WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: MISSION PRESIDENT'S SEMINAR

Each year they have a Mission President's seminar. Ours was held in Washington DC this year. We stayed at a Marriott about 10 minutes from the temple. Each day classes were held at the Temple Visitor's Center. The seminar was for the North America Northeast Area. It was held from Saturday, October 10 to Tuesday, October 13, 2009. It included 26 mission Presidents and their wives from places as far as the Canada Halifax mission, Tornoto, and Montreal missions. Also the Michigan, Ohio,New Jersey, Maryland, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, and Washington. Also included were Area Medical Advisors, the Area Executive Secretary (William Ashcraft). Also attending were 10 Area Seventies: Elders Nolan D. Archibald, David L Cook, Gary L. Crittenden, Matthew J. Erying, Ralph W. Hardy, J Christopher Lansing, Willard Marriott, T. David Murray, Walter C. Selden, and Robert B. Smith. From the 1st quorum of 70 were: Elders Bruce A Carlson, Paul P. Pieper, and Jay E. Jensen. And we were so blessed to have Elder Richard G. Scott with us for 4 whole days. It was an amazing seminar. We listened to these wonderful brethren speak for about 20 hours. Elder Scott spoke to us and led councils for many of those hours. We attended a temple session as a group also. On the final day, we went a tour of some of the sights in Washington DC--the Lincoln, Vietnam, and Korean War Memorials, and the American History Museum. We had a great week and I especially enjoyed visiting the other wives and hearing about their missions.

President Albright and I with Elder Scott in front of Elder Hardy's home.

Coming out of the temple

The temple spires.

Elder Scott as the Visitors Center. He met two of our sisters who were visiting the center one day with an investigator. He gave them all hugs and encouraged the investigator to be baptized. What a great experience for our Sisters.

Taking group pictures in the parking lot.

Visiting at the Hardy's home

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.

WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION

Saturday, October 24, 2009

MISSION PRESIDENT'S SEMINAR

No comments:

Post a Comment