Family -
Hello! Howzit? Lakker? (awesome?) Things are good here. This week has been great. We had a 3 day mission conference and I learned so much and I am so excited about the work right now.
The conference was basically like the MTC, they did a bunch of training and teaching. We started on Tuesday with an opening meeting and then we spend a couple of hour doing round robin workshops. They just varied in topics from tracting to trainer/trainee relationships. We then had lunch, then in the afternoon all the Sisters did a program where we all spoke and stuff on the conference talk "10 things I'd tell my son going on a mission" Then we had dinner and a cool fireside. The next morning we had a master teacher seminar where the AP's and other older missionaries went over the discussions (the 1st and 2nd this morning) and went into some of the doctrine behind them and also some helpful teaching hints and then we broke off into small groups and we practiced teaching the discussions to some members who acted as investigators and there were evaluators who watched and gave us feedback. That afternoon we had a braai (BBQ) and played sport for the rest of the day. Before we broke up for lunch they announced that they needed me and 2 of the Elders to go to one of the offices there in the church. It scared me. I didn't know what they wanted. I went in and Pres walks in with the AP's and everyone seemed all serious, it really scared me! But it just ended up that they calling us to be mission presidents for the day. They were having a mission simulation that night. They told us that we had 5 minutes to go and choose some counselors, they gave me a head start. I ran out and I saw two of the best Elders standing together and I asked them to come with me. Well, anyway, what it all boiled down to is that we as mission presidencies had to set up our own mission. We could change anything that we wanted to change, but we just had to decide exactly how we'd run things. So, we all had presidency meetings that afternoon while sports were going on. Then that night we had the simulation. It scared me to death! Pres. made everyone refer to the mission presidencies as Pres. so and so. So, I was referred to as President Zenger all day. So, anyhow, we walk into the cultural hall and this is how it is set up.
(I drew a picture of the cultural hall. But basically there were 3 desks at one end of the hall for the 3 mission presidencies. A desk at the opposite end where the real Mission President, his wife and his AP's and some former AP's. They were all the panel of judges, so we were facing the Mission Pres and the panel of judges. Then there were chair on either side for the rest of the missionaries to sit)
Alright, so anyhow they had us each make a 10 minute presentation on the things we would change. Then they presented us with a situation, we had 5 minutes to discuss it and then we'd have to act out what we'd do. Like the first situation I had was that 2 Elders got into a fight and one threatened to kill the other. I said I would interview them, so 2 of the panel got up, come sit in front of me and I had to interview them there on the spot. Ok, so it doesn't sound liek that big of a deal, but I was in front of the entire mission, doing something I've never done before and never will. But I was way out of my comfort zone. I was shaking for 3 hours straight!
In the end I was glad for the opportunity. I learned a lot. Besides, afterwards the mission voted who they would want as their mission president, they chose me. That made me feel a lot better about it. The coolest thing though is that all the changes I made, except for one, Pres Stevenson is now changing in the mission. Cool hey? Just things like flu shots for each of the missionaries, regular boarding inspections, a required exercise program (taking time out of our normal schedule to exercise, not having to get up at 5:30 am to do it) putting cookbooks in each flat with the proper cooking utensils. I can't remember what else there was, but the one the didn't go for was putting a tape deck in each boarding along with some mo-tab tapes, they don't have the budget for that. So, that's that night (we also had some skits).
The last day we had another master teachers seminar and then more round robin workshops. Then we had a testimony meeting. That was absolute power! The whole conference was actually.
I hope I haven't bored you too much with all this info. about conference. It was just cool, they are going to have them every 6 months (another one of our suggestions! :))
I don't know if you'll get this before or after you meet Elder Brown. But he's cool, hey? Have you met Sister denDulk yet? She's RAD as well.
We'll be missing her tons while she is there, it's just not Durban North without her here. But I'm glad that she is visiting Utah.
Well, I haven't received a letter in a couple of weeks, so I don't know what to say. I hope all is well there. I love you all very much! Take care!
Love,
Michelle
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