Life Skills Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo

Last day of zone activities.  These missionaries were a lot of fun.  Elder Bailey helped in changing the tire.

Elders Allison, Levis, Campbell, Anderson, Bronson, Wickern, Bailey, Elder Stewart

Sisters Lambert, Israelsen, Elder Kuepper, Hermana Arkell, Elders Parkinson, Huston, Stewart, Allison, Levis

Front:  Elder Routledge, Hermana Frias

.Elder Boyce knows his way around the engine.

Elder Ruby is teaching about the precautions of using cables to charge the battery

Medical includes the emotional as well as the physical.

They enjoyed visiting together!  It was a challenge getting them back to the rotation of classes.

Sister & Elder Aston, Elder & Sister Clark, Sister & Elder Hardy, Elder & Sister Floyd, Sister & President Felix

Prior to going into the kitchen to make the Thai dish the Floyds talked about several different aspects of taking care of an apartment and finances.  The vacuum should be cleaned OFTEN so it will function properly.  How often does one do dishes?  Do dishes after eating.  Reasons for not letting the dishes sit -- harder to get the dried on food off and bugs seem to find food.  It's a good idea to even seal food in the cupboards in containers.  The trash is taken out as needed because if food is in it, smells and bugs occur.  Because the abrasive cleansers scratch the fiberglass, softscrub is a good cleaning agent for the bathtubs.

Elder Floyd asked "How do you live on $135 a month?" The responses were use generic brands, look for sales and live frugally.  Elder Floyd feels the first law of finance for missionaries is to respect your companion.  Be aware that the companion may not have extra funds so don't ask to spend more than what is in the support funds.

Elders Bradler, Lemus, Hermanas Eames, Ricks

Elders Hunter, Harvey, Bradler

Sister Meglen, Elders Davis, Bradley, Sisters McClure, King, Baird

Elder & Sister Aston, Sister Floyd, Elder Harvey, Elder Hunter, Elder Floyd, Sisters McClure, Meglen

For those who wanted a little more kick to the entree, Elder Floyd is pouring some sweet chili sauce.

This meal included protein, fruit, and vegetables.  It was $1.90 per serving and made four servings.

I'm hoping the missionaries will make this on their own.

Hermanas Soriano, Green, Elders Castro, Peisley, Suarez, Garcia, Chatterton, Gibb

Elders VanSchlochteren, Davis, Hidalgo, Peterson, Avalos, Mata

Back:  Reed, Wayment

Counter clockwise:  Stewart Stewart, Sister & Elder Clark, Elders Marchant, Valladares, Endicott, Elliott, Klingler, Harper, Sisters Cardon, Wing, Besendorfer, Campbell, Elders Sila, Heck, DeGraw, Hubbard, Hermanas Zarate, Garza

Life Skills Simi Valley and Newbury Park/Thousand Oaks Zones

Counter clockwise:  Hermanas Ames, Morales, Elders Powell, Snyder, Pace, Payne, Peterson, Garrard, Sisters Mendoza, VanDerWatt, Orme, Ulassin

Sister Stewart instructed us on giving talks. This is the blue print of how to give a talk.  She made it very clear that we better not READ our talks; that's boring!

We need to listen with our eyes for body language.

After listening to Elder Pace explain how to get from LAX to his home in St. George, Sister VanDerWatt tried to retell us the directions.  She really did a remarkable job.

Sister Stewart explained to us how to be better communicators.  When teaching, sit more on the edge of the chair and be enthusiastic with eye contact.  

The human's attention span is 8 seconds compared to a goldfish which has 9 seconds.  (I wonder how that was discovered.)

Check yourself when someone is praying that you are aware of what is being said.

Be aware of the "bubble" (one's personal space).  If you break through that bubble, people get uncomfortable.

In teaching, take turns with your companion, it makes it more interesting.

Listening -- you have to stop talking.  Listening is when you hear something, you think about it, and then you give feedback.

H.A.L.T. is the acronym for hunger, anger, lonely, tired.

Don't try communicating when the person is hungry.  You can't teach when someone is angry.  Anger takes away logic.  When someone is lonely they just want to talk about themselves and don't listen.  If you can tell the person is tired, try again later.

You are a child of God.

Things that you do.

Remember criticisms are what you do, NOT who you are.

Companionship inventory is done at least weekly at the end of weekly planning.  Embrace the differences and ask
"How can I learn from this person?"

Sisters Mortimer, Fisher, Houseman, Scott, Bosshardt

Sister Bosshardt, Elders Boyce, Deem, Pierce, Slaugh, Herrera Loya, Liddiard, Dorius

Elder Ruby is doing the dirty work.

In the middle of the sessions the refreshment was rootbeer floats and cookies.

As outlined in Adjusting to Missionary Life, the levels of stress are green, yellow, orange, red.
When Sister Hardy talked the missionaries through a relaxation technique, it was funny that one of the elders apparently was totally relaxed and nodded off.

Front:  Elders Blaylock, Swenson, Sisters Capener, Dye, Elders Holm, Christenson

Back:  Elders Chesley, Peart, Hermanas Peterson, Mulloy, Hurley, Zurita

Sister & Elder Floyd, Elders Crook, Corbridge, Gemar, Haines, Plummer, Rosenlof, Willis, Morby

Elders Carpenter, Gardner