given their all. They know that Heavenly Father has accepted their service. They are all so deserving of life's very best.

We give them back to their families, but they will ever feel like our own. They will be ours forever.  About this time a visit from our family would be nice.........

Zone Meeting and Baptism

Above  Greetings from our friend outside our window this morning. Daddy loves these birds and always feels like it is a gift to see them. Below are zone pictures from the Tampa South Zone. We set our cameras on the table for delay and then ran and got in place. I think we did alright.

 Above: more of our friend. I went outside and took this one. I think I was pretty brave.
Below are pictures from a baptism tonight. These Elders have worked so hard and are really getting the
ward excited. Elder Palmer n the middle trained Elder Hargan on the left who is training Elder Hendley on the right. So it is their posterity.

 And one misplaced photo of the Tampa South Zone.
I f I knew how to edit some of these pictures wouldn't be here. :)

Rays Game as I have it so far

The singing of the National Anthem and attending the Rays game was kind of huge for us. Here are the lucky missionaries who were able to sing. I wanted the whole mission to sing the Rays wanted 8 we got it to 18 and then suddenly there were 20. oops. This is the dress rehearsal at 3 pm before the game. I was able to go on the field and take some pictures and record it. I practiced on my IPad until I felt I really could record it in real life. One of he helper people told me they would help as well. I got my orange on the field pass and was ready to go when it was game time.

This is the group pre show time. They were in a special VIP room awaiting to go on the field. By this time our dear sweet Daddy had given away our orange passes so someone else used my camera.

Here they are on the field ready to sing. The girl in the black dress signed the anthem as they sang. I was back there behind those billboards. I could here them but they looked like little GI Joe army men to me.

The big moment.

Singing their hearts out. They sang with power and with angels. These are  all the pictures from my camera but the people who were better photographers and recorders will have it to me ASAP. Daddy kept reminding me to be cheerful that I was able to share those field passes. He is a better man than I am woman. In reality it was such a blessing to be there and see so many of our beloved missionaries. They were obedient and ate their hot dog and got home by 10 (ish). 

Here we is with one of our sweet, awesome, diligent, obedient hardworking missionaries. You can always
tell by the light in their faces how good they are. It will give you an idea about how far away we were when they were singing and  how wilted I was after standing outside for a couple of hours making sure everyone had tickets. Thankfully two wonderful Elders volunteered to take over for me. When they came in they were even more wilted than this.

More stuff

Pictures from our Haition Creole Speaking conference. ON top the Elders are raptly attentive to the training.
Next the Elders are doing a role play on how to do a door approach. Cuz Daddy is so big on practice, practice, practice that is what we do. He would have never been so successful in his career if he had not practiced til his hands calloused over.

Bradenton District meeting. Here the Elders are Role playing or as President calls it "real playing "
teaching the first lesson and answering questions of the soul

Zone leaders singing at Zone Leader Council. This musical number brought Daddy to tears... you all know how easily he is touched. ... but this was really touching.

 Elder Clayton saying good bye to some of his dear friends. This is his last ZLC. He has been amazing. He bore testimony in prayer of his gratitude for each day he is able to serve and a pledge to take advantage of every minute. He is sprinting to the finish and not being trunky. We hope this for all of the missionaries.

Another missionary at his last ZLC with Captain Jack Sparrow.

Haitian Creole Speaking Conference

Bradenton District meeting

Zone Leader Council musical number. This number brought Daddy to tears.

Last Zone Leader Council for some of these Elders
I put all of these pictures with great explanations of them on here but where they have gone, nobody knows.. especially I don't know but here they are again...just know commentary