Zone Conference

 January 9  Friday

We were up early and on the bus to Gramado at 7:30 this morning.  The Missionary Zone Conference was held in Gramado today, and Mission President and Sister Wright were in attendance for interviews of all the missionaries. There are currently 16 missionaries (10 Elders, 4 Sisters, and 1 senior couple).  We and D&A are invited to all the meetings and are in the support system - unofficial missionaries.  We met for the first time the four Elders serving in the Tiquara Branch, a city a little larger than and south of Canela.  Sadly no pictures were taken of the group today - too much other business going on.  The new Elders were Andrade (northern Brazil), Christensen (Benson, Ut), Ordonez (Columbia) and DeAranjo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). 

Several sets of missionaries took part in presentations at the conference.  Highlights (or what I could grasp) included the Process of Teaching: Ensinar, Demonstrar, Practicar, Avaliar, Repracticar; President Eyring's talk on gratitude and the importance of recognizing little miracles daily; and the pattern of obedience (D&C 82:10) with the promise that if you obey, you will baptize weekly.





Statistics were given on the number of baptisms for the Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission (BPAN):  2012 - 744; 2013 - 1,518; 2014 - 2050; and the goal for 2015 is 2,300.  To reach this goal, ever zone in the mission would need to have four baptisms a week.  The Mission President had previously given the missionaries the three keys to reach this goal:  Ousadía, Urgência, Constancia (bold, urgency, and consistency).  I think our Canela missionaries are keeping up the pace.


After the meeting, Merl and I were asked to meet with President Wright - a meeting of introduction. The following is Merl's journal entry:

President Wright thanked us graciously for coming to Brazil ,and I believe he asked, or we told the story of how we came to this decision.  He told us how passionate and loving the Brazilian people are. They are very personal and warm.  They really do love Americans and the lifestyle of the Americans, and most of them would like to learn to speak English.  He also warned us that when they are upset or angry about something they are just as passionate in their anger, so to be careful that we don’t anger them.  He asked how old I was, and I told him I was the same age as He is.  I knew, from David, that he served a mission the same time I did.  He asked where and when I served.  We were both out at the same time – 1968-1970.  He is a few months older than I.  So our interview was about learning about us, thanking us for sacrificing our time to come down and serve, and assuring us of blessings while we are with this people.

My overall impression was that we were speaking with a man of spiritual maturity far beyond my own, which I am very sure is gained from serving in positions of Bishop, Stake President, etc.  I know of the spirituality required in decision making processes that are required in those positions through watching the Bishops function that I have served under as clerk or Executive Secretary and from serving on the High Council.  He is a very good man.  His wife, whom we spoke with afterword is also a very kind, loving, and gracious person.

Pres. Wright

For lunch, the "adults" met at Elder and Sister Copa's home for a wonderful meal.  Sister Copa made a chicken/vegetable stew with a fruit jello salad, warm bread, and real ice cream and chocolate cake for dessert.  Pres. Wright got a double portion!

The Wrights had meetings they needed to attend, so they left right after lunch.  The rest of us played a game of Quirkle and a card game played with Rook cards (none of us can remember the name).

We (the women) have had a quest of finding the exact picture of horencias that we want to take back to the states with us.  Sister Copa  purchased a nice one painted by a local artist.  We took a ride up to an artisan shop at the Black Lake to look at some others.  I found a new sun hat on my way into the shop.  Ann purchased a picture, and Sis. Copa bought a couple of necklaces.  We then went to the Quero Quero Hotel to look at more hortencia paintings.  Several beautiful ones there!

Nativity setting Ann liked

The Copas gave us a ride back to Canela which was very kind of them.  We scheduled an outing for next P-day at 9:00 a.m.  We had a big thunderstorm early in the evening, and David had to walk to the church for his Elder's Quorum Presidency meeting.  It really poured!



Ann bought this one