One aspect of zone conferences I forgot to mention; the missionaries all have to park their cars, put the hood up and leave the keys in the door. They are checked in many different ways. The missionaries are supposed to:

1. keep them clean, inside and out. This includes the trunk. 

2. Keep the tire pressure at 35 PSI.

3. Check the oil and get them in for maintenance when the TiWi tells them to.

The TiWi is the device in the car that reads everything about it. If you go above the speed limit, it will tell you (in not a happy voice) to "check your speed"! It can tell if you go over a bump too fast or stop too fast, or take a corner too fast. It will let you know when to get the car serviced. Through the computer we can see where it is and what time it is being driven.

We had an unfortunate occurrence a few weeks ago where one of the Sister's car was car jacked. The thief took off, but didn't realize that it was tracked from the time it was taken. The police caught up to him. Besides the TiWi mapping out where he was going, the cameras on the freeway were also tracking him (he was not the sharpest tool in the shed). He tried to tell the police that someone else was driving, but then they showed him the pictures from the freeway and he is clearly the only one in the car. He was stopped at a gas station to get gas and was trying to use the gas card. Unfortunately you need to input certain information before the gas pump will work.
The Sisters were fine and we got the car back with relatively little damage.

4. The washer fluid is checked and filled if needed.

4, They also check to see if the car is damaged in any way.

5. They are graded on these things. Some zones are great and some are not as great.

We keep hoping everyone will get high marks.

This takes a long time when we have several zones at once. Here is Sister Sutterfield  giving the thumbs up while working on the cars. She and her husband, Elder Sutterfield are taking the place of Elder and Sister Dixon who are sadly leaving.

President Russell and I love and appreciate all they do for us! They are amazing!

It's time for zone conferences! President Russell and I have been going like crazy from Saturday until last night, when we finished our last one.

Monday we were in Medford with the Medford, Central Point, and Klamath Falls zones. Sister Sowter, Sister Adams, Sister Deal and Sister Bigelow are on the left. Sister Stenberg is on the right. All of the Sisters go first to eat. 

 These are the Sisters (angels) that prepared the lunch for us. They are wonderful!!!

The Elders wait patiently for their turn to eat. Elder Howard looks pretty calm with his hands in his pockets,Elder Child has his plate and is ready to go!.Elder Redding is talking to someone to the far left.

 Elder Barclay saw me taking a picture and wanted to get in it.

...and he was.

On the left: Sisters Geisler, Lawrence, Peterson, Adams, (you can barely see Sister Bigelow, and poking her head up at the end of the table is Sister Weaver. On the right is Sisters Campbell, Steele, Sowter, Stenberg, Bingham, Deal, and Sister Sands.

 This is from the other side where you can see Sister Weaver, Sister Ward and Sister Didier on the right.

Sister Weaver wanted a 'selfie'with me 

I was trying to get the Elders coming to sit down to eat, and  Elder Barclay (probably afraid I had not taken his picture) ran up to be in the picture. Elder Kimber looks up as he starts to eat. 

 On the left: Elders Jarrard, Fernelius, Rawlings, Terrell and Elder Sutton. On the right: Elders Hatfield, Wright, Enman, Elder Johnson, Luke, Child, and Elder Howard on the end.

 Elder Christensen give me a big smile while Elder Kimber gives me a thumbs up.

 On the left: Elders Kelsey, Cook, Anderson, Finlinson. On the right: Elder Workman, Elder Redding, and Elder Poston.

 On the left: Elder Etherington. On the right: Elder Adams, Elder Lambson, and Elder Batt. (When I say "photo op" the Sisters all look up and smile, the Elders have to weigh which is more important; lunch or having their picture taken. This is why sometimes we only see the backs or tops of their heads.)

 On the left: Elders Fetzer, Reed, Nelson. On the right: (surprisingly) Elder Barclay, Elder Chapman, Elder Christiansen, and Elder Blake (who apparently forgot which country he is in:))

On the left: Elder Taito holds up his tortilla (?), Elder Lambson, and Elder Lucas. On the right: Elder Thompson, Elder Greer, Elder Deppe.

Elder Smith is talking with the Relief Society Sister.

Elder Sutton is showing Elder Nash something really cool on his iPad while Elder Blake comes up to see what's going on.

Happy birthday to everyone who had a birthday in June, July, or August!

  

The Klamath Falls Zone

The Klamath Falls Zone a little crazy.

The Medford Zone

The Medford  Zone think they are at recess.

The Central Point Zone

The Central Point Zone ready to party!

 

 Back to the zone conference.

...well, almost.

 

 Feeling good after lunch.

Elder Terrell and Elder Barclay taking a picture of me taking a picture.

Toward the end of zone conference the president had the missionaries split up into two teams.I took one and he took the other. One team was to present the most difficult question they could think of for a missionary, and the other team had to come up with an answer. Then we switched.

 

 

And again, Elder Barclay!

Sisters always smile more.

 

 Tuesday was zone conference in Grants Pass and Roseburg

Setting up. 

These Elders (the APs) work so hard! 

 Time for lunch! On the left: Elder and Sister Long. President Cropper (the president's counselor) in the middle, and Elder and Sister Zollinger on the right.

Elder Kunz is explaining things to Elder Harper, and Elder Harper may be listening. 

 Elder Davis (sitting) has the biggest smile we've ever seen! Elders Tree and Scott are standing, and Elder Fleming is sitting.

 On the left: Sisters Sidhu, Holliday, Olsen. On the right: Sisters Brownlee, Newsome, Doxey, and Sister Jones.

 In the front: Elders Meyers, Holman, and Martin. Back: Elders Carter, Jensen, and Earl.

On the left:Elder Allred, Elder Garrard. On the right: Elder Johnson, and Elder Wells.

From the other side of the table: We see Elder Zilles  on the end (right).

Elder Wright (Cy), and Elder Cluff spy the cupcakes! 

 President Russell and Elder Nash at the front table.

 And I join president Russell.

 Happy birthday to all June, July and August missionaries! Elder Morris is second from the left, and Elder Kroll is next to him, I didn't see them eating lunch.

The Roseburg Zone

The Roseburg Zone doing 'silly'!

The Grants Pass Zone

The Grants Pass Zone loosening up!

 Back to the conference.

Ready to be taught more!

 Some more ready than others (Elder Kunz?)

Again, the hard questions and inspired answers!

 Everyone is pretty serious.

You wouldn't believe how great they are! 

They listen while president Russell tells them to switch places (the 'investigator' and missionary).

 President Russell speaking to all of us. while Elder Workman and Elder Nash look on.

I loved listening to their questions and answers!

It was hard to anticipate what they will say, but they are amazing!!

The Coos Bay Zone conference

On the left" Elder Russell, Elder Hinton, Elder Hales, and Elder Flake.
On the right: Elder Peterson and Elder Hicks

 Left: Elder Egan, Elder Black, Sister Linstedt, Sister Hall and Woolf. Sister Dobbs is on the right.

On the front row: Elder and Sister Taylor. Elder Berry is telling me '2'(?) and Elder Porter is probably cleaning something off of his tie. Elder Black is giving us the thumbs up and Sister Linstedt is doing the butterfly(?).

 Elder Berry is still doing is '2' and Elder Porter has apparently cleaned off his tie. Sister and Elder Steele are on the right.

 Can't get too many shots of the Sisters!

Elder Blackwelder on the left, Elder Egan on the right surprised to see me taking his picture. President Cropper and the APs on the end.

Sister Carter and Sister Newell.

Happy birthday to these June, July and August birthdays!

 Every zone conference I get a 'selfie' with Elder Black, it's tradition!

And now a new tradition: Sister Linstedt and Sister Hall with me! 

And Elder Black with Elder Nash!

The Coos Bay Zone

The Coos Bay Zone more natural(?)

 Another Q and A!

Sister Carter is dazzling Sister Steele with her question. 

There is an odd number, so president Russell sits in front of Elder Black.

 Or better yet, they had two too many on one side, and Elder Nash is also helping.

Nope, the whole gang gets in on it! Elder Workman is talking with Sister Linstedt and president Cropper is talking with Sister Woolf.

 The conversation is lively.

 They smile a lot!

 Elder Berry talk with Sister Newell.

Wow! President Russell looks serious!

The Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Santa Clara Zone Conference.

I always start taking pictures as we break for lunch.
Left to right: Sister Allen, Sister Rasmussen. Sister Rasmussen (no, I did not repeat myself), and Sister Persson.

Left: Elder Fowers, Elder Eldridge, Elder Parker, and Elder Swiderski are enjoying a great lunch.

On the left: Elder  Dopp, Elder Adams, Elder Arias, and Elder Tonini. On the right: Elder Eldridge, Elder Fowers, Elder Schick, Elder Provstgaard, and Elder Gallagher. Standing is Elder Goode and Elder Rigby.

Sister Crandall on the left next to her is Sister Fausett and you can barely see Sister Stucki smiling. On the right is Sister Connelly, Sister Hernaez, Sister Shirley, and Sister Asregadoo.

 From the other side of the table Sister Yeung on the left and Sister Chang on the right.

 On the left is Elder Allred, Elder Wong, and Elder Kung. On the right is, what, Elder Rigby and Elder Goode again?

 On the left: Elder Cho, Elder Mata, Elder Huang, Elder Hsiung, and Elder Rigby (he kept moving around).  On the right is Elder Kung and Elder Wong again.

 On the left is Elder Murdock (not happy at all), Elder West, Elder Hollingshead, Elder Greer, Elder Bearrs, Elder Workman, Elder Spencer and Elder Bushman. On the right: Elders Hallam, Spurlock, Best, Losee, and Elder Opper, and Elder Whyte.

Giving us a thumbs up on the left is Elder Moser, next is Elder Hill. On the right is Elder Bushman, Elder Spencer and Elder Workman (better pictures of the last three).

Left: Elder Gurvine, Elder Godfrey, Elder Briceno, and Elder Bilmire. On the right: Elder Nash.

Sister Moore and Sister Vance take a minute to pose for me while getting lunch.

 This is Sister Phipps (our nurse, and my personal life saver) and one of the sweet ladies that fixed our lunches.

Silence except for the occasional crunching of potato chips.

This is a picture of Elder Hallam eating a cookie that he was promised did not have nuts in it. About 10 minutes later he came to me because he is allergic to nuts (that were apparently in it). Fortunately I had Benadril on hand. He's good to go now.

The front table: Sister Wood, Sister Clawson, Sister Poulson (and again) Sister Allen, Sister Ramussesn, Sister Rasmussen, and Sister Persson.

Happy birthday to our June, July, and August birthdays! (Elder Losee holds up the candy bar we give for birthdays). Last year we gave toothbrushes and breath mints. Now we give them a good reason to use that!

The Corvallis Zone

 The Corvallis Zone showing their true colors!

 The Eugene Zone

 The Eugene pretty much normal.

 The Santa Clara Zone

 The Santa Clara Zone pretty much out of control

 The Springfield Zone

The Springfield Zone, sort of cute!

The last Q and A. 

Sister Poulson is really concentrating.

This is right before they ask and answer.

Sister Figaroa is just waiting to dazzle Sister Persson.

Elder Roller is pretty relaxed

Wow! Have you ever seen so many Elders serious at the same time?!

Sister Vance looks ready to answer Sister Wood

Elder Hollinghead see me taking a picture and smiles.

Sister Ansus is always smiling!

It gets  little intense...but not really

Elder Bonham looks like he just ate a bad taco. Elder Stretch didn't eat a bad taco.

Elder Wardle makes a good point. 

Whatever the question was, the answer is better!

Seriously the first time I've seen Elder Fowers not smiling.

 Elder Workman laughs at whatever was said.

There is something interesting going on to my left.

 Elder Webb is super happy with his response!

Suddenly, they see the camera!

Uh on, one on one with President Russell!

So much happiness!

 Back to their seats for the wrap up of zone conference!

 It's been a really long day.

Zone conferences are over until November. We love getting to see our missionaries, and will start interviews in two weeks. This means we will be traveling to all of the zones again. It's the best calling in the world! Our missionaries are so fantastic. And because they are we are the greatest mission on earth, the OEM!!