WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: HABLA ESPANOL? Spanish Forum

Friday, August 7, 2009

HABLA ESPANOL? Spanish Forum

Spanish Forum was held on Thursday, August 6th, 2009. All spanish speaking missionaries attended and it was a great success. There are 24 Elders and 8 Sisters who speak spanish and they are wonderful and get to work with such warm and special people. I hope to be able to learn some spanish while I am here the next three years.

This forum was really exciting for our Spanish speaking missionaries. Pres. Albright felt a need to get them together and emphasize and focus on just the Spanish work in a forum setting. Pres. Burton put together most of this meeting. He is a dynamic speaker and had them in the palm of hand. His topic was, Working toward a more Effective effort in the Spanish program. Elder Newton conducted, he is a great Spanish Leader and did a good job. Then Brother Teeter, a Ward Mission leader in one of the Spanish wards spoke. He is an excellent ward mission leader and he spoke about how they should work with the Spanish leaders and the Spanish Culture. He said, quote "Be Pushy, but Patient"' "show confidence around them and help them set goals. When you work hard you are an example to them. He emphasized that we need the help of the native members to make the work in Spanish wards effective. The ward leader must know the missionaries expectations and must have daily contact with the missionaries. He was a great speaker because he was talking from personal experience. He is shown in one of the pictures with his wife.

Elders DeHoyos and Miller led a council on using Love as the motivating factor in the work. Each assistant spoke on how to have and use the spirit and as always they are inspiring.

Sister Capps, who is an example to all missionaries of how to be successful, talked about how to make every lesson a spiritual experience. Sister Burton and I bore our testimonies. And then Pres, Albright concluded. He was wonderful and they loved everything he said. He talked about beginning a program of Live your Language from 5:00 till bed without any English spoken. This is to help them become fluent in the language. And then he talked about forming Spanish Districts so they are working together all the time. The missionaries seemed very excited about this idea. Pres. Albright is a wonderful speaker with a wonderful heart and they can feel his love and excitement when he speaks.

Every word of the Forum except Pres. and I and the Assistants was in Spanish and so we had missionaries next to us interpreting what was said.

It is remarkable how the spirit can communicate even when you don't understand the language. I was so touched by this experience. The Spanish wards are wonderful, warm and affectionate people who love to spread the gospel to their friends and family. And our Spanish missionaries are working very hard and have a great desire to know the language and culture. Great Job!

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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.