Illinois Chicago West Mission

SEEKING THE LIGHT 1 Nephi 17:13

We were blessed this past week to hear from our mission leaders at our Zone Conference. We learned how we can "ignite" the light of the Lord, and how to share it with everyone around us.

Sister Griffin taught us that the more truth we know, the more our LIGHT will shine. She also taught us that our success in this life, and in gaining our eternal salvation in the next life is determined by our COMMITMENT, and how much LIGHT we receive in this life. We are either gaining truth and light or it is being taken away from us. 1 Nephi 17:13, teaches us that, "I will be your LIGHT and prepare the way before you..." only if we are obedient and worthy. A perfect morning will open the door to the LIGHT that we need throughout the day. "THIS LITTLE MISSIONARY LIGHT OF MINE, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT SHINE!"

We learned about how we can be more obedient and worthy with our iPads so that we can have the ability to resist temptation for the rest of our lives.

President Griffin taught us about the difference between head, heart, and soul knowledge. We learned that all three must work together in order for both us and our investigators to truly be converted. We learned that often times, the hang up between head and heart knowledge is HUMILITY. He also taught us to connect the Holy Ghost that we have with us with the LIGHT of Christ that is already in our investigators-- Plug it in!

The Assistants taught us how to turn our names into referrals. They gave us some fun ideas to try like getting the member out with you, teach doctrine, practice with them, and have them practice the invitation with you.

The Sister/Hermana Training Leaders taught us about teaching and living repentance, and helped us experience repentance for ourselves so that we can better teach it to our investigators. We also learned from our zone leaders how we can better use all of the "three buckets" of personal finding, member referrals, and using the ward council lists so that we can fulfill the new standards of excellence.

We loved our zone conferences! We are all prepared to shine our light to the people of Northern Illinois!

Naperville Zones

Elder Seve, Elder Jacob, Sister Griffin, President Griffin, Elder Golling, and Elder Harris.

Elder Nelson, Elder Rawlings, Elder Marchant, Elder Morales, Elder Jordan, and Elder Warren.

Sister Smith, Sister Madsen, Hermana Diaz, Hermana Osborne, Hermana Hokanson, and Hermana Buehner.

Elder Lewis, Elder Jackson, Elder Limray, Elder Anderson, Elder Cluff, and Elder Hastings.

Hermana Buehner, Hermana Osborne, Elder Harris, Elder Hadlock, Elder Jackson, Elder Gollings, Elder Rawlings, Elder Murchison, and Sister Murchison!

Elder Casto, Elder Fillmore, Elder Johnson, Elder Lusk, Elder Neve, Elder Urness, Elder Maughn

Elder Wilson, Elder Hastings, Elder Nelson, Elder Chidester, Elder Hirschi, Elder Maynard, Elder McClowsky, Elder Wells

Elder Hill, Elder Lewis, Elder Jackson, Elder Murchison, Elder Sorenson

Elder Jepsen, Elder Tia, Elder Tafa, Elder Harris, President Griffin, Elder Golling

Elder Jordan, Elder Warren, Elder Hill, Elder Sorenson, Elder Nielson

President Griffin, Elder Murchison, Elder Warren, Elder Hill, Elder Jordan, Elder Lewis, Elder Jackson, Elder Golling

Elder Hill, Elder Roper, Elder Giolitto, Elder Frehner

Elder McDonald, Elder Tia, Elder Scherer, Elder Cluff

President Griffin, Elder Mower

President Griffin, Elder Mower, Sister Mower, Sister Tolman, Elder Tolman

Elder Nielson, Elder Rawlings, Elder Marchant, Elder Morales, Elder Jordan, Elder Warren

Joliet Zones

All the missionaries singing the Lunch Song!

Elder Mower, Elder Clark, Elder Urness, and Elder Burton singing a special musical number.

Sister Taggart and Sister James giving a special training on repentance and how we can teach our investigators the importance of repenting.

President Griffin enjoying the Zone Conference!

Elder Neve, Elder Cook, Elder Burton, Elder Fillmore, Elder Lusk, Elder Johnson, and Elder Morse all enjoying lunch together!

Elder Brimley, Elder Ashcraft, Elder Clark, Elder Chidester

Elder Fry, Elder Richards, Elder Vazquez

Elder Richards, Elder Vazquez, Elder Brimley

Elder Ogden, Elder Earl, Elder Mower, Sister Mower

Sister Carlson, Sister Mead

Sister Murchison, Elder Murchison, Hermana Sorensen, Hermana Jessop

Sister James, Sister Taggart, Sister Rungaitis, Sister Hopkins

Sister Jarvis, Sister Belding, Sister Dimond, Sister Diaz-Bonilla

Volunteers at Joliet

Elder Kearl, Elder Earl, Elder Anderson, Elder Cluff (doing iPad checks)

Elder Bird, Elder Horton, Elder Kearl, Elder Bollschweiler

President Griffin, Elder Anderson, Sister Tolman, Elder Tolman, Elder Mower, Elder Urness

Rockford Zones

Elder Chase, Elder McNatt, Elder Riggins, Elder Achaval, Elder Earl, Elder Kearl, Elder Maynard, and Elder Fia.

Sister Davis, Sister Halliday, Sister Shephard, Sister Havey, Sister Allowitz, Sister Turner, and President Griffin all enjoying lunch!

Elder Porter, Elder Ellis, Elder Cluff, Elder Weigel, and Elder McDonald.

Sister Ivie, Sister Wallace, Hermana Webb, Hermana Craner, Sister Murchison, and Elder Murchison having lunch together!

Singing the Lunch Song!

Elder Hale, Elder Hirschi, Elder Achaval, Elder Riggins, Elder Anderson

Sister Allowitz, Sister Havey, Sister Turner, Hermana Craner, Hermana Webb

Volunteers at Rockford

Elder Boulton, Elder Weigel, Elder Harvey, Elder Campbell, Elder Marchant, Elder Morales

Elder McDonald, Elder Faimalo, Elder Porter, Elder Maynard, Elder Kloosterboer, Elder Fia

Elder Nelson, Elder Bingham, ELder Morwood, Elder Ellis, Elder Kearl, Elder Weigel

Sister Ivie, Sister Wallace

Hermana Webb, Hermana Craner

Sister Davis, Sister Shephard

Sister & Elder Murchison

Hermana Gardner, Hermana Walton, Hermana Nelson

President Griffin, Elder Tolman, Sister Tolman, Hermana Gardner, Hermana Walton, Hermana Nelson

Elder Faimalo, Elder Fia, Elder Hirschi

Elder Whipple, Elder Wiser, Elder Boulton, Elder Cluff

Elder Cluff, Elder Anderson, Elder Boettcher

Elder Hahn, Elder Boettcher, Elder Harvey, Elder Kearl, Elder Campbell, Elder Earl

Elder McNatt, Elder Hahn, Elder Riggins, Elder Chase

Elder Porter, Elder Ellis, Elder Cluff, Elder Weigel, Elder McDonald

Schaumburg Zones

The Schaumburg missionaries practicing how they can get referrals from members!

Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Hughes, Elder Giolitto Elder Tedders, Elder Earl, Elder Hilton, Elder Webster, and Elder Kearl.

Elder Terry, Elder Cluff, Elder Tolman, Sister Davis, Hermana Weaver, Hermana Wixom, Sister Doty, Hermana Sa'ili, Sister Halliday, Sister Tolman, Elder Wells, Elder Anderson, Elder Pierre

Lunch Song!!

Elder Frehner and Elder Giolitto training their zone on the three buckets for finding people to teach!

Elder Hughs Elder Reyes

Training in Schaumburg

Elder Squires, Elder Maughn, Elder Cluff, Elder Earl, Elder Kearl, Elder Lewis, Elder Jackson, Elder Anderson

Sister Doty, Sister Ensign, Sister Anderson, Sister Murphy

Elder Terry, Elder Pierre, Elder Wells, Elder McCloskey, President Griffin, Sister Doty, Sister Ensign, Sister Anderson, Sister Murphy

Elder Frehner, Elder Giolitto

Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Giolitto, Elder Tedders, Elder Ruiz, Elder Fong Baeza, Elder Frehner Hermana Nelson, Hermana Jarosz

Elder Mower

Elder Earl, Elder Hughs, Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Frehner, Elder Tedders, Elder Giolitto,
Elder Reyes

Sister Ensign, Sister Anderson, Sister Burton, Sister Waters, Sister Murphy, Hermana Gowens, Hermana Sa'ili, Hermana Henricksen, Hermana Albrechtsen, Hermana Nelson, Hermana Jarosz

Hermana Nelson, Hermana Jarosz

President Griffin, Elder McCloskey, Elder Maughan, Elder Fong Baeza, Elder Squires, Elder Ruiz, Elder Kearl, Elder Royce, Elder Butterfield, Elder Kelly

\Sister Doty, Sister Halliday, Sister Davis, Hermana Saili, Hermana Gowens

Sister Murphy and Elder and Sister Tolman, Hermana Henricksen, Hermana Jarosz

Hermana Henricksen

Sister Doty, Sister Davis, Sister Ensign

Elder Fong-Baeza, Elder Maughn, Elder Ruiz, Elder Squires

Elder Wells, Elder Terry, Elder McClowsky, Elder Butterfield, Elder Kelly

Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Hughes, Elder Giolitto, Elder Teddars, Elder Earl, Elder Hilton, Elder Webster, Elder Kearl

Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Hughes, Elder Giolitto, Elder Tedders, Elder Earl, Elder Hilton

Elder Anderson, Elder Cluff, President Griffin

Elder Clark, Elder Reyes,
Elder Hughes

Peoria Zones

The missionaries being served by Howie!

Elder John, Elder Clark, Elder Larsen, Elder Carter, Elder Bennett, Elder Aagard, and Elder Frarck.

All the Sisters at lunch together!
Sister Penrod, Sister Smith, Sister Metcalf, Sister Campbell, Sister Gallup, Sister Murchison, Sister James, Sister Taggart, Sister Nogueria, Sister Khou, Sister Bell

Elder Hibbard, Elder Lavemai, and Elder Jones.

Elder Heiner and Elder Bennett giving an excellent training for their zone!

Elder Pace, Elder Shields, Elder Umphress,
Elder Moore

Sister Bell, Sister Penrod, Sister Taggart, Sister Nogueira, Sister Smith, Sister Khou

Sister Gallup

Elder Julander, Elder Tolman,

Elder Casto

Elder Kearl, Elder Eddenfield, Elder Westenskow, Elder Anderson

Elder Scherer, Elder Aagard, Elder Carter, Elder Williford, Elder Heiner

Elder Westenskow, Elder Casto

Elder Hibbard, Elder Lavemai, Elder Jones

Elder Heiner, Elder Jones

Elder Cluff, Elder Heiner,

Elder Scherer

Elder Earl, Elder Williford,

Sister Tolman

Elder Kearl, Elder Eddenfield, Elder Westenskow

Elder Tolman, Sister Tolman,

Sister Penrod

A few More Pictures:

Elder Lewis, Elder Jackson, Elder Limary, Elder Anderson, Elder Cluff, Elder Hastings

Elder Hendrickson, Elder Chidester, Elder Limary, Elder Hastings

Elder Roper, Elder Earl, Elder Kearl

Elder Stewart-Chester, Elder Schere, Elder Heiner, Elder Earl

Elder Aagard, Elder Brimley, Elder Pace, Elder Kearl, Elder Webster, Elder Carter, Elder Ashcraft, Elder Bennet

Elder Carter (conducting the lunch song)

Specialized Zone Training- March 2016

“PERFECT WEEKLY PLANNING" Set up 5 zone meetings and have a weekly planning session and training TOGETHER

President and Sister Griffin and Assistants Elder Adams and Elder Cluff

Meetings will take the place of District Meetings that week.

Tue March 29, 2016 – Rockford Zones – Rockford Stake Center

Wed. March 30, 2017 - Peoria Zones – Peoria Stake Center

Thur. March 31, 2016 - Naperville Zones- Naperville Stake Center

Tue. April 5, 2016 - Schaumburg Zones – Schaumburg Stake Center

Wed. April 6, 2016 - Joliet Zones - Joliet Stake Center

9: 45 - Arrive/Greetings/Prelude music/in seats quietly preparing to start

10:00 - Start promptly

Presiding: President Griffin

Conducting: Elders Adams and Cluff

Accompanist: _______________

Chorister: ________________

Opening Hymn: If the Savior Stood Beside Me, make copies or email words

Invocation: Elder_______________

10:10- (10 min) Focus Thought: Sister Griffin, Inviting the Savior to your Planning

10:20 – (15 min) President Griffin -

10:35 - Start Planning Session—Elders Adams and Cluff—TRAINING & ROLE PLAYS

Follow the 13 steps of Weekly Planning. Pg. 147-50 -Use timer to keep moving

12:00- (WORKING) Lunch (serve 40)(30 min): Deliver Domino’s Pizza, 2 slices each. S.Griffin- veggie bowl, fruit bowl, water bottles, plates, napkins. S. Mower- snack bars

12:30-Start back to work—Elders Cluff and Adams

3:45 --President Griffin: Summary - “PERFECT PLANNING” “THE TIME IS FAR SPENT” and Invitation to invite the Savior to planning.
Closing Hymn: #266 The Time is Far Spent

4:00-Benediction: Sister __________

Weekly Planning with the Zone

Focus is Essential in the Work of the Lord

I've been thinking about the training we received on Weekly Planning and I had a few thoughts I wanted to share. Something that was stressed at the beginning of the training was the need for us to be focused. I'll be honest, focus isn't always something I'm good at. Sister Griffin brought up a wonderful acronym that goes Focus On Christ Under Stress. And because Weekly Planning and Missionary Work in general can be stressful I thought that was the perfect thing to think about. As we center our thoughts on the Savior it is easier to do all He asks of us. It's when we let our thoughts wonder that we fall off the path. Whether that be the path of righteousness or the path to a perfectly planned week, in this work, it is the same. Focus is so essential in the work of the Lord. And I know that as we strive for this focus that God asks of us, He will bless us and help us achieve our full potential as His disciples.

By: Sister Turner

During this training we had on weekly planning I felt that my eyes were opened to how crucial focused planning is. Something I felt was especially emphasized during this training was how our goals drive our plans. If our goals do not inspire us to do everything in our power to achieve them, then something needs to change. We need to find that "sweet spot" as President Griffin put it, in setting goals that don't overwhelm us, but also making sure that they're inspiring and pushing us to reach our vision of a thousand baptisms. When we are setting these specific inspired goals, our plans become more meaningful and we are more excited to go out for the day and reach our goals. We were promised that if we will plan this way that we will see more baptisms and when we are weekly planning, Step 2 of the 13 steps will become a regular step for us.
By: Sister Doty

What We Learned from the Assistants When They Taught Us Weekly Planning:

Follow the 13 steps in planning for success.
Each sentence of the 13 steps of weekly planning is a way for us to focus on all aspects of the work and help us be successful in accomplishing our plans.
Follow Preach My Gospel as you plan for success.
G.P.S. is key to successful planning.
Planning is vital in finding new investigators.
Members are the key to finding.
Work with the Ward Mission Leader to accomplish your plans.
Seek the guidance from the spirit as you plan and work your plan.
Steps 7-10 are all about finding new investigators.
You can spend time doing other things other than just tracting and still be effective.
Trust the inspiration that you prayed for at the beginning of planning.
Specific goals drive specific plans to meet specific needs.
Refer to page 167 of PMG to think of new ideas for finding new investigators.
It is important to plan your plan.
Inspiration comes through discussion.
Planning can be fun!
Don't be scared to try new things.
Don't get so caught up on which goal to set after which sentence you read in PMG.
Let your goals inspire you.
The Assistants did a great job of modeling G.P.S. planning for us.