Today was the mission conference. Elder M. and Elder H. asked for a ride. So, we picked them up and headed for Ogden. It was an absolutely, incredibly, beautiful day. Missionaries were already at the office when we arrived. You could feel the excitement of the missionaries. At 9:00am, we all gathered on the west sloping, grassy hill of the chapel for a mission picture. President Olson had his camera. I helped to position the missionaries. We all squeezed together and click, click, click, click, click. Everybody smiled, laughed and had a good time. I took the picture, so of course, I am not in the picture. Then we took a "goofy picture" and I am sort of in it. But we laughed and had a good time. Then, we went into the chapel.
Sister Olson was the first to speak. She read the book, "The Daffodil Principle" and she related it to the missionaries and how they influence life, one soul at a time, much like planting daffodils, is done one at a time. She told us how much she loved us and then bore her testimony. Pres. Olson was next and he shared "What he has learned as a mission president" (see his talk in file). He said that he loved serving with Sister Olson, much like I have loved serving with Elder Lund. He shared how he has found that on almost every page of the Book of Mormon, he has found something that testifies of Christ, and he has underlined that. He shared that he knew the atonement was real, that we are all created differently for a purpose, and that we need to learn to solve the problems of how to get along in a companionship, whether it be mission or a marriage companionship, and that we should not just endure the relationship, but actually work it out. He talked about how important the atonement is in his life and that we each should gain a stronger testimony of the atonement. He then, too, said that he loved each of us.
Training by the APs took up the remaining time until lunchtime. While they were training, I ran to Costco and took the pictures to be developed. I quickly came back to the mission office to serve lunch to 250 missionaries, past missionaries, and office workers. We had a pulled pork sandwich, green salad, potato salad, chips and water. Yummy lunch. I served potato salad with an ice cream scoop. Each time I looked up at the line, it seemed to not have diminished at all. There were hungry missionaries every where. Tibolla's went back to Costco. It was decided we would pass out the pictures to everyone today, so all the office workers worked to put them into individual envelopes for the missionaries.
Meanwhile, we are now waiting for Jon Schmidt to arrive....he was to be our featured part of the conference. When he didn't show up, I called. He was on his way, in the car, but was going to be late. So, Pres. and Sister Olson passed out the pictures to all the Elders. Thank you Costco for printing 575 pictures in less than an hour.
Jon finally arrived and what a hit he was with the missionaries. They couldn't get enough of him. So, he basically presented an hour and a half concert just for the missionaries. It was spiritual in parts and typically Jon Schmidt in other parts. It was fantastic! At the end, the missionaries stood and sang the mission hymn, "High on the mountain top" and "God be with you". We were crying at the end. We gave Jon a honey jar and poster card signed by the missionaries.
Then, we all changed our clothes, and went outside where the APs had organized a series of team activities. Dodge ball, tug of war, burlap sack races up a hill with ice block races down, and volleyball with a soccer ball and blanket. In the meantime, Elder Lund and I brought out two buckets of water and two squirt guns. Pres. Olson actually wore bluejeans and a shirt! He bought a pair of bluejeans for the occasion. I gave Pres. Olson one of the squirt guns, and Sister Olson the other. Immediately, they got busy squirting missionaries that had been "outstanding". Eventually, the sprinklers turned on, on the grass, and people just got wet. Pres. Olson was carried to the sprinkler and deposited on top of it. Sister Olson had many garbage cans full of water poured on her. I got drenched and Elder Lund was also "taken to the sprinklers". We all had a great time. Elder Lund and I kept thinking of that old recipe "take some kids, add some water, and let play. This makes instant fun." Happened today. We then had Root Beer Floats and the missionaries then changed their clothes and were once more ready to be the Lord's army. What a day! What an incredible day! What a way to end our mission! As we said good bye to some, we realized we would never see them again as missionaries, as they will soon be a part of the Salt Lake Mission. We will still see most of the missionaries one last time as they present their final musical fireside Sunday in Logan. There, we will be saying goodbye to almost everyone else. How can I ever share my love for these missionaries. I don't think I can, but as Sister Olson said, they will always be a part of my heart.. What a day today was! I will always remember this day because it represents so much to us. It scores right up there, just below the birth of our children and grandchildren, and weddings of our children. Nothing will ever beat those days however. But what a day!
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