Week Thirty One

Last week the Busaths brought us a hibiscus plant for our new apartment, and it has bloomed nicely and has a lot of new buds. It lives outside on our deck patio. It was cold here a few days this past week, but was back into the 80's today and 60's at night again. We had a pleasant walk Saturday morning in the cooler weather on a new route that Jan found. 

Iinitial setup of the tablet computers in Deland

We helped with distribution, setup, and initial training for missionary tablet computers (or 'mobile devices', as they are affectionately called by some) this past week, with two zone training meetings on each of three days. We did the Deland zone Tuesday morning, the Leesburg zone Tuesday afternoon, the Orlando Zone Wednesday morning, the Orlando South Zone Wednesday afternoon, the Cocoa Zone Thursday morning, and the Hunter's Creek Zone Thursday afternoon.

Projected instructions

Pres Berry introduced the purposes, scope, methods, and guidelines for using the mobile devices, and then we handed them out and I talked about installing screen protectors and guided them through the setup and configuration process (domain and server definitions, and account usernames, passwords, and log-in information).  It's pretty well-done -- When transferred, missionaries keep their same devices, but the devices then display their new area information (member lists, investigator lists, maps, etc.) by linking their identity (from log-in) to the new area information using their newly-assigned area designation as identified by the IMOS server linkage. 

Leesburg Zone training pictures

After the setup and configuration work done by each missionary, Elders Burton and Palmer taught use of the on-line planner application, followed by Sisters Conant and Collins teaching use of the Gospel Library and other device apps, and then Elders Costa and Jeppson talking everyone thru the setup of the two e-mail systems for communication with families and for local missionary communicatons. 

Zone Leaders after
their Planner App Presentation

Sister Berry prepared and distributed water-proof bags to protect the devices from rain and high humidity. Sisters Low and Ward, and Elders Quarnberg and Patten helped answer questions during all of the instructions, along with the others when they were not conducting their own presentations.

Sisters Trainer Leaders training the Orlando Zone on Apps

Training the Orlando South Zone

Training the Cocoa Zone

Training the Hunter's Creek Zone

On Friday Jan helped with the 3-week follow-up training for the new missionaries and their companions. It was a long but enjoyable week, and we came to appreciate ever more the insights and abilities of Pres and Sis Berry, their Assistants, the Zone Leaders, the Sister-Trainer Leaders, and the hard work and determination of our 216 young missionaries and the 14 senior ones.

Bro JJ with his teaching missionaries

Saturday evening we were privileged to attend a missionary lesson with our friends the Johnsons and Elders Despain and Hilton who taught them. This evening after church we attended the baptism of JJ in the Buena Vista ward and saw Sisters Pierce and Salvesen who have been teaching him. He was baptized by the bishop of the ward. It was a wonderful finish to a wonderful day of serving some of our missionaries, attending meetings in our Bumby ward, meeting several new visitors there, and seeing old friends we've enjoyed in past months. What a blessing for us to be here in the Florida Orlando Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!