District Meetings

As is usual, today was district meetings day.  Since we had visited the district meetings in our three assigned zones in the last two weeks, I volunteered us to visit another zone, Lakeland.  Of course, we have the three zones closest to us assigned to us.  So it necessitated a 90 minute drive to get to the first district meeting in Lakeland.  I think the missionaries were surprised to see us although the Zone Leaders knew we were coming.  The Lakeland Zone hasn't had anyone from the mission presidency visit them in several months, so I think they appreciated the attention.

After the meeting in Lakeland, we drove for about 40 minutes to Haines City to meet in the Lake Hamilton Ward building.  Again, the missionaries hadn't expected us.  After that meeting, we had an almost 2 hour drive back home.

The training in both meetings was about the same.  They always start the meetings with a discussion of investigators with baptismal dates and what the missionaries can do to help them.  Both of these districts had quite a few investigators with dates.  The sister training leaders then conducted training on how to introduce themselves to ward members.  Rather than just saying where they are from, the missionaries are encouraged to state their name, who they are, why they are here, and bear a short testimony.  The missionaries were given a few minutes to prepare, and then each missionary, including us, introduced ourselves.  Below are pictures of us doing our introductions.

The zone leaders then conducted training on using the planner app on the iPads and to work more on weekly planning.  For some time, the missionaries have not engaged in tracting, but they will now be expected to do that.  The reason being that the missionaries have "empty time" when they do not have teaching appointments.  The ZLs led a discussion about tracting and how to do it more efficiently.