WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: ZONE CONFERENCE FREDERICKSBERG Jan 18,2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

ZONE CONFERENCE FREDERICKSBERG Jan 18,2010

The last Zone Conference of the transfer was in Fredericksberg on Mon, Jan 18. This conference was alot of fun. This group was very open and talkative and we had lots of fun participation. President Albright starts each conference out with stories about the mission and compliments everyone on how well the mission is doing. He told this story from Elder Lee.

He and his companion had all their appointments fall through one day and that was discouraging and so they spent hours tracting and hadn't had any luck. They were feeling pretty sad and sat down on the curb dejected. As they were sitting there a man who was obviously drunk came walking (stumbling ) up and sat down next to them. (picturing this is kind of funny). He asked them " so what's different about your church"? Who would of thought he would care? Well they visited with him, set up an appointment and he was baptized 2 weeks later. Elder Rusk and Walls had 17 investigators at Sacrament meeting on one Sunday. They are all people from Napal. They are having great success with this group of wonderful people.

The zone leaders are Elders Smith and Johnson. For their presentation on finding the one they jumped up and asked "what is one way we can get the One? and Elder Ross jumped up in a split second and roped Elder Johnson from clear across the room and he said, "Here's one way".

It was so funny. Everyone just laughed and laughed. Elder Ross is our mission cowboy. He is a professional rodeo roper and has set roping records. They talked about reaching the "Apostolic standard" each week and encouraged their zone with a commitment to "Be the Apostolic Zone"

The zone includes: Elder Johnson sitting, lst row:LaRochelle, Smith, Ockler, Thompson, Ross, Pomeroy, Logan, Sis. and Pres Albright, 2nd row: Knowles, Walls, Baldwin, Bales, Hutchinson,

Bell and Johnson. Back row: Scoble, Knechel, Rusk, Turley, Strong, McFarlane, Neilson, Wasden, and Kelley.

The ward that fixed our lunch was so incredible. They put on a Luau for us. They decorated everything like Hawaii and had all this wonderful food. We even were given Leis for everyone to wear. Even the bishop came and helped. they had a sign with the theme

MISSIONARIES HAVE GOSPEL FEVER!!!

We had district pictures in front of this Hawaiian backdrop. Elders Hutchinson, Logan, Lee, Pomery, Turley and Searcy. Hang Loose

attempting a little hula

Elders LaRochelle, Ockler, Kelley, Knechtel in front, Bales, Neilson, Johnson and Smith

Elders McFarlane and Wasden front and Walls, Rusk, Baldwin and Knowles

Elders Turley, Thompson, LaRochelle, and Smith

The Hawaiian cooks

Singing

Elders McFarlane, Ross, Walls, and Rusk

Elder Kelley

Elder Turley and Lee

Elders Logan and Lee

Elders Bell and Scoble learning the hula

The cooks join us for lunch

Elders LaRochell, Wasden and McFarlane

Elders Ockler, Hutchinson, and Knechtel

Elders Bales, Ross, Johnson, Baldwin, Scoble, and Knowles

Elders Cornder, Kelley, Neilson, Bell, Logan, Lee and Turley

Elders Ockler, Hutchinson, Knechel, LaRochelle, Wasden and Bales with Pres Albright

Elders Rusk, Thompson, Pomeroy, Smith, Walls and Johnson

The tables looked very festive and they had fresh fruit decorated and cut really cute in the center, the most delicious Pork, rice, homemade rolls, (we could smell them baking during the morning session of conference) and lots of great desserts
Missionaries Have Gospel Fever!!!

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Stephanie Smith Fireside

Last Sunday evening we were privileged to attend a fireside in the mission. It was held at a beautiful old chapel in McLean. One of the pictures shows the inside of the chapel and the wood beams on the very steep-pitched ceiling of the room. The gym is under the chapel in the basement. I have never seen a floorplan like this one. Very unique. This fireside hosted Sister Stephanie Smith. Her story was in the Ensign sometime in the last year. She has a remarkable conversion story. She has held very high government positions and at one time was 5th in command at the CIA. She said something at the first of her talk that I wrote down: she said, "I've been on some remarkable adventures. But no adventure in my lifetime has been as extraordinary and life-changing as my path to conversion and baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She then told about her introduction to the church. She was at a time in her life with tremendous worldly success achieved after clawing her way to the top without any regard for others, and she felt her life was shattering into a million pieces. At this time she turned to a colleague she admired who was a member of the church. He told her two things. That her Heavenly Father knew her by name and loved her and that Heavenly Father had a plan for her success. The next day he sent her a map to the temple visitor center. She told how when the missionary sisters came to her door, she didn't think she could relate to these young women. The first thing they did was ask if they could sing to her. They sang,"I am a Child of God." That was the beginning of her conversion, a long a beautiful story. You can read it on the web at Meridian Magazine. Her testimony was a real inspiration to me. There were over 350 people there and she does a great missionary work speaking to investigators. What a blessing to have heard her and felt her spirit.

Chelsea Our recent Convert

We have met the sweetest young sister. Chelsea is amazing. She joined the church during the last year and has an incredible testimony also. She never misses any missionary function and we were able to take her with us to the Stephanie Smith Fireside. She also came to the mission home a few weeks ago and we had family night. She gave the lesson and is was unbelievable. She is hoping to go on a mission next year. What a great young woman. This is a picture of her with Elders Ganaway and Gifford.