WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: THE NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE in OUR MISSION

Saturday, August 7, 2010

THE NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE in OUR MISSION

The National Scout Jamboree was held this year at AP Hill Army Base located in our mission.It started on July 26th and ran through Wed. August 4th, 2010. 45000 scouts in one place.

The scouts allowed all religions to have booths with information about their churches.

We were asked to use our missionaries to help man the Mormon booth. This ended up an incredible experience for both the scouts and the missionaries. We had 8 Elders there each of the 10 days of the camp. So 80 of our Elders were able to participate.

The booth was beautiful with large displays and lots of literature. We also had a patch and a medallion available for the scouts. The Medallion was extremely popular and generated alot of interest. There were a list of 6 things they had to accomplish to recieve this medallion.

The elders were treated like royalty by many of the scouts. Scouts would cheer for them as they walked past or sworm them and ask questions. It was nice for them to be cheered for when they are often used to having doors slammed.

A really neat connection is that Bro and Sis Kirkham, our own Elder Kirkham's parents were asked by the church to be in charge of the booth. Our Elder Kirkham was put in charge of arranging who and how the elders got to the site.

AP Hill is an enormous base. The security was exceptionally tight and we had to have special passes. There were 45,000 scouts attending the camp and 15 thousand adults (9 army, and 6 scout leaders). I can't imagine the logistics of feeding and entertaining this many for 10 days.

It was incredible. There were so many activities for the scouts to participate in and endless amounts of badges available. They had huge arenas with super programs. What an experience.

Our booth with Elder Key, and Bullock with Sis. Kirkham and President Albright

The George Albert Smith Award. Our booth was so popular we had to expand to more space.

Elders Bramwell, Hoffer, Key, and Bullock.

Me and Sis. Kirkham

President Albright with Todd Moody and Paul Moffat

Other churches had booths

It was so HOT. I thought I would DIE. They had these little heat index cards to monitor how bad the heat was and the amount of water required to be drank. It was in the black zone when we went the first day.

Elder Hoffer cooling off behind the booth

Sis. Kirkham visits with scouts.

Elder Bullock

Pres. With some scouts from home: the Moffat and Hershey boys

Pres. and Bro. Kirkham

2 LDS boys told Mark they wanted to go on missions

One small display. (haha

They had guns of all kinds. this was some shooting game

Tents

The guarded entrance with soldiers in uniform

Each troop had their own entrance. Most troops sent a semi ahead with equipment

Soldiers everywhere. We came in the back entrance where it was quicker The front entrance had a beautiful stone fence and signs. But the wait to get in was an hour.

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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.