Mission Tour with Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy

Elder Paul V. Johnson, of the quorum of the Seventy visited our mission to conduct a mission tour. He and his wife were just delightful to be with for 3 days. He gave our Zone Leaders instruction on the first night and then he addressed the mission in two separate Zone Conferences. His instruction was very inspirational. He gave us some help on how we could lead our mission better. It is always wonderful to spend time with their spiritual giants. We actually found out that their son in law and Tyler were on a mission together and that he was Tyler's favorite companion. Small World it is.

Our Beloved Elder Pack, our fleet manager, shared his musical talents with us and wrote the words to our mission fight song which has become a classic in our mission. Thank you Elder Pack.

The missionaries love to sing our mission fight song every Zone Conference after lunch. I made a board that had all the verses written on it and this brought out the real fight in them. If you want to see a bunch of excited and enthusiastic missionaries you need to hear them sing as they shout to the world. They really get into the song. These are the words of the great mission fight song.

We are the missionaries of Arizona Fame
Obedience is our watch cry, to baptize is our aim.
Of all the other missions, ours is number one
Because the best of the missionaries come...
to Arizona, Thirsty land,
We'll serve the Living Water while we can.

We're servants of our Master, from Buckeye up to Page
You can find us in the valley and the Reservation sage
Our deportment and demeanor will help to show we're true
As we strive to get our twenty, ten and two
Arizona, thirsty land,
We'll serve the living Water while we can.

From modern revelation, we see in Father's plan
There shall come forth pools of water, to slake the thirsty land.
The Arizona deserts, lie parching in the sun.
We're the "Pools of Living Water" that have come
to Arizona, thirsty land
We'll serve the Living Water while we can.

We never get discouraged, but if per chance we do.,
Our prayers and our companions will help to see us through
And like the noble Phoenix of legendary fame,
W just rise above the ashes and proclaim...
Arizona, thirsty land,
We'll serve the Living Water while we can.

The people here in (their areas) watch us come and go.
We seek them out and teach them, we want them all to know
That God has called an army to glorify his name
So we preach the restoration and proclaim....
Arizona, thirsty land,
We'll serve the Living Water while we can.

The things we preach from Stand Works are doctrines of our Lord
"Preach My Gospel," is the method we use to spread the word
Our "missionary Handbook" contains the rules and more
That we follow as we go from door to door.
Arizona, thirsty land,
We'll serve the Living Water while we can.

Our missionaries are the very best. Oh how I love to be with them!

The talk I gave for Zone Conference was that our missionaries were the modern day Strippling Warriors. They needed to be armed with the "Sword of the Spirit" as they taught the world the truth of the gospel. Meaning that they needed to live their lives in strict obedience so that they could be worthy to have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost direct their every actions. This was my visual and good old President Morris, being the good sport he is, agreed to be my model, after the conference was over.