Washington DC North Mission: Fundamental Training

It's back....for those of you returned missionaries who sat through the hours of training. Yes, we pulled together the zone leaders and district leaders for a day's worth of training on the 8 fundamental lessons. These lessons were designed by the missionary department to focus on some fundamental principles of teaching such as: Receiving revelation through prayer, or attending church, or reading the Book of Mormon.

In the past the zone leaders would train a fundamental lesson at zone conference or at CDM (combined district meeting). However, we are changing the training and asking the district leaders to teach these lessons at district meeting. They will follow the mission training plan which outlines which lessons should be taught during a transfer.

So as a kick off, we covered all 8 lessons today - with President and me, the assistants and the zone leaders each teaching one of the lessons. It was great to cover the information all in one day and to give the district leaders ideas of how they might present the lesson.

The missionaries gathered back at the Chevy Chase chapel for the training. The painters were finished, so there were no paint fumes to endure. But they are installing new hardwood floors on the stage. Much of our training was punctuated by the sound of hammers.

Before the meeting everyone gathers and prepares to take notes.

We take breaks to allow people to stretch and to, believe it or not, eat a snack.

Left to right: Elder Kennedy, Elder Schaap, Elder Shurtleff and Elder Mataele.

Everyone gathers to take a tangerine to peel and eat.

Elder Williams and Elder Brown visit at the break.

One of the missionaries recently told me that their parents said that the only time they saw them on the blog was when they were eating. While it is true we love to eat, it is also true that the range of photo ops is rather limited. It's annoying for those who are teaching to have me shooting pictures. So, trust me on this - your sons and daughters are doing a lot more than just eating. However - here they are....eating!!!

Ladies first! Right to left: Sister DeAgostini, Sister Marcy, Sister Liddiard, Sister Allen, Elder Wells, Elder Pound, and Elder Anderson.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Stallings, Elder Searle, Elder Croft, Elder Gleed, Elder Anderson, Elder Wells and Elder Pound.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Hurd, Elder Greiner, Elder Dillon, Elder Danner, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Kerby and Elder Koyle.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Shurtleff, Elder Kennedy, Elder Schaap, Elder Kinne, Elder Goodman, Elder Mataele and Elder Fowles.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Sanchez, Elder Pierucci, Elder Standing, Elder Pearson, Elder Hatch, Elder Lambert and Elder Howard.

Clockwise from the left: Elder Webb, Elder Bigelow, Elder Clapier, Elder Lee and Elder Williams.

Each missionary has their own way of taking care of their suit coat while eating.

Some are better than others about hanging up their coats. Good thing you can't read the name tags, ehh?

After lunch we gather to begin the afternoon sessions.

Front row: Elder Kinne and Elder Goodman.

Others file in as well.

The sisters sit on the front row: Sister DeAgostini, Sister Marcy, Sister Liddiard and Sister Allen.

Front row: Elder Goodman, Elder Pierucci and Elder Hatch.
Second row: Elder Standing, Elder Brown, Elder Williams, Elder Croft and Elder Kennedy.
Back row: Elder Lambert (standing), Elder Schaap and Elder Shurtleff.