Zone Leader Council - Day Two

We started the second day of zone leader council with a devotional at Las Cuevas beach in Trinidad. It is an absolutely gorgeous spot!



The setting was perfect to visualize the challenges Nephi faced as he was commanded to built a boat to cross the great sea.

We read and discussed selections from 1 Ne 17 and 18 and noticed that Nephi and some of his brothers described their eight year journey very differently (compare v2 and v20).

We wondered why and then found the answer in 1 Ne 2

Nephi had "great desires to know" God (verse 16)

Laman and Lemuel "knew not the dealings" of God (verse 12)

Nephi's faith, obedience and diligent work set a powerful example for the zone leaders as they contemplated how to continue to lift up the missionaries in their zones.




Nephi's example in knowing the 'dealings of God' and remembering them led us to talk about the 12 stones the Lord commanded Joshua to set up as a memorial after leading Israel through the river Jordan.

We finished by reading about Samuel's 'Eben-ezer' or 'stone of help' in 1 Samuel 7 and took verse 12 as a theme - "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us."

That is certainly the case in the West Indies Mission.

So we found the perfect Trinidad 'Eben-ezer'





"Hurrah for Israel!"



They just had to close by singing 'Called to Serve' on the beach



On our way out we found a wonderful cave looking over the sea






Back at the mission home we had our 'best practices ' session - something we have done in every zone leader council we have ever held (not that many because of our spread out mission - about every four months). It is patterned after a practice called 'appreciative inquiry'. We discover what is working well and then dream about what can happen. Each zone leader team shares a 'best practice.' They always go home charged up and full of ideas. Some of the presentations are quite creative.




"spicing up" the work








finding people to teach


reproving with love



At the end of the day, there's always time for fun





and work (consulting on Suriname transfers)



and a little friendly rivalry between blue (BYU) vs red (University of Utah) football players.

Can you guess President Robison's loyalty?

And can you believe he put these two together as zone leaders in Guadeloupe!?