Missionary Conference

This last week we had some exciting things going on.  Our mission had a conference that included leaders visiting from Church headquarters.  We had the presiding bishop there, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy [Elder Snow], an apostle [Elder Andersen], and one of the presidency of the Seventy. 

On Thursday, Elder Snow spoke to us.  He is the Church historian and a member of the Quorum of the Seventy.  It was great.  He talked to us a lot about how we can become better missionaries so that we can be better servants of the Lord.  One thing he said that stuck out to me was how we needed to become excellent missionaries.    This means more refined in all ways including the way we look, teach, talk, etc. I have really been thinking about this. 

One funny story Elder Snow told was about a missionary from the south he knew when he was a mission president.  This missionary started each sentence with "I tell you whut" and when he was talking with President Snow it was "I tell you whut, President" in a heavy southern accent.  It was really funny.  My companions and I like quoting that.  That missionary was filled with faith.  He told President Snow they were going to have 25 baptisms in a low baptizing area.  Up until then, the highest record had been 3 baptisms in a year for that area.  By the end of that year, there were 33 baptisms!  So many people were converted to the gospel.  It was amazing!

            Elder Andersen's meeting was great too.  Elder Andersen told of some personal experiences he had when he was with President Monson to celebrate his upcoming [85^th] birthday.  It was great. 

All together for our conference, there were about 250 people there.  It was in the chapel and the overflow area (the little area behind the chapel, not the cultural hall) of a church building.  About 200 missionaries attended and the rest were people who drove us to Eugene.  It was a very special experience.  It felt really good.

We have a temple trip this afternoon and my time to write is about up.  We are on the 1 hour library computers.  I love you all!  Thank you for all the sweet letters, prayers, thoughts, and support.   It is always so good to get your letters.  It is one of the highlights of my day.  Love,  Sister Cluff.