15 April 2018

 Dear everybody,

   Oh, my goodness, last Monday I got Gran to let me type as she told some of her personal history. It was hard for her; definitely not in her comfort zone, but it's a start! Now today she told me she is ready for me to start putting her grandmother's story in the computer too. She's not a fast typist, so she wants me to do it. I'm really excited to do this. 

   Also, during Sacrament meeting today I had the thought that what would be my Daddy's 90th birthday is coming up, May 19th. So between meetings, I sent a text to my sibs, inviting them to our house for a birthday commemoration dinner. There will be just 10 of us, including Mama. It will also be John's wife, Annie's birthday; so we can celebrate that too!

   

Well, yesterday was interesting for me; a real roller-coaster of emotions.

1-Pride:

 By about 8:30 am I had already accomplished several things at home, including sending each of my RS presidents a reminder about the Regional Training meeting we were all to attend in Rexburg at 3 pm. I was feeling so good about myself! 

2,3,4-Denial>Anger>Embarrassment:

   But within just a few minutes one of them replied to my text, telling me that the meeting had been changed from 3-5 pm, to 9 am-1pm, and that we were to be in our seats by 8:30 am! I searched my email to be sure I was right. According to my last email from the Stake office on March 19th, I was right. But then others of them replied with the same response, and that they were in their seats, waiting for the meeting to start. For a brief time I was offended that somehow I had not been included in the update. But that soon gave way to feelings of embarrassment over what they, my dear sisters, would think of their "leader," not even knowing when the meeting started!

5-Humility:

   Now, it was just panic time; I had to find something to wear and get to Rexburg ASAP. I couldn't let my pride and embarrassment cause me to miss this training meeting. Amazingly, I made it there by 9:22. I sat down on the back row of the cultural hall and saw that Elder's Christofferson and Soares, from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were there, teaching us, in person! 

6-Gratitude:

   How grateful I am that I was able to get there for most of the meeting, to those who let me know I was misinformed, and to those who found a spot for me up front with the rest of the group for the second half of the meeting. :)

   Except that being that close to the pulpit (front row), Elder Christofferson was able to read my name tag and as he was closing the Q&A session, and I sat there minding my own business, I realize he is looking right at me and I heard him say, "Sister Humphries, you get the last question." I'm sure I jumped, but was able to come up with a question, though not well thought out. He answered it kindly and then they each bore their testimonies before the meeting ended. There was also an area Seventy (didn't catch his name), the Temple President (Broadhead), and the Mission president (Nelson). Then each person was able to file past and shake hands with them all. There must have been over 400 of us. 

   Here are a few notes that I took: 

There will soon be videos available on Quarterly Ministering Interviews. They said to use the full 3 month period each quarter, do some interviews each month. "Track" the interviews from quarter to quarter, keep notes from previous interviews. Elder Christofferson said that "Visiting teaching supervisors" may still be needed, but that "we hope presidents and their counselors will be enough to do the interviews." We will no longer be counting visits, but rather the ministering interviews. They encouraged "coaching" from leaders during the quarterly interviews, so the sisters will increase communication and seeking inspiration within their partnerships. It was said of the interviews that "once per quarter is a floor, not a ceiling." 

   Elder Soares spoke of a "greater, more focused caring; that we should mature personally and there be no mechanical routine in our ministering." It was also said that this is an opportunity to "live a higher law." 

   Elder Christofferson left an "Apostolic blessing" on all who attended, that we would be able to prepare for and receive the "revelation" we need in our callings. He went on to say, "take all the Lord will give you." 

   Something I found really enlightening was when a sister from the Spanish Branch RS presidency asked a question about how to use the YW in ministering, when they have only one YW who is a member, and many investigators from the Catholic faith. The two brethren thought about this and responded that perhaps these non-member YW could be invited to be ministering sisters too. They felt that when leaders from the Branch went to their homes to explain what their daughters were being asked to do, that the parents would probably be pleased and impressed, and that this might cause them to "look more closely at the Church."  So, what this tells me is that Ministering is very flexible, very focused on the needs of each person.  If any of you have the chance to attend a similar training session, please pass along what you learn! 

   Elder Christofferson showed a video from some training they had done with the Seventies recently. He was in several different clips, each from different training sessions on different days, dressed in different suit and tie each time. After the video was over he said, gesturing to his blue spotted tie, "I really just wanted you to see my whole collection of ties!" 

   Another funny thing he shared: Recently when he and his wife were visiting at their daughters home, as they knelt down for family prayer, one of the grandsons accidentally bumped his Darth Vader toy, which as the prayer began, said in a deep voice, "I find your lack of faith disturbing!" Well the prayer had to wait a bit for the laughter to subside. :)

   I look forward to hearing how you all are doing. Please write if you can!

Love, Mom/Johanna/Nana

Hi everyone!!

Whew! It's been a whirlwind of a week, but we have officially started our vacation! Annie drove us to Spokane and we are hanging out in our hotel room watching the Andy Griffith show. Bet you didn't know 6 kids could fit on a king size bed. We are taking the 3:30 shuttle to the airport in the morning so we can catch our 5:30 flight. 

Mom, it sounds like you had quite the experience on Saturday! Elder Christofferson called on you!! And you shook both their hands!  We have a Stake training meeting on ministering coming up on the 26th. I would be crazy surprised if any general authorities were there though.

Love you all! And I'll send you updates along the way!

Aimee