Week of October 16, 2016

Monday I worked on preparing for my classes this week. When I reviewed the lesson plan for class example, I found that the individual we had used before was no longer available. Also two wives had been removed from the ancestor and the name had been changed for one of the others on the list. The screen shots were no good and the example was gone. I looked at another child in the same family and found there was a lot of work to be done, some with good hints and sources. It is difficult to teach a new concept using an example that does not illustrate what we are doing, so I redid some of the screen shots and the lesson plan. It was a fairly big task getting it prepared but it will make more sense. We’ll just have an attachment to the books we hand out.

I spent a little time on my classes for the family history fair for the stake. When I started I was told there would not be computers available and questionable internet. Now they have moved the classes to the library computer labs, so I need to pace the classes a little slower so people can keep up with me. It is almost harder to teach—much more effective for the students, but slower with everyone on their own computer. I tried working on the handout for a new class, but I got bogged down and decided to let it breathe for a few days.

Tuesday we started our Capstone classes. It went pretty well. We had about 46 people in the class—we split into two sessions the rest of the week so the students can all have computers. We attended mission conference in the afternoon. Pres. Hansen talked about becoming perfect, as in “Fully developed”. It was intended to give us hope for our future outcomes. Pres. Tate talked to us about the hope for the Celestial Kingdom. He spoke about the tendency we have to feel we are not “good enough”.

Wednesday I taught double sessions on how to do descendancy research. The classes both did really well and it was very encouraging. I’m sure they are not all proficient, but it seemed to go well. One lady found a man that needed temple work. She felt bad that he didn’t have a wife, so she looked and found a wife and several children. It was a very touching experience. There was also a lady from Germany we thought wouldn’t be able to find anyone, but we found her a couple of people. I thought it went well.

Since I was teaching all day I was concerned that my legs would get tired and I wouldn’t be able to stand. In the morning I prayed and asked for help that my legs would be OK and not hurt. At the end of the day I was very aware that my legs were not hurting and I had been able to stand without concern the entire day. It was a real tender mercy.

Thursday the classes both did well again. The students wrote up their lesson plans and practiced them on each other. The ones that demonstrated their plans did a great job. After the second class I was drained. We went to the Visitors’ Center and watched the three new Meet the Mormons movies and enjoyed them before going home.

Friday we had our class on memories. After we finished Ted taught Sister Shurtz a lesson plan he had prepared for her. She has been gone with a new grandbaby, so this was our first chance to meet with her. Afterward, the four of us went to dinner and the movie The Spirit of the Game, a movie about some missionaries in Australia that played basketball to help the Olympic teams train. It was good.

Saturday I was able to sleep in and it felt good. At 10 am I went out to the swap meet sheds and hung clothes and put things on shelves. We have some nice stuff, but the shed is quite empty. I’m surprised that we haven’t received more stuff considering all the people that are going home.

In the evening we had Stake Conference. It was a wonderful meeting. Our Stake Presidency discussed the area goals and their plan for implementation. The Vision is to help members “Become and help others to become true followers of Christ”. It is really amazing the vision they have and the spirit they convey to the members. As a missionary I have felt different than other members in the stake, but I am probably more the same than I realize. I need these steps as much as anyone. There was a big emphasis on studying the Book of Mormon and observing the Sabbath Day. It was a good meeting.