Teaching Moments in Zone Conference

The following is taken from an email Malachi's Mission President, President Kunz, wrote in his weekly email. Malachi has had the wonderful opportunity to work closely with President Kunz for many months. It's been a great experience and he has grown so much.

The Assistants led a marvelous discussion about being ALL In as a missionary. This topic is a follow-up to the wonderful devotional with had with our friend Kevin Ball on February 4th where he talked about what it means to be born again. Elder Morgan and Elder Yeboah “hit it out of the park” (an American colloquialism) with their discussion focused on 3 main sub-topics.

Elder Morgan and Elder Yeboah

1. Born again moments – Alma the Younger and Ammon and King Lamoni were highlighted. Scriptures used were Mosiah 27:17-18, 28,29,32; Alma 18:41,42 Alma 9:6. The concept of being born again was also highlighted using 1 Cor 11:28 (let a man examine himself) and D&C 88:40 (light cleaveth unto light)
2. “I will give myself to Him” – This is the title of a talk given by Spencer Osguthorpe who was then serving as the General Sunday School president of the Church. In that amazing talk, he asked three questions which Elder Morgan and Elder Yeboah repeated in their discussion. 1 – What does the word “will” mean? (Hel 3:35 and Mosiah 5:3). 2 – How do we give our will to God (change of behavior vs. a change of nature). 3 – How do we know if we are succeeding? (Alma 5:26 – singing the song of redeeming love)
3. Eternal Perspective – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing….) Alma 5:14 (Have ye been born of God?)

“All In” whiteboard discussion

While the content of the discussion was excellent, the spirit with which they delivered it was the most powerful part of the conference. These elders are two of the finest missionaries I have ever known. I do not tell them what they should teach. They seek inspiration, present their ideas to me and then they study and prepare the topic. They always teach at MLC and then the rest of the rest of the Leadership Council decides who will teach the same topic at zone conferences, themselves or the Assistants.