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| "We love you trusted friends! ROLL TIDE!" - Elder Zwick |
On Sunday evening, September 7, 2014 Elder W. Craig Zwick of
the First Quorum of the Seventy and his wife, Sister Jan Zwick arrived in
Birmingham at the start of a five day Mission Tour. He also serves as a Counsellor in the
Southeast Area Presidency and our Mission is one of 18 in the Area. Furthermore, they had recently completed an
emergency 2.5 month assignment presiding over missionary work in the Caribbean
and we anticipated their arrival with great enthusiasm. We remembered Elder Zwick’s “target of
opportunity” visit to the Alabama Birmingham Mission last January as filled
with spiritual energy, enthusiasm and instruction and we weren’t disappointed
this time either.
Just to give you an idea of how much General Authorities put
into everyday of their consecrated and sacrificial service, here’s a review of
the Tour, characterized throughout by excitement, energy, enthusiasm and
enlightment:
Sunday evening arrival, dinner and discussion about the objectives
of the Tour and the vision for the mission, planning the actual parts of the
tour, and other conversations at the Mission Home.
Monday, visits and interviews with individual missionaries and
companionships, visits to missionary apartments, tour and inspection of the
operations of the Mission Office and overnight at the Mission Home.
Tuesday morning, with an early departure from Birmingham, drove
north to Huntsville where a multi-zone conference – including Tupelo, Madison
and Huntsville Zones – was held at the Huntsville Stake Center from 1000 to
1600. The Zone Conference included a
delightful luncheon prepared by a Missionary Mothers Group, with each
Missionary Mom identify her missionary and where they were serving. Naturally, there was much “I have a
cousin/brother/sister/friend serving in the same mission as your son/daughter”
small-world Church conversation that continued after the traditional thank-you
singing of “We’ll bring the World His Truth.”
It seemed even more meaningful when it was being sung to all the
Missionary Mothers.
Tuesday evening, began with an early dinner with each of the
three Stake Presidents and their wives, followed by a two hour devotional with
members drawn from all three stakes in the northern tier of the Mission.
Wednesday morning, started with another early morning
departure, this time going south to Birmingham for the Mission Leadership
Council and luncheon. Then, departing
for Bessemer, AL for an early dinner with each of the three southern tier Stake
Presidents and their wives followed by yet another adult member devotional that
evening and return to Birmingham.
Thursday morning, another early start with another multi-zone
conference representing Birmingham, Bessemer and Montgomery, lunch sandwiched
in between sessions of this conference, followed by a quick trip to the
Birmingham airport for the Zwick’s return flight to Salt Lake City in time to
perform a sealing Friday morning at the Salt Lake Temple and preparations for
the next week.
All this against the backdrop of the “regular” labors, Elder
Zwick is also of currently serving as an Assistant
Executive Director of both the Missionary Department and the Correlation
Department of The Church in addition to his service in our Area
Presidency.
