August Zone Conferences

Disclaimer:  I've uploaded (or is it downloaded) these photos three times in an effort to post.  I give up... The pictures are out of order and you'll just have to live with it.  I'll try to make some sense of the photos though because as crazy as our month was, it wasn't as disorganized and crazy as this blog post will end up.

We traveled to south to Copiapo to visit four zones, had a conference in Antofagasta with four zones and then traveled north to Iquique and finally Arica to visit the four zones up there.  You'll be able to tell where we are geographically by the sweater I'm wearing in the pictures.  (That's how I remember where I've been.)  

When we are in Antofagasta we have preparation and training and planning with our Assistants.  They never mind coming to our house because I usually have food ready for them.

Elder Fowkes and Elder Edwards at the Mission Home.

Planning, organizing and training for our upcoming Zone Conferences.  The Elders don't mind coming over to the Mission Home because there is always food involved in our meetings.

Notice the P-Day clothes...love having a day of jeans and top-siders.

Elder Calquin

When all else fails feed the missionaries pizza.  Some cities have good pizza and others...well, have sketchy pizza.  Copiapo doesn't have the best pizza but that doesn't bother any missionary.

Elder Acevedo 

Elder Acevedo had his zone wear purple for zone conference in Iquique.  Leland and I didn't get the message but wore purple too.  So we were very coordinated  in our zone picture.

Iquique Zone - the purple zone

Alto Hospicio  Zone

Hermanas Menghini, Torres, Ramirez and Lindner

The Hermanas de Antofagasta

Presidente's workshop

After lunch we had workshops and Presidente had a question and answer session with each group.  The missionaries could ask just about anything.  They asked gospel questions, health questions and missionary work questions, among others.  It was the favorite workshop in each Zone.

Copiapo Zone

Atacama Zone

Chanaral Zone

Vallenar Zone

Elder Fowkes

Elder Fowkes is always there to help me.  He used the top of our plastic crates as a serving tray so he could serve the browinies.  Ingenuity...thanks Elder Fowkes.

Calama Zone

La Portada Zone

Antofagasta Zone

Costanera Zone

Goofy Costanera Zone - their true selves

Escondido Zone

Elder Jimenez

Ate lunch with Elder Jiminez in Arica - homemade tacos were delicious!!!  (And the Coke Zero wasn't too bad either)

Los Olivos Zone

Elder Fowkes and Elder Edwards

The missionaries thought it was Christmas when they received everything we had for them.  We distributed new Orientation Books, mission logo lapel pins and compansionship DVD players.  We received news from Salt Lake that each companionship would use these DVD players in their personal and companionship study with the Preach My Gospel DVD's.  

Elder Fowkes and Elder Edwards were so helpful in helping me organize the distribution of all the goodies.  It would never have happened without their hard work.

Presidente Workshop in Antofagasta

Presidente Bruce in his workshop in Antofagasta.

Elder Lopez in Antofagasta