Zone Conference in Tampa

The challenge for today's zone conference was getting there.  The conference was held in the Tampa Stake Center which is north of Tampa.  To get there, we have to either drive through Tampa or take a circuitous route around the city.  For the last zone conference held there, I took the circuitous route.  The more direct route through the city is shorter and supposedly takes less time.  So I decided to take the risk and try that route.  That proved to be a mistake.

According to Google Maps, it was supposed to take us 1:15 to get there.  Since we would be traveling during rush hour, I thought it would take 1:30, so we left a 7 am for a 9 am meeting.  Unfortunately, traffic was awful.  The GPS took us off the Interstate and through city streets to avoid some severe traffic problems.  We finally arrived at 8:50 am.  President Healey called to find out where we were because they wanted to start the meeting early.  But we made it, so I guess that is most important.

The program for the training was basically the same as yesterday.  For some reason, we both felt that the conference was better today.  Perhaps that was because there were only two zones, Tampa and St. Petersburg.  Or perhaps we had yesterday to practice.  I think that everyone altered their presentation from yesterday.

Again following the lunch prepared by the stake Relief Society, they had car inspections.  I had to chuckle as they gave some of the young sisters the inspection sheet  and told them to complete it.  They didn't know what to do.  So I helped some of them check their tire tread depth and air pressure.  Some of the Elders showed them how to check the fluid levels, oil, transmission, and wiper fluid.  And again, an Elder locked his keys in the trunk of his car.  Maybe we need to warn them about that possibility.  At least this time, they found a solution that didn't involve us driving around.

Missionaries doing their car inspections.