Our week started out a little slow but then things picked up and we had some great visits. Monday we had our meeting with a member we have been working with for some time. We were determined to get him to commit to read the Book of Mormon. He said he would read so we had prepared a schedule for him to read Mosiah 4:1-30, 5 verses per day. We sent him a text on Tues. to remind him of his agreement to read. After discussing General Conference we showed him the address given by Elder Klebingat. That is a pretty strong statement on our responsibility to qualify to live with Heavenly Father and live as well  to have a happy life here. We are going to try to help him by going through the five missionary lessons again.

In General Conference, Pres. Monson talked about visiting the home bound and the elderly, "Those whose hands hang down." We visited a Relief Society President and asked her for someone that may need a visit and then found the couple home and had a wonderful visit. We then did some additional finding on our own and found a few other widows that we decided to visit. We had some great visits. Some of them were rather surprised that missionaries would be calling on them but they were appreciative. Last night we went with the Bishop of the First Ward to an elderly couple who really seemed to enjoy the visit and message we left with them.
 Tuesday evening we visited several of our neighbors and took them apples from our tree. It is always good to touch base with our neighbors. Those we visited were either non members or less active.
Wednesday night we had a wonderful family history lesson with a family where the two girls have recently been baptized. They and their father were quite excited about being able to fill in the information in the booklet we left with them and we will be meeting again at the stake family history center to continue this discussion and introduce them to the information available on the computer.
Friday we had a great visit with one of our home teaching families and talked about prayer. They sent us home with tomatoes and raspberries from their garden.
Saturday morning we attended a child baptism from the 13th ward and then made another visit to a delightful widow who was thrilled to have us drop in to visit and share a message. What a great spirit and attitude she has!
Sunday morning we had our stake missionary correlation meeting. We had our area seventy Elder Laing, our Stake president and the high councilor over missionary work attend. All but one of our ward mission leaders attended. Elder Laing said there are four indicators the coordinating councils look at to measure effectiveness of the missionary effort in a stake. 1-Is there a missionary correlation meeting? 2-Is there an engaged high councilor? 3-Is there a Senior Couple in the stake? 4- Are the ward councils effective? This is determined by arranging 20 teaching appointments for the full time missionaries. The other thing of interest is real growth and testimony of those being taught, there is no way to measure this indicator.
He also shared Job chapter 38 verses 4 and 7. This talks about the great council in heaven and how we all shouted for joy in knowing we could come to earth and enjoy the blessings of the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. There are those who have forgotten that all of us on this earth shared the joy of this announcement. The purpose for ward council meetings is so the members of the council being in touch with people within their stewardship will be able to detect when people who have not been involved in the Gospel have something happen in their lives that reminds them of the fact that they did shout for joy and that will be the time to help them to remember how to "Come unto Christ"