"The Sky is the Limit"

It was time to take our 20 Zone Leaders, most of them new since the last hike, on a training experience up Sunrise Mountain in Peoria. We began at 6:30 at the point of the mountain just after the sun rose and began to climb up the mountain. The purpose was to send a message to our "Senior Leadership" who were our Zone Leaders and were in charge of leading their individual zones in the mission. We needed to be unified in purpose to reach our goals of doubling our convert baptisms.

A little nourishment of bagels, gogerts and juice was supplied before the Zone Leader Hike

And the long hike began............

The Arizona beauty is truly unique. The flowers in the valley and mountains were all in bloom!

The climb up Sunrise mountain was all about lessons of life. We all had a goal to reach the top, and for some it was easier than for others (that included me). There were stones along the paths that made it difficult to climb at times, and at times we would slip and fall, but with the help and encouragement of others we all made it to the top. At one point, some of the missionaries in the front began on a path that was a little longer and easier around the mountain and found they had to backtrack to the rest of the group to get back on the path that took us straight up the mountain. Just as life has many different paths that we can take, some of them not in direct line with where we need to be going, there become the need to backtrack. We also learned that we need to plan and communicate before hand the direction we should go. I being one of the last of the group, and falling quite far behind the group, found myself yelling to those who had reached a plateau and were looking back down the mountain at us, we were those lost sheep who had fallen behind without anyone to guide us and encourage us to keep on going.

At different points along the hike, President would stop and point out the view in the valley. We found as we climbed the mountain our view became broader and our vision more clear with what we needed to do as the Lords instruments in sharing His message to all in our mission. Too many times we are satisfied with the view we have when there is so much more for us to experience and strive for.

Each missionary put his rock on the pile at the top of the mountain, signifying his commitment to lay on the

alter those things that were keeping them to be the instrument they needed to be as the Senior leadership in the mission. It was up to them to create the "Lord's" culture of the mission. It would take great commitment, hard work, diligence and endurance to accomplish this great work.

At the top of the mountain the view was beautiful and clear as we looked from the North to the South and East to the West. We had a great work to do and President Beck gave an inspirational talk of encouragement and motivation. We finished by pulling out our new APM flag and raising it to the wind. We have incredible Zone Leaders that are humble and love the Lord and were ready to go make a difference. We ended by reciting the mission Statement which was created several months ago by the Zone Leaders themselves.
It states:

In the Arizona Phoenix Mission
We Baptize and Confirm
We are a "Preach My Gospel" mission
We love and Live the Book of Mormon
We obediently love and Serve
We always listen and follow the Spirit

Yes, I was the last one down the mountain as each step was very painful. I wanted to quit or at least go at my own pace, but President took my hand and pulled me down the mountain. He asked that the next time I go hiking I get shoes that fit. I was grateful I made it down to the bottom without a stretcher. I knew my recovery would not be soon.