A world wide sisterhood

We have had a good week. We are always  busy and this week, it rained, and rained, and rained, and rained.  Probably the most rain we have seen since June.  Apparently, August, September and October should get rain, but we had none.  Hence the fires were the dominant news story, but the rain has come and the fires have been extinguished, and we have very few pictures to show you but we can tell you all how and what we did this "smokeless" week.  

Sister Thaong is from Cambodia and will be released at the end of December.  She is so gracious and should be and is a global representative of her country.  Everyone in the mission loves her. Sister Feil wants to grow up to be just like her :)

For two days the Sisters gathered for a training conference. All of them will soon be training new missionaries arriving in November and January.  They are a wonderful group of dedicated servants of the Lord. They are age 19-33 and are from many different cultures and represent 9 different countries and  7 languages.

After a little bike accident Sister Alvarado continued using her time to spread the gospel message.  She gave a Book of Mormon to the doctor who stitched her cuts.  

Sister Ariki has used her talents to represent her culture.  She's a professional Polynesian dancer who gave up a very good job opportunity to become a full-time missionary.  A great example of dedication to the Lord and wanting to do his will.

The Sisters love the photo opportunities.  What great smiles! Who's taking the photos? Could it be Elder Feil since Sister Feil is actually in some photos? Another old dog can learn new tricks!

The Chinese speaking sisters are helping Sister Feil learn some words and phrases.  New tricks can be learned by old dogs:)

Sister Leader Trainers are part of the Mission Leadership Council.  Over time there likely will be additions to this group as the mission receives more full-time sister missionaries. These sisters travel in order to visit the other sisters throughout the mission.  Their goal is to assist missionaries to become more effective teachers as they go on exchanges and help them develop their skills.  Sister Raitt and Sister Bambrough are two of our highly skilled Chinese speaking missionaries.  Sister Bambrough's ability to write Chinese very well has resulted in requests to use her skills by native Chinese speakers.  Sister Raitt played softball in college and was thrilled when her mom sent her mitt about a month ago.

Sister Feil had the great opportunity to teach one of the mini-workshops. They did role playing, worked on their missionary skills.  We also had the opportunity to help with serving the meals.  It was a great association.  We missed the second day due to Sister Feil's stay in the hospital (see the previous blog).

The Sisters are always willing to learn new things and here they perform with precision the wonderful song "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree".

Now you can see the reward for their grand performance-popcorn!!!

Most of our week was spent in the office making preparations for the incoming missionaries and those leaving.
We will be getting 15 missionaries this week.  So we are looking to sign more leases, buy more beds, and activate more phones.  Next weekend we will be on the road again.  Our days and weeks have finally become a well rehearsed pattern.  That helps old dogs to retain the new tricks they have learned.  We are studying the gospel each day, reading the scriptures and memorizing them, learning to talk to strangers about the gospel and getting better at  answering questions by people who stop at the office.  By December 1st we should be prepared to take a turn at the Nativity and Art Show Display that is in front of our offices.  We will be talking to people who come to see the Christmas lights and art displays.  Heavenly Father is using our growth and learning of new skills to benefit not only ourselves but also other missionaries and people we meet, as indicated in Ether 12:27.  These Sisters are an example of that process and we are blessed to be a part of the same great work.  Love to each and everyone of you.  Elder and Sister "Old Dog" Feil