WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: Transfer Week August 2009

Friday, August 21, 2009

Transfer Week August 2009

We have 3 new missionaries arriving today

Sister Funch

Elder Wethington

Elder Kirkham

This has been a very exciting and busy week. I love transfer week even though it is so busy and exhausting. I did lots of shopping and cooking and cleaning on Monday and Tuesday and then the fun starts on Wednesday. This transfer we only had 3 new missionaries arrive in Washington DC south. But they are fantastic. President Albright and I with Elders Gannaway and Gifford picked them up at the airport on Wed afternoon. There were Elder Kirkham from Pocatello, ID and Elder Wethington from Gilbert AZ, and our sweet Sister Funch is from Valencia , CA. All 3 looked wonderful and excited to be here. We got to the mission home at about 6:00. We had 16 people for dinner: Our office staff, Office elders and Assistants, Pres. Burton and his wife and Sis Ward (Pres. Ward was out of town), Pres. and I and our 3 new Missionaries. We had ribs which is a tradition here. (Can't break tradition!) I've discovered that anything tastes good with Baby Ray Barbecue Sauce. Dinner was wonderful and everyone enjoyed getting to know our new missionaries. After dinner we head downstairs for some training and a testimony meeting. This is a very fun and spiritual time. We get to see and hear our new ones as they express their love for the gospel and it is very moving. President interviews each of them and then we have dessert and visist for a little longer. They are exhausted by then and head to bed. Early (6:30a.m.) those wonderful Assistants and office elders show up to help cook breakfast. They are such fun and hard working young men and watching them arrive at 6:30 (which means they were up at 5:30 after staying up past midnight getting things ready for today) tells you what really incredible and devoted young men they are. We feed everyone at 7:00 and then from about 7:30 to 9:30 there is more new Missionary training. We take the official pictures and We then head to the church for the big transfer meeting.

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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.