Mission Tour 4/6-4/8

The mission tour began with Elder Hamula arriving at the mission home on Wednesday before noon.  We had lunch on the deck and enjoyed visiting.  He mentioned he had not seen the channel islands so we drove to the harbor and went places we had not seen before.  

We had a special MLC at 1:30 where the Assistants reviewed how we as a mission were doing on the key indicators, Sister Felix spoke about humility, President Felix taught us about true doctrine understood, changes attitude and behavior,  Elder Hamula helped us to understand more about faith and hope.

Elders Boyce and Ruby

Front row:  Elders Ruby, Stewart, Snyder, Deem Elder Hamula, Elders Kuepper, Chatterton, Weiss, Summers

Back row:  Elders Boyce, Campbell, Powell, DuPlessis, Parkinson, King, Gibb, Swenson, President & Sister Felix

Sisters Orme, Lambert, Ulassin, Israelsen Elder Hamula, Hermanas Eames, Johnson, Ricks, Hemingway,
President & Sister Felix

That evening all of the Senior Couples came to the mission home to eat and meet with Elder Hamula.  They were all assigned food to bring which helped out so much.  I should do that more often because it was less stress and the food was delicious.
Elder Hamula was very gracious and thanked the couples for all they are doing and the sacrifices they are making.  He opened it up to answer any questions they had. 

We drove to Goleta to the Santa Barbara Stake Center Thursday morning to begin the conference at 9:00; actually the missionaries were at the church by 8:40 so that Elder Hamula and us could shake hands with each missionary prior to beginning. 

The Assistants reviewed the key indicators with the missionaries and received input as to what we do well in the mission and what we lack.  Sister Felix reviewed 4 aspects of helping the missionaries be better and in turn the mission will elevate.  They were:  Work Ethic, Attitude, Obedience, and Gospel Knowledge.  President expounded more on the CVM target:  True doctrine understood and applied, changes attitudes and behavior.  He reminded us of having both feet in. 

Our mission is down in baptisms.  Elder Hamula helped us in understanding WHO we are, WHY are we here, WHAT do we do, and HOW? This was to help us gain confidence and faith so that we can invite and teach repentance and baptize converts.  At the conclusion of that, he opened it up to questions the missionaries would like to ask.

Elder Hamula interviewed 6 missionaries - getting a feel for the missionaries in this mission.

Yummy lasagna, salad, garlic bread and cake.

Singing Called to Serve to the sisters who served us lunch.

San Luis Obispo Zone

Front row:  Sister Aston, Elders Endicott, Allison, Turley, President & Sister Felix, Elder Hamula, Elders Petersen,
M. Bailey, Swenson, Mata, Sister Besendorfer

Back row:  Elders Aston, Plummer, Sila, Peterson, Bronson, Huston, Chatterton, Peisley, Sisters Campbell, Capener, Scott

Santa Maria Zone

Front row:  Hermana Torrico, Sister Ulassin, Elders Castro, Parkinson, President & Sister Felix, Elder Hamula, Elders Levis, Wayment, Crook, Suarez, Sister Cardon

Back row:  Hermana Green, Sister Israelsen, Elders Lemus, Kuepper, Gardner, Elliott, Harper, Marchant,
Sister Van Der Watt

Santa Barbara Zone

Front row:  Sister Mortimer, Hermana Arkell, Sister Hardy, Elders Avalos, H. Davis, Liddiard, President & Sister Felix, Elder Hamula, Elders Brown, Oakey, VanSlochteren, Stewart

Back row:  Sister Baird, Hermana Morales, Sister King, Elders Garcia, Dorius, Valladares, Harvey, Hubbard, Reed, Campbell

Ventura Zone

Front row:  Elders Boyce, Jo, McCurdy, Weiss, Sister Hopkins, President & Sister Felix, Elder Hamula, Elders Strom, Bradler, Hermana Eames

Back row:  Elders Ruby, Slaugh, Hull, Summers, Sister Jones, Elders K. Davis, Herrera Jr., Hermana Johnson

Elder & Sister Aston, President & Sister Felix, Elder Hamula, Sister & Elder Iverson

Hermanas Eames, Johnson, Sisters Mortimrer, Baird, Felix

Sister Baird has taught me how to take selfies with the tablet.

Hermanas Garza, Morales, Mulloy

Friday morning we drove to Newbury Park to have the second zone conference.  It was the same schedule as Thursday. It was nice having the missionaries arrive early and prepare themselves for the meeting.  They all stood when we entered the chapel with Elder Hamula.  

Lunch consisted of pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and chips.  Each table had a cake for the center piece and dessert.

President Felix

Hermanas Gonzalez, Peterson, Ames, Frias

Elder Taufatofua, Hermanas Hemingway, Ricks

Sisters Barnum, Greding, McClure, Mendoza

Elders DuPlessis, Deem, Hidalgo

Elders Heck, Hatman, Routledge, Gemar, Garrard

Elders Willis, Carpenter, Klingler

Elders Pace, DeGraw, Anderson

Elders Christenson, Holm, Boyce, Shaw

Elders Powell, Snyder, Nielson

Sisters Deitos, Dye, Orme, Lambert, Meglen

Camarillo Zone

Front row:  Elders Heck, Atkinson, Nielson, McLane, Pierce, King, Gemar, Elder Hamula, President & Sister Felix, Sisters Greding, Meglen, Hermanas Hemingway, Hirst

Back row:  Elders Hatman, Hales, Gregory, Taufatofua, Judkins, Barrios-Vega, Gibb, Routledge, Sisters Barnum, Houseman, Hermanas Ricks, Wright, Scott

Newbury Park/Thousand Oaks Zone

Front row:  Hermana Zurita, Sister Fisher, Elders Lallatin, Holm, Shaw, Chesley, Snyder, Pace, Elder Hamula, President & Sister Felix, Elders J. Bailey, Hidalgo, Hunter, Sisters Dye, Lambert

Back row:  Hermana Soriano, Sister Wing, Elders Corbridge, Garrard, Haines, Peart, Powell, DeGraw, Willis, Herrera, Rosenlof, Sisters Deitos, Orme

Simi Valley Zone

Front row:  Elders Blaylock, DuPlessis, Sister Bosshardt, Hermana Ames, Elder Hamula, President & Sister Felix, 

Sister Mendoza, Hermana Gonzalez, Elders Anderson, Morby, Klingler

Back row:  Elders Mullford, Deem, Sister Coulon, Hermana Frias, Sister McClure, Hermana Peterson, Elders Bradley, Christenson, Carpenter

We met with the Assistants and Elder Hamula after the conference to evaluate.  We determined we will be addressing "finding" and more "effective use of time" in our MLC on Tuesday.  The Council will come up with some specific ideas to help the mission.

Simi Valley had stake conference on Saturday and Sunday with Elder Hamula presiding.  He called a new stake presidency.  President & I spoke in the Saturday night session.

It's been a wonderful week!  When we went to bed last night I said, "We made it!" meaning we got  through the week!"