WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: Breakfast At Glen and Carolyn Davis' Home

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Breakfast At Glen and Carolyn Davis' Home

Two weeks after we arrived in the mission field we had the wonderful opportunity to have a zone breakfast with the McLean zone at the home of Glen and Carolyn Davis. This is really special for President Albright and I because of the connection we have to them. Back in the 70's, so many years ago, Glen Davis was in Las Vegas for some business. For some reason he was at Vern Albrights' Law firm (Pres. Albright's father). When he met with Vern Albright they made an immediate connection. And at the law office Glen said to my father-in-law, "You have something in your life that I don't have and I want it. What is it you have?" Vern said to him, I do and I'll tell you what it is, It's the BLUE BOOK. So he gave him a Book of Mormon. Glen and he parted ways. Glen move here to Virginia and when the missionaries found him, he was ready. He had read the book and still has the copy that Vern gave to him. They have remained in contact over the years. So here we are in Virginia and Glen and Carolyn Davis were a recent Sr. couple working in the mission office before we came. They also house 2 of our sister missionaries in their home.

The Davis' live in an area that is stunningly pretty. Sprawling estates with incredible landscapes. They live in the McLean stake which is a stake very devoted to missionary work.

The Stake President is Pres. Jerard, who is a charming and very warm man. He loves missionary work and has a breakfast each month on a Sat. morning with all the missionaries in his stake so that he can be current on everything going on in the stake. He usually has the breakfast at his home but was in the middle of a move and asked the Davis' to host the breakfast in July.

So on July 11th we went to Davis' home for this meeting. I was impressed with everything. First, Pres. Jerad knew all the missionaries and about all the investigators. He had each of them report specifically on the progress of each person. It was motivating. What a great stake President.

It was so fun to go to the Davis' home and visit with them about my in-laws and their connection to them. It's incredible how many people we have met with a connection to someone we know in Las Vegas. The Davis' live in a lovely home on 7 acres of woods. And they love to cook. They had a wonderful breakfast ready for the whole zone and we had a wonderful time. The pictures are of the home, the meeting, the yards and the Davis' on the porch. It will be so fun to visit the Davis' with Mom and Dad Albright when they come to visit.Thank you McLean Stake for the wonderful welcome to the mission and for loving missionary work.

On July 23rd after Pres. Jerard was moved into his new home, he had an openhouse for Pres. Albright and I to meet all the stake presidents in the mission. He had invited us to this a month before we even left Las Vegas. What a nice family the Jerards are. We met Sister Jerard and had a wonderful time at their new gorgeous home. We met many of the Stake Presidents or counselors and their wifes. Pres. Burton and Pres. Ward and their wifes were there also and are two special women that I am enjoying getting to know. Pres. Bill Marriott, our area authority and his daughter Debbie Harrison were also there. It was fun to visit with them also. Pres.Albright and Ron Harrison lived in the dorm together at BYU (another connection). They Jerards had a beautiful meal for us all and are very gracious. We had a wonderful time at this event also. The members here have been so kind to us and made us feel so very welcome. We love Washington DC South already and the saints here are Celestial.

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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.