WASHINGTON D.C. SOUTH MISSION: RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR --2010!!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR --2010!!!

New Year's Eve is another one of those holidays (like Halloween) when the missionaries aren't allowed out to do missionary work for the evening. And so we allow each zone to get together at one of the churches in their zone, or at a members who invites them all to their place for the approved movie and dinner. We had our stake, the Annandale Zone to the mission home for the activity. We had a Mexican Feast and watched the movie "UP". All the zones watched the same movie. It was alot of fun to get together. This zone includes: Elders Casey Strong, Joshua Packer, Toby Peterson, Tamir Amarbat, Kevin Tye, Steven Gray, Tyler Forsberg, Jared Wethington, Benjamin Johnson, Thomas Scoble, Jacade Ross, Taylor Bell, Kyle Gifford, Brantley Shattuck, Gustavo Cuevas, Jared Allen, Brian Loppe, James Orme, Matthew Brogan, Raynaldo Barraza and Sisters Brianna Downey, Sarah Gwynn, Brooke Knutson, and Brittany Bay. This is the largest zone and it's a tight squeeze to get everyone comfortable for the movie especially with my 7 relatives here. But it was great fun and great company. LUCKY ZONE THEY GET THE BIG SCREEN

Everyone finding a spot for the movie.

Elders Gifford, Bell,Ross, Shattuck, Alen, Scoble, Gifford, and Pres. Albright

Elders Gifford and Taylor Sinquefield

A view from the upstairs landing

Good seats in the balcony

Looking down from the balcony AT THE BIG SCREEN

The couch is for the sisters, but the floor is next best.

Elders Gray and Bell

The big screen. Lucky Zone

Elders Strong, Tamir, Bay, Orme, Cuevas, and Peterson

Relaxing before the movie

My daughter Nicole, Elder Orme, Grama Joyce, Elder Allen, Elder Cuevas, Elders Tye and Gray

Elder Packer and Loppe

Sisters Knutson and Bay

Elders Wethington and Tamir

Elders Scoble, Brogan and Peterson

Elders Allen (back), Strong, Orme

Elders Packer and Tye

Elders Gray and Peterson and Orme

Elders Peterson, Orme, Packer, Forsberg

Elders Johnson and Gifford (they are not twins- just dressed alike by mistake)

Elders Peterson, Shattuck, Forsberg, Sister Downey, and Elder Gray

Taylot (son-in-law and cook), Elders Scoble and Barraza

Taylor's back, Elders Brogan, Cuevas, Wethington, Barraza, Tamir and Sis Bay

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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.