I taught this lesson today and thought some ideas might be helpful for others who will teach this next week.  I first welcomed everyone to the "Page Arizona Stake Mission" and thanked them for accepting the call to serve. I passed out Angel pins I found on clearance at Wal-Mart for 50 cents each and opened with Alma 29:l - Oh that I were an Angel and could have the wish of mine heart....and talked about the importance of missionary work and that even though we may not be serving full time missions at this point in our lives we are still serving a mission.

We discussed the importance of obedience and I read the story on page 72 - "Obey all the Rules" and why obedience is such a necessary part of life and how "our" happiness depends on our obedience to our Heavenly Father's "mission rules".  Part of a missionaries responsibilities is to be obedient to Mission rules.

Using the chart of a Missionary Day - we discussed how this also can apply to us in our daily lives....we get up and have family scripture study, and breakfast, and at some point in the day we should take the time for Personal study time, and then our "proselyting" begins....We proselyte in our actions toward others and share the gospel in very simple ways...kindness, honesty, integrity, bearing our testimonies in very simple ways, and then I told them about the leper bandages that I've been working on and how they've been a great missionary tool. I've had the opportunity to talk about the church with at least l0 people since I started working on them because I take my "missionary tools" with me to ball games, doctor appointments, etc and people are always asking me what I'm working on. It's so fun! We continued to talk about ways they are able to "proselyte in action" in their daily lives.

We then talked about the additional rules and how they also can apply to us.

l.  Letters to Parents once a week - I asked them when was the last time they sat down and talked heart to heart with their parents. Some families have regular PPI's with their children.  I take my children for a soda and we go for a ride and it is amazing what we talk about. It has become a tradition. I told them to go home and lay on their parents bed and tell them they want to "chat" Ü and to ask their parents for a progress report - tell mom and dad you want to know how "they" are doing and then you can tell them how you are doing (LOL).

2 . Weekly PPI with Mission President - I told them Heavenly Father is their Mission President and our PPI with him is nightly.

3.  Inviting Missionaries to Dinner - We talked about other missions rules that we as members can help the missionaries live. When they come for dinner - what is appropriate as far as music, media, etc. and what is appropriate behavior for Young Women towards the missionaries. I asked our full time missionaries what they wanted me to tell the young women and they said,

"Keep their distance"!Ü  They are trying very hard to be dedicated to the Lord and want to keep their minds focused on their missionary work. No flirting regardless of how handsome that missionary is. If that missionary is meant for you, the Lord will help him remember you [her] at the appropriate time and how grateful he will be that he can look back on his mission and his association with you and know that it was honorable and full of integrity!

We also had a missionary farewell today so I gave them some material to make up a missionary bag to give to this missionary.

A rubber band - a missionary needs to stretch to grow.

Box of matches - Burn the desire for greater "light" in your heart and the hearts of others. Bar of Soap - Clean Hands make a Pure Heart to serve our Father in Heaven with.

Pay Day candy bar - You're biggest paydays are soon to come.

An Eraser that was in the shape of a fish - Teach others to not get caught on Satan's Hook

An eraser that was in the shape of a frog - When you come home - "Toad you were - Prince you'll be! (LOL)

I closed with this quote from President Spencer W. Kimball   "Your mission in preparation. It is your school for eternity. You won't forget that, will you? This mission is not just a two-year stretch. This is the time when you cultivate the seeds of godhood so that you can help other people on their way toward exaltation. How small are we who think of the mission as just being a stretch of time, some physical things to do, some praying. This is the most purposeful thing, perhaps, you have ever done in your life and possibly the most purposeful thing that some will ever do. It's up to you to let this be the prelude to your life, to let it be the beginning of a great and glorious life."

I then told them this time is preparation for the rest of their lives and this was the time to study, to pray, to be obedient, and to stretch and grow so that when they do serve a full-time mission if they choose, they will be that much more prepared. And when they serve their greatest mission as a mother - how grateful they will be for the time spent in preparation. And how blessed their families will be.

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