WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: SPANISH FORUM Sept 8,09

Thursday, September 10, 2009

SPANISH FORUM Sept 8,09

The Spanish Forum

The Hermanas who fixed lunch

Hermanas Thompson, Capps, and Bunker (Leaving in 3 weeks)

Hermanas Thompson, Knutson, Funch, and Downey

Hermanas Alvarado, Reid, and Capps

What are they taking pictures of? Hermanas

All the Hermanas and their President

Capps, Thompson, Bunker, Reid, Downey, Knutson, Johnson,Alvarado, Ferry, Funch

Elders Cortes, Brogan, Newton, Schnepf, Jeppessen

Sister Burton and Son, John

Sisters Alvarado, Funch, and Knutson

Hermanas Downey, Reid, Johson, Ferry

Sister Ferry and Elder Miller

President Albright, John and Sis. Burton

Elder Searcy, Newton, and Gifford

Elders Cuevas, Wilkes, and Brogan

Elders DeHoyos, Schnepf, and Porter

Elders Cortez and Simmons

Elders DeNorohna, Williams, Loppe, Allred, Bowman, Johnson, and Smith

Elder Miller and Sister Johnson

Sisters Funch, Downey and Knutson

Sisters who cooked lunch

We had our 2nd Spanish Forum on Tues, the 8th of September. It was fun to get the Spanish missionaries together again. They enjoy so much visiting with each other and hearing about what is happening with other Spanish serving missionaries. They have a special bond and really need this time together.

Our Spanish Assistants, Elder Newton and Elder Cuevas, put the meeting together and did a wonderful job. Elder Cuevas conducted and Elder Newton spoke. President Burton is always an inspiring speaker. He is loud and fun and spiritual and gets them all excited with his excited personality. He brought his son, John, who also speaks Spanish as a guest speaker .

Elder Smith gave a presentation on Counseling with the Lord in all thy doings. Elders Wilkes & Bowman on Sincerity in teaching and Sisters Reid and Thompson on Maintaining the spirit in a lesson. They had grammar lesson from Elder Jeppessen. He is a remarkable young man. He came on his mission as an English speaking missionary, but learned Spanish about 3-4 months after he arrived. His companion Elder Wiles helped him learn. Elder Jeppessen read the Book of Mormon 3 times in 3 transfers in Spanish. And I believe that as a blessing for doing so, the Lord helped him become very proficient in the Spanish language.

We had a beautiful musical number by Sisters Capps, Thompson, and Bunker. All 3 of these Sisters are returning home in just 3 weeks and we will miss them terribly. They are really the most dedicated, hardworking, smart Sisters. Everyone looks up to them. Sisters Capps then spoke on The Saviors Love for All. Assistant Newton spoke on Mastering goal setting and our 2 Assistants, Elder Gannaway and Elder Gifford each took a few minutes to inspire. And they really did. They are both masters at their job and we just love them. The departing missionaries, the 3 sisters and Elders DeHoyos and Porter bore their testimonies. I bore my testimony and President Albright gave an inspiring talk to end the meeting.

We were served a delicious Spanish lunch by 9 sweet sisters who come from countries all over the world. Another fabulioso 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.