I have not reported anything about our meeting last Monday. We had a general authority here in our mission again. He was Elder Lowell Snow. He is in the Quorum of the Seventy and goes out and visits missions to see how things are.

We first met he and his wife the night before at the Liberty Jail and heard both of them talk for a few minutes. His wife reminded me of my sister Barbara. She had that kind of rare smile that some people seem to have on their face all the time. Just a pleasant, happy look.

The fireside was at the Liberty Jail and newly baptized members come and share their testimony with everyone there. There were three people who shared their testimonies. The first was a young, 36 year old guy who had a white long sleeved shirt on. His hands and fingers were covered with tats and also his neck. I am sure that his arms were probably covered too and who knows what else. But I wish you could have heard him. He was raised by a mom who was a Mormon and even went to church, but dad would not let the kids be involved. He had an extended family who were also in the church and cousins who went on missions and to church and so he knew quite a bit about the church. But he left home and had all sorts of experiences. He was into drugs, alcohol, the whole nine yards. Married and divorced and finally hit bottom and decided that his life was not what he wanted or what it should be and that Heavenly Father was missing from his life. He had been in Colorado and came back to Independence and about a year ago married again a Mormon girl and then invited the missionaries. They were in his home and he told them he wanted to be baptised. They asked him what he knew about the church. After 20 minutes of telling what he knew, the missionaries just looked at each other and Elder Taylor said, "I don't know what to say". They were amazed. Well, they taught him the rest of the lessons and he was baptised. He tried to explain what his life was like now. His wife has three teens and they are doing so much better. Well, it was quite a story and he probably talked for 15 minutes. It is just amazing how the Gospel changes lives. You really get to see it up close and personal in the missionfield.

Our meeting on Monday started at 1pm and did not end until after 5. It is amazing how you can sit for that long and just try and absorb what is coming at you. Elder Snow said that we can have life changing experiences not because of what we hear, but by what we feel and learn. I guess the Seventy just go all around and try and teach us all how to be better missionaries. A lot of the Elders and Sisters had life changing experiences.

He said yielding is being submissive and how do we become submissive, by loving something more than yourself, by wanting something and trusting. It is an act of faith. He had the AP's take over and start the discussion. They knew one hour before that they were going to do this. But he was trying to teach us how to listen to the spirit and teach with the spirit. He said over and over, don't just tell me what you already know or what you think the answer is. Pause and listen or ask a question. It is quite amazing to hear some of the Elders and Sisters ask questions and then almost a light come on as they understood what was happening. Elder Eckern asked, what is exact obedience? He wants to be exactly obedient in all things truly. The answer was that we don't want to obey the rules because they are there, but we want to be obedient because that is what the Lord would want us to do. We have a change of heart.

It was a good meeting and actually was counted as our Zone Conference for this month. We had seven zones together on Monday and then they went to Topeka and had the other five zones over there. So no car inspections for Dad this time. Whew! And he sold a car on Friday. The Presidents Toyota Avalon is not in the garage of our stake president. Dad was happy. Not we are waiting to hear if the guy in Mississippi is going to buy the other 13 cars or not.

Loves and hugs.