ZONE CONFERENCES

De-stressing in Bemidji Monday before Zone Conferences begin.
Top-left shows where the Mississippi River flows north into Lake Bemidji.

Our second week in Bemidji coincided with the start of zone conferences. Pres. Hess asked Darrell to give a 15-20 minute presentation in each conference on managing stress. Great topic for missionaries. Come to think of it, it’s a great topic for everyone. 

Returned missionaries will recognize
Zone Conference dining.

The first conference was on August 2nd in Fargo, ND and included the Fargo and Grand Forks Zones which include the missionaries in the eastern portion of North Dakota and upper Minnesota. Darrell’s last zone conference was nearly 44 years ago but it didn’t take long to remember why he looked forward to them. We drove to Bismarck after conference and on Wednesday met with the Bismarck and Minot Zones that cover the central portion of North Dakota.  

Selfie with the Bismarck Temple

We stayed most of the week at the mission home in Bismarck with Pres. and Sis. Hess because the following Friday was monthly Mission Leadership Council, a time for all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders to come together in council. This time it was more special than usual. Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the 70 and Elder Rulon Stacey of the 70 attended and taught. 

Higher Rank to the Front!
L to R: Elder Stacey, Sister Stacey (mine), 'Pres.' Stacey (me), Elder Soares

That evening the Mission Presidency and all the Stake Presidents throughout the mission along with wives were invited to come to a dinner with Elders Soares and Stacey. It was really a special day. Not only was Elder Soares loving and inspiring in all he did and said, but it’s just not every day you get to watch your little brother function in a calling such as this. 

Mormons believe in kissing. 

At the ND State Museum in Bismarck.
Loretta with the remains of Sid the Sloth.

Getting friendly with the native's
eating establishments.

As with every drive we have taken, we enjoyed the 5 hour drive back to Bemidji on Saturday. 

Monday August 8th we headed west again, this time an 8 hour drive to Sidney, Montana for the combined Glendive, MT and Williston, ND Zone conference on Tuesday. These are the missionaries from eastern Montana and northwest North Dakota. A highlight here was the new Glendive Stake President coming and pledging the support of his stake to the missionary effort, likening them to the Nephite army who fought alongside the 2000 ‘Sons of Helaman’. We didn’t stay long after conference, because we had another conference 6 hours away in Rapid City, SD the next morning. 

Did any of you know there are no gas stations between Sidney, MT and Rapid City, SD? Just wondering. 

There are some pretty good sunsets and rainbows though. 

Outside our hotel room in Rapid City. 

Rapid City, South Dakota where we had conference for the South Dakota missionaries of the Rapid City and Pierre Zones, was inundated with motorcycles while we were there. This was the week of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. For any who are unaware of this event, it is way famous, by far the largest motorcycle rally in the world and Sturgis is only a half hour west of Rapid City on I-90. There were swarms of nice bikes everywhere. 

The "World Famous Wall Drug" an hour east of
Rapid City is a bikers itinerary 'must'. 

The Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills is taking shape.
The face and outstretched arm are the major features after 60 years.
In fairness, this is much larger than Mt. Rushmore and funds itself
with donations, grants, and admissions. 

Mmmm, road food! A smore donut is as good as it looks.

By the time we finally got back to Bemidji, after a 10+ hour drive, we were down to our last clean change of clothing. Going to the laundromat is another missionary activity Darrell hadn’t done in nearly 44 years, and it didn’t take long to remember why he didn’t look forward to them.

From the "Things we didn't expect to learn on a mission" Department: