Another Zone Conference under our belts

Since Zone Conferences have gone to a quarterly rotation we don't do them as much.

This was one we could really enjoy.

We have a routine down and it just works well.

We will have three more Zone Conferences...

maybe four if they keep us around for the February one next year.

We love these missionaries so much an really enjoy working with them.

Elder Hyer letting off some frustration.

These guys work so hard and they fry their brains working out what they need for these training meetings.  

They are so amazing.  

You see them transformed as they get in front of the missionaries.  

The mantel is there and the way they work with the missionaries is beautiful to watch. 

They have such strong testimonies..

And their commitment to the missionary work is amazing.

Tuesday our first day of Zone Conference at Palm Bay...

We only had 12 cars but...

The day of locked cars started like this...

 Elder Stolle and Machado were cleaning and accidentally locked their keys in the car.

 They are trying to get the seats to release from inside the trunk...

They tried another Malibu key in their lock and it worked turning it backwards.

Funny thing it didn't work again.

Then Elders Daniels and Griffiths left their car unlocked...

but when it is left unlocked for awhile it locks itself.

So we couldn't check that car,

Then!

We told all the missionaries to take their keys with them but

Elders Owens and Snyder put their keys in the pocket of the door.

I coudln't see them anywhere so figured they had the keys...

I locked it and

oops!

Elder James was coming to the conference in the afternoon so he brought their extra keys.

THEN!!!....

Elder Larmore and Campbell

and Sister Gervais and Messer 

left their keys in the lock of the door

(like we used to do)

So I collected them and put them in the bag I usually put them in.

At lunch I gave Elder Larmore his keys...

And thought so hard that I gave them to Sister Gervais

BUT!!!!

When Stan and I got back to the office

(we left early to get ready for the next day)

We got a call from the assistants asking if we knew where the Sister's keys were.

I went white.

I looked in my bag and there they were.

OOPS!

So Stan and I headed back to Palm Bay

(1 1/2 hour drive)

Elder and Sister James took the sisters and assistants out to dinner while they waited for us.

(These are the sisters who put diesel in their gas tank...

So they were very forgiving.)

Stan and I got to enjoy the sunrise as we drove to Palm Bay in the morning

and we enjoyed the sunset as we drove back to Palm Bay in the evening.

Lake Mary...

 My traditional picture with Elder Fielding...

I understand Amy reads this blog.

Hi Amy.

 (as a reminder this is Amy Heaton's son)

 With me and Elder Fielding and Willy..

It was really cold at Lake Mary...

but much nicer then the heat.

(They won the cleanest car. They have an 07 and it was like new...

I have never seen that car so clean).

 Elder Campbell hard at it.

We didn't have access to the mission van...

So our car did the job...

a little crowded but it worked.

The Metro Areas and La Zona Thursday...

 The sisters can be very creative with center pieces.

They know if it can't be eaten...

the missionaries really don't care what you put in the middle of the table.

 President Hall (Former coach)

showing elder Engerman how to stretch his back.

 After the conference we took a bike to Sister Homer

Her's died and Sister Allred had two bikes.

Sandwiched in among all the stuff we are doing..

the days have grown longer...

and I actually could walk the lake in day light.

 All those baby ducks are back and grown up.

I suppose we are going to have many more baby ducks soon.

 I think this is a beautiful spot in all the chaos out there.

I love the Spanish moss that grows everywhere

Friday we had the family of Elder Schmiel stop in to visit and leave him a box.

It would be so hard to be here and know your son is just a few miles away and you can't see him.

They are from Brazil and are on one last vacation before their next son (on the left) leaves for his mission.  Elder Schmiel looks just like his dad on the right (only younger)

Sister Snyder and Ellsworth back in the office.

They are actually going to be helping out in the office a couple times a week...

for the rest of this transfer.

Saturday morning anxious for Becky to come we went for a brisk walk.
It was a tad cool but beautiful..
Spring is in the air!
We found this little guy eating his breakfast.

We heard there were otters but have never seen one.

new leaves and blossoms..

 okay grapefruit are a winter crop...

 This kind of bush has blooms on it all winter (below)

 Flag poles have to be stout here because of hurricanes.

Spring on Shingle Creek

Sunset on our way back to Palm Bay...

Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father.

Actually, when we are unduly impatient we are suggesting that we know what is best--

better than does God..

Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His.

Either way we are questioning the reality of God's omniscience as if,

as some seem to believe, 

God were on some sort of postdoctoral fellowship and were not quite in charge of everything...

When we are impatient, we are neither reverential more reflective because we are too self-centered.

Whereas faith and patience are companions, 

so are selfishness and impatience...

Clearly, without patience we will learn less in life.

We will see less:

we will feel less:

we will hear less.

Ironically, 'rush' and 'more' usually means 'less'.

The pressure of 'now', time and time again, goes against the grain of the gospel with its eternalism.

There is also in patience a greater opportunity for that discernment which sorts out the things that matter most from the things that matter least.

(Neal A Maxwell)