WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: BREAKFAST AT THE GERARD HOME IN McLEAN

Thursday, January 21, 2010

BREAKFAST AT THE GERARD HOME IN McLEAN

The McLean Stake President and his wife, the Gerards, love the missionaries. They are so gracious and so good to our missionaries. Each month they hold a Sat. morning breakfast and feed the entire zone of missionaries and have a missionary meeting. Pres. Gerard and his counselors all attend this activity and I am amazed at how in touch they are with the missionaries and what is happening in their stake. They go around the room and have each companionship report on their work and their specific investigators. Pres. Gerard seems to always know about these investigators and wants to know how each one of them is progressing. The missionaries love to serve in his stake because they get such great support.

They serve an amazing banquet for breakfast: famous blueberry and creamcheese filled frenchtoast and lots of other things. Their home is really lovely and they open it up for so many functions. They have 8 children. Our grandchildren were with us. The Gerards insisted we bring them along. They had a blast playing with the Gerard's two little twin boys. They also gave each missionary a Christmas stocking filled with presents and goodies and a large bag filled with fresh fruits. We love the Gerards. Thanks for being such incredible stake leaders.

Their lovely home

President Gerard and his counselor, Pres Greenhalgh

President and Sis, Gerard and one of the twins

Elders Ozaki, Shattuck, and Gifford

Elders Egan and Page

Elders Ta ufoou and Elder Bolos

Elders Ottehenning and Ozaki

Sisters Banks, Murray and Battulga

Sisters Larsen and Alvarado

Elder Hall, Larsen, and Caresia

Elder Ray at the keys and Elder Page looking on

In the theater for the meeting (granddaughter Payton decided to participate for about 5 min)

Bailey and Payton and one of the twins

The dining room with missionary sisters and family

The office with Elders Hall, Simmons, Taufoou, Ray, Ottehenning, Caresia, Freeland, and Bullock

The kitchen nook with Pres. Albright, Elders Shattuck, Larsen, Page, Egan, Bell, Ross, Bolos, Gifford, Pres. Greenhalgh, and Elder Ozaki.

Sis. Murray, Alvarado, and Battulga

Taylor Sinquefield and Romney

Nicole Sinquefield and Payton

Taylor, Grama Joyce Wasden, Me(Sis. Albright, Sis. Hahn, Larsen and Banks

The kitchen and family room filled with missionaries

Sis. Hahn and Banks

Elders Gifford, Ozaki and Egan (Ozaki and Egan are the Zone Leaders)

Heading home with the grandbabies, (Payton Sinquefield)

Bailey and Cannon Sinquefield

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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.