Elder M. Russell Ballard 3-21-2015

The great California Fresno Mission was blessed today to have Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder D. Zachary Smith our Area Seventy host a Mission Conference – yes, that’s all 272 Missionaries together in the same place!  We were taught such wonderful things to assist us in the work of salvation and to fulfill our Missionary Purpose.  Elder Smith taught that the Missionary who loves his companion and the people with the pure love of Christ will be successful – especially as a baptizer and related an account from his mission about “Baptizing Elder Bart Brown” as an example.  Elder Hallstrom taught about priesthood lines of authority how to better work with Members.  Elder Ballard, was our master teacher and taught us how to better find by talking to everyone.  He shared that if we want to teach more we need to talk more and if we need courage to talk we should get on our knees and know what we teach. While he taught many more things which will bless this mission, suffice it to say we are all basking in the rich opportunity of being with and learning from Elder Ballard, an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It was too big of an effort and time to put a mission conference picture together with Elder Ballard, so we “settled for” this picture of our guests.  We will be sending it to all of our missionaries so that they will at least have a picture of Elder Ballard in their mission for their scrapbook.