The Rising Generation - and a Couple of Nisse

 We are not exactly leaders in the mission, nevertheless we are invited to attend any and all meetings for the missionaries.  This morning's leadership training meeting is a case in point. 

We attended, along with all of the zone leaders.  I'm not sure how many that amounts to, but I'm guessing about a dozen companionships.  Elder Hill, who was here in Oxford last year (and one of our all-time favorites) is now an AP.  The APs took charge of the meeting, leading us through hymns, prayer, and announcements.

When it came time for the training, they turned the time over to Dave, who went over a document he has drawn up with considerable help from the APs.  It will be used as a basis for training all missionaries, both when they arrive and for ongoing training. 

It contains six basic tenets of the mission, and the Church.

First and foremost was for each missionary to build a relationship with Jesus Christ, to study and to pray with that goal in mind.  The second was to teach from the scriptures.  Whenever a question arises, we ought to be looking for answers in the standard works.  The third point was to unite new members with their wards, and to unite them with their own families.  Fourth, develop Christ-like attributes and hold up our lights to help others find their way.  Five was to strengthen and love the missionaries we work with. And finally, Six to flood the world on social media.  Have you seen some of their videos?  These kids are writing and filming some amazing posts.

The focus was on helping these young missionaries without standing in their way.  When Elder Phillips spoke (the area seventy) he said to them, "You are smart, you are naturally inclusive, and you are naturally disruptive and you will change the world."  He said that he had been in a stadium that held 100,000 people, and that being a missionary in Southern England is like two missionaries walking into that stadium.  

They want to have the young ones train stake presidencies and high councils about how missionary work is being done now on social medial.  The training was brief, and then Dave asked a couple of questions and the answers from the missionaries were insightful and informative.

One 20-year-old pointed out a scripture and used it as a basis for preparing.  I loved watching Dave.  This young missionary may well just have been a president of a corporation.  Dave and Deb listened thoughtfully, asked respectful questions for clarification, and took notes.  This went on with all the young ones who contributed.  These young people are learning far more than just how to be good missionaries.  But what they are learning as far as being missionaries is truly something that will anchor them for their entire lives.  

Later in the day, we walked to the mall, which was open today after being shut down for a month.  We expected it to be wall-to-wall people.  It wasn't, but there were a lot of shoppers out compared to the last 4 weeks.



After the mall, we went to the local charity shop (like Good will or Deseret Industries).  Look at what we acquired!  One of the little nisseman has lost his hat tassel, so I'll have to find a way to buy only one, but otherwise, they are none the worse for wear.....and they will probably be very happy to join other similar ones in Gilbert Arizona next year.




I've been loaning the new little family videos we have here that were abandoned by other senior missionaries when they left for their homes.  I thought these would be fun to pass along as well.  It wasn't much of a purchase, but since there aren't giving machines this year for "Light the World," it asked that we give to a favorite charity.  This little shop uses the proceeds for a children's hospital.  

SK got a much-needed haircut.  The barber hasn't been able to work for a month and has 4 little children.  SK gave him a nice tip.  

They are little things, but they help a little.  We'll do things like that throughout the month.

The evening ended with Zoom Institute....not too many there.  End of the year assignments and exams, as well as returning to their homes are among the reasons the numbers are down.

You're probably tired of pictures of our backyard castle, but I never tire of it, especially on these short days. This was taken about 4 pm. 


Comments

melissa said…
I never tire of the castle. Or Nisse!!
December 5, 2020 at 12:23 AM
Erin said…
Those Nisse with the sequin hats crack me up! The Nisse here will think them snobs I’m afraid.
December 10, 2020 at 12:43 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Master Teacher

In the 1st Ward today, an 11-year-old boy gave a talk that was one of he best sacrament meeting talks I have ever heard.  He got up to speak and his head just barely cleared the podium.  He is small and has a shock of dark hair topping a cute slightly freckled face. It will be several years yet before his voice deepens.  He had his written talk, and he read most of it, but he was familiar enough with it that he looked up often and it seemed as if he was speaking from his heart. He began with a quote from Nephi in 2 Nephi 25:29, where Nephi prophesies about the future and then tells us how to worship the Savior. How? this boy asked us. He went on to answer his own question.  Nephi says "with all our might."  The boy then asked how that is done. He cited the story of the converts in the Congo who threw all of their idols into a massive waterfall where they were unrecoverable.  The boy said that when we worship the Savior with all our might, that mea...
Read more

Going Home

  Fifteen missionaries are returning to their homes this week.  For this Saturday night zoom conference broadcast, each bore their testimony from their flats with their companions by their sides.  SK and I teared up many times as we listened to humble, sweet and strong testimonies.  It is easy to see the difference as they get close to their release date.  It they have been faithful, there is a maturity and a sweetness that is unexplainable. Here is a smattering of what was said: There is no growth in the comfort zone.  I am about to go home to my comfort zone...but it struck me that my old comfort zone is no longer comfortable for me.  I want to be in a growth zone. The early apostles did not succeed, but they knew we would. One elder quoted Dave's poem "If."  "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same...Hold on...even through the hardest times."  "How can I accomplish these things?  Jesus Chr...
Read more

Shark!

Image
We left our flat way too early for my taste this morning, heading out to go south to Farnborough.  Forty-eight miles, supposedly an hour and twenty minute drive.  We got into some heavy stop and go traffic and it was closer to 2 hours before we got there. We inspected the two young sisters' flat, which was beautifully clean and organized.  They are cute sisters.  They had been in London yesterday for zone conference and excitedly shared all they had heard and been taught.  They had their notes out and were very cute to repeat some great messages from President Checketts.  I hardly ever talk to him when he isn't dealing with numerous issues in the mission and in the middle of at least one or two crises, and planning the next gathering....all at the same time.  It must be that he and Deb are in a constant state of stress.  But he has cleared the half-way mark.  I wonder if he knows how highly he is esteemed by these young missionaries, who ...
Read more