Changes

The assistants worked hard on creating the transfer train for Tuesday.  They were comfortable in their efforts.  They have both feet in!

This letter went out to the missionaries.  It will help you to know the changes in how exchanges will occur.

January 16, 2017

Dear Missionaries,

This is indeed an exciting time to be a missionary.  There are many transfers tomorrow and along with any transfer is moving from apartment to apartment.  PLEASE clean your apartment today!  Throw away anything that you will not be taking with you.  Take to Deseret Industries trailer if in your area or to a Goodwill etc., the usable clothes or other items that have been left in your apartment or that you are tempted to leave behind.  If there is any damage to the apartment, make sure that it is repaired.  Anything that is not repaired in your new apartment will be the responsibility of the missionaries who left the apartment and they will have to pay for any damage. 

As you meet the new members in your new assignments, people will always ask about where you are from and how long have you been serving.  You will gain wonderful respect from the members if you are brief with your response but that you add something like, "I'm excited to be serving with you in this ward.  I have a strong testimony of the restored gospel and we will work tirelessly to bring about our purpose to invite others to come unto Christ."  Then set up an appointment with members to share with them a brief (5-10 minute) message of the restoration.  Your introductions will be remembered if you testify and offer to work together with them. 

When meeting your ward mission leader, you might bring up the dinner calendar and that our mission is asking that less active and part-member families be invited first to fill the calendar before the other members be given the opportunity to host the missionaries.  We desire to be in the homes of the less actives and part-members.  At that time we can share a message and leave a commitment in every home.  Remember, dinner appointments are to be less than one hour including the message.

The Spanish elders will have a different opportunity with their exchanges from now on.  We have assigned Elder Peisley and Elder Suarez to serve as "Spanish Elders Training Leaders".  They will host all of the exchanges for the Spanish elders in their Santa Paula area and they will report to the district or zone leaders of their exchange.  There will not be exchanges of Spanish elders with English district or zone leaders.  Zone leaders will both travel to the assistants' area (Channel Island Ward in Camarillo Stake) for their exchange and district leaders and companions will travel to the zone leaders' area (or the Spanish elders training leaders' area).  District leader exchanges will remain as they have been before with one missionary going to the other's area.  All sister or hermana exchanges will be conducted in the sister or hermana training leaders' area.  This is according to the guidance of the Missionary Department of the Church.

I know that as we focus on our purpose and obediently serve, we will be effective in finding the elect.  We will continue with the CVM Target of "Now is the time to be bold and fearless because we adore Him."  It's been amazing to observe that those missionaries who exceed 50 contacts per week have more potentials and more investigators. 

Love,

President Felix

Interviews

While President Felix was in interviews with the missionaries, Sister Felix visited with the companions.  We talked about Christmas and #Light the World.  They all seemed to love the initiative -- whether it was through proselyting, talking with members, or doing service on their own. As I kept track of the favorite day of the missionary the top choice was day 22 - Jesus Showed Gratitude and So Can You.  The second choice was day 1 - The Worldwide Day of Service (Jesus Lifted Others' Burdens and So Can You).  The third choice was a tie with 13 - Jesus Showed Humility and So Can You and 21 - Jesus Forgave Others and So Can You.  The fourth was also a tie -- 2 - Jesus Honored His Parents and So Can You and many of them couldn't decide and said they liked them all.

It was so neat to think people were focusing on doing acts of service all over the world in those 25 days.

I like to take something for the missionaries.  President Felix requested that I not bake anything this time. I got a chuckle out of most of the missionaries once they figured out what it said.

Now or later?  Air heads choose later.  NOW is the time!  Many read it as Now or later, choose later...

MLC

The missionaries seem to enjoy coming to the mission home for breakfast before MLC.  This morning we had pull a parts, pineapple, juice, and I tried a new recipe with tater tots, ham, sausage, eggs, cheese and ranch dressing.  After breakfast we drove to the mission office and started our meeting at 10:00.

Sister Campbell, Elders Hunter, Davis, Taufatofua, Hermanas Wiles, Peterson, Wright, Scott, Sisters Barnum, VanDerWatt, McClure

Elder Huston, President Felix, Elders Bradley, Slaugh, Gemar, Wayment, Willis, Palmer

Elders Hales, Peisley, Christensen, Peart, Allison, Bradley Swenson, Suarez

The accountability report from the zone leaders included a three month goal for baptisms.  The missionaries need to look to monthly goals not transfer goals for baptisms.  It is important to make the area a baptizing one so when transfers occur it continues on.  This is the first month we exceeded our mission goal.  Instead of 23 we had 24 baptisms and 17 of those came from members helping out.

President Felix talked about the importance of Councils.  Elder Ballard said regarding councils that it is “The Lord’s system.”  We see it with the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, stakes, wards, families and missions. 

We had an “improv” to help in understanding how to lead a council.  The Assistants started off by asking the question, how do we elevate our level of obedience?  After a bit of discussion they turned it over to another companionship to conduct the council and so on.  We had a wonderful discussion and the spirit was directing.  To conclude, 

Elder Taufatofua asked, “Will you commit yourselves to be exactly obedient?”  The response from the leaders was 

“It shall be done.” 

We had taco salad, oranges and pound cakes for lunch.

Sister Felix trained on exchanges.  The missionary department has asked that we have members of MLC stay in their areas for exchanges.  That means both companions will go to the leaders’ area for a 24 hour exchange.  More responsibility is now in training and showing other missionaries a model area.  Sister Felix reminded MLC what President Monson has said is truth, “Whom God calls, God qualifies.”  We have amazing missionaries.  It was awesome to see, hear, and feel how the leaders of this mission care about the Great California Ventura Mission.

President Felix spent time talking about repentance.   It’s a process that takes faith and brings joy.  We watched talks from General Conference that Elders Cornish and Renlund gave this past fall.  We will teach repentance frequently and it is important that the missionaries understand it and are doing it.  We read from D & C 18:10-16, 22, 41-47 – the worth of a soul and the value of repentance.  

Christmas Zone Conference 12 / 21 /16

We were in Simi Valley for the southern end of the mission.  We heard from only three new missionaries but their testimonies were powerful.  Hermana Morales was the only missionary leaving in January.

We had more time to talk about the different analogies in the Polar Express.  It was such a treat to hear the thoughts of so many.  Sister Felix put the thought in their minds to write down their version of the Polar Express with it being gospel centered.

The tables were decorated so festive.  We enjoyed ham, potatoes, salad, rolls, a strawberry jello salad and either pumpkin or apple pie.

Elder & Sister Hardy, Elders Johnson, Kopaunik, Dewey, Harris

Elders Allison, Harvey, Hunter, Carter, Hoff, H. Davis, 

Sisters Scott, Houseman

Elders Robins, Mecham, Anderson, Christenson, Huston, Heck, Allen

Elders McCurdy, Gardiner, Powell, Horman, Strom, DeGraw

Elders Swenson, Herrera Loya, Portillo, Taufatofua, Shumway

Elders Alder, Liddiard, Reeves, Pickett, Haslam, Marchant, Avalos, Hiltscher

Elders Hansen, Snider, Pierce, Rodriguez, Plummer, Leckbee, Judkins, Baker

Sister & Elder Cole, Elder & Sister Floyd, Elders K. Davis, Sila, Bunnage, Tanuvasa

Elders Richards, Morby, McLawhorn, Bates, Morgan, Kelly, Whatcott, Judd

Sisters Devitt, Baird, Sister & Elder Iverson, President Morffat, President & Sister Felix

Happy Birthday in November:

Elders Leckbee, Judd, Plummer, Hunter, Dewey

December birthdays:  Elders Huston, Rodriguez, Portillo, Kopaunik, Herrera Loya

Getting ready to sing Called to Serve to thank the Simi Valley Stake Relief Society for preparing the lunch.

It was pretty amazing that out of 77, Elder Heck guessed 60 todler pictures correctly.  It was really funny though that one of the missionaries did not know which picture was of him and it wasn't until I was calling out the names with the numbers he found out.  Part of this activity was so that missionaries would get acquainted with each other.

Elder T introducing Santa (Elder Swenson)

Time for Santa jokes.

Hermanas Arkell and Mullloy singing the Ninety and Nine.

Elder Oakey's district treated us to a skit.  These two missionaries were complaining because they didn't have anyone to teach.  The Sisters walked by on their way to teaching as they had a busy schedule.  

They were being robbed.

Elder Oakey holding the hat was being influenced by the Holy Ghost (dressed in a sheet) and off he went with the sisters to be taught.

Elders Gemar, Wayment, and McLawhorn dedicated their rap to President Felix.  

The office reenacted their skit from Tuesday.  We all enjoyed watching them.

Hermana Cortez sang Beautiful City with Elder Peterson accompanying.

Elder Kelly was the recepient of the onion this day.  He didn't go for it though.

Elders Morby, Leckbee, and Richards are singing Stille Nacht.  We loved their voices and their matching ties.

Elders Powell and McCurdy

According to Elder Harvey this is what you do in Canada - drink maple syrup.  Santa drank one cup and Elder Harvey drank 3.

Elder Nielson is signing (ASL) while Hermana Anstee and Elder McLawhorn are singing Angels We Have Heard on High.  Hermana Lethbridge is making the beat while Elders Avalos, Hiltscher, and Bates are background and showing a few dance moves.

Elder Peterson is playing Where Are You Christmas?  

Elder Morgan was great in turning the pages of music.

 We returned to the chapel to finish up with a more spiritual tone.
Sister Felix shared a story, a poem, and video about THE star.
President Felix concluded the day talking about our responsibility as representatives of Jesus Christ.  He also showed a video of Elder Bruce R. McConkie talking on the divine sonship of Christ.

We had a wonderful time together as we enjoyed a fun and spiritual time.

As we were driving back to Ventura in bumper to bumper traffic, the assistants passed us.  We started laughing so hard.

Christmas Zone Conference 12 / 20 / 16

Monday night as we were assembling things for Tuesday's zone conference, President made the comment "This is Christmas Eve." It truly was like Christmas Eve as final preparations were being made for the big event.

We began the morning with our mission song, Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise.  Nine new missionaries were given the opportunity to bear their testimonies and four missionaries that would be departing after this transfer bore testimony.  After everyone stood to sing Oh Little Town of Bethlehem Sister Felix did a presentation on the Polar Express.  The missionaries were asked to look for gospel analogies.  We had a great discussion.

When the missionaries entered the cultural hall they saw pictures displayed of themselves as toddlers.  They were to see how many they could recognize of the others.  They seemed to have a good time.
A BIG thank you to all of the parents.  Every missionary had a picture.

We enjoyed salad, green beans, augratin potatoes, pork, and either pineapple or chocolate cake.  It was so yummy!

Elders Slaugh,  Blaylock, Ward, Ballantyne, Atkinson, Still, Elliott

Sisters Coleman, Hopkins, Elders Levis, Gardner, Thurgood, Holm, Regalado, Betts

Elders Cannon, 'Iongi, Campbell, Jo, Liddiard, Seui, Gray, Crook

Elders Hamelin, Chesley, Lallatin, Reichman, Routledge, Shaw

Elder Herrera, Hermanas Wiles, Scott, Peterson, Wright, Sister & Elder Iverson

Elders Turley, Suarez, Peisley, Hales, McLane, Brodie

Sisters Greding, Besendorfer, Elder Palmer, Sister Campbell, Elder Willis, Sisters McClure, Fisher, Adamson, Elders Deason, Jones

President & Sister Ridgeway, Sister & Elder Richardson

Sisters Bosshardt, Mortimer, Hardy, Page, Christiansen, Lambert, President Felix

Sister & Elder Clark, Hermanas Gomez, Gonzalez, Alder, Grandstaff, Ames

Hermanas Torrico, Puertas, Flores, Fernandez, Rodriguez, Hirst, Hallows, Kneip

Elders Mata, Barrios-Vega, Taufatofua, Swenson, Bronson, Olacsi

Sisters Capener, Dye, King, Coulon, Elders Emerson, Matthews, Bradley, Peart

Sister & Brother Vance, Sister & Elder Floyd, Elder & Sister Aston, Elder & Sister Iverson

Elders Castro, Cook, Lemus, Bundy, Endicott, Stevens, Valladares

November Birthdays:

Hermana Gonzalez, Sisters Greding, Iverson, Elders Deason, Matthews, Holm

Elders Mata, Brodie, Palmer, Iverson, Clark

December Birthdays:

Hermanas Kneip, Puertas, Fernandez, Sister Campbell, Hermana Grandstaff, Sisters Dye, Hopkins

We really are excited for the program (apparently some didn't want to show their excitement).

Santa (Elder Swenson) and Elder Taufatofua were the MCs.

Santa Barbara Zone sang the 12 Tribes of Israel.

The office couples did a spoof on their responsibilities.  They are all in a car and Sister Floyd is backing them up

Elder Iverson is the voice of Tiwi.

Bottom line though is "Don't worry, be happy!" 

Hermanas Rodriguez, Hirst, and Flores sang Burritos Savenero.

Elder Turley's district sang Silent Night in Spanish.

Elder Jones sang Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

Elder Barrios-Vega's district sang Reyes Magos.

Elder Olasci had us laughing because of elephant jokes.

Elders Cannon, Peisley, 'Iongi, and Suarez sang How Can I Be?

While Sister Bosshardt was signing Silent Night, Elder and Sister Mortimer were singing.

Sister Dye and Sister King sang Mary Did You Know?

Elder Liddiard ate several bites out of an onion when he was blind folded.  He thought it was going to be an apple while competing with Sister Christiansen and Hermana Peterson to see who could finish first.  We were all amazed that he kept eating it.

Each missionary received a water bottle with their name attached on a tag. I think they liked the tag better than the water bottle. In the gift bags were Christmas cards from the First Presidency,  one from us, a picture of Christ with the inscription Adore Him, a poem about the Star, a star cookie, and hot chocolate mix with a bell (reminder from the
Polar Express).