Mission Leader Seminar - Encouragement, Ideas, and Renewed Energy
Mission leaders in conference room.
President Quinn and I spent the last four days at a Mission Leader Seminar in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. It was a beautiful setting and only a thirty-minute drive from the LDS Spokane Washington Temple. We were able to go to an endowment session there with the thirty other mission leaders from our North American West Area.
We attend Mission Leader Seminars every six months. At first, back in the fall of 2023, I thought it was a nice event to attend. Yet I quickly discovered it was much more and how essential it is for us to be trained by our area presidency and to connect with other mission leaders. There are times as a mission leader I feel overwhelmed and inadequate. Going to these seminars gives me encouragement, ideas, and renewed energy. In addition to our training, we learn so much as we visit with other mission leaders.
The Quinns with the Hendersons (They used to live in Santa Rosa.)
The other mission leaders who attend are wonderful. There is never any comparison or judgment but just love and support. We share ideas such as: the best way to conduct and schedule interviews, how to help a missionary who is struggling with obedience, ideas for encouraging our missionaries, and ways to help our missionaries with health-related challenges.
I enjoyed the theme of this conference “Seek and Rely on the Spirit.” Our discussions and teachings during the seminar were a good reminder to me that with God we cannot fail. I love the thoughts from an October 2009 conference talk by Elder Scott that we were asked to read in preparation for our discussion. Elder Scott stated, “Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it.” As we pray, exercise obedience, and have faith, the Lord gives us spiritual direction and capacity through the Holy Ghost.
Powerpoint slide from seminar.
Reading these teachings and listening to the instruction given, the thought has come to me to act quicker on promptings. It can be hard to correct a missionary or make a judgement call in the minute you need to act. Thinking about missionaries and their unique problems can cause me much concern. Yet, as I humble myself and rely on God’s help I know I can offer love and direction with more confidence. I so desire to help our missionaries to learn and grow and be the best person they can be as they become lifelong disciples of our Savior Jesus Christ.
The Quinns, Botchways, and Shumways.
We spent long hours in the confernce room, yet learned so much. Our prophet President Nelson has an urgency for missionary work that is exciting! We are now back in Santa Rosa meeting with our assistants and making plans to implement the inspired ideas we discussed at the seminar.
Below are some more photos from the seminar.
Have a great day!
Fun fact: I was asked to lead the singing for one of the opening hymns which was a new experience for me. Because I don’t have musical talents, I have never before once led the singing in church in the many years I have attended church. I had to practice and was a bit nervous. President Quinn took this photo of me.
Sisters Quinn, Merritt, Oaks, and Anderson
Friday afternoon we had some free time and a few of us women went on a hike.
Sister and President Quinn at Coeur d’lane Idaho, April 2025
Dinner cruise on Friday. Elder Wilson, the Quinns and the Jones
2nd Year Sister Mission Leaders
Place setting at seminar with microphone.
North American West Area Leaders, Elders Shumway, Wada, Bragg, Johnson, and Casillas.
