June 26, 2017

   How great it was last weekend to have Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy visit our mission for a tremendous mission conference, and he was the visiting authority for the Suitland Stake Conference as well. He and his wife were so interesting to listen to and feel of their spirit, I could have listened to them for many more hours.  It was very special to meet them individually and feel the love they have for missionaries and missionary work.

        We have had a very busy week with the two White Plains wards merged into one and trying to help our Relief Society president get to know the sisters she has not previously known, as well as locate sisters who have been lost.  What a challenging responsibility she has now with about 400 sisters in the ward (at least on the ward record!)  So along with the visiting and looking for other sisters, we have had organizational meetings, as well as meeting with the ward mission leader and missionaries to see how to be more productive with the work here.

        How fun to have Maurie and Christy be able to come for a visit this week - it has been so great to have them here for a few days.  While they were here, we were able to tour the FBI building in Washington D.C. with Stacie - the lighting made it hard to get a good picture inside, but it was very interesting learning about all the FBI does!  

With Stacie in FBI Building

Maurie & Christy

Washington D.C.Temple

       Then it was so nice going to the temple with Maurie and Christy - in the temple where Christy was sealed to her parents 37 years ago!  What a special place it is for them as well as me!  I love each time I am able to be in this beautiful and holy place, especially with family! 

        After doing apartment inspections of the elders Friday we met with the new Stake Relief Society president who assigns us our areas.  She is getting use to her own responsibilities, and she knows we are keeping plenty busy for now, so we will probably stay as we are for awhile.  I was glad Maurie and Christy were able to see part of Washington D.C. that day - sounds like they saw a lot of places Friday, without my help!

At Mount Vernon

Along the Potomac River

        Then Saturday we were able to spend the morning with them at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, one of my favorite places to visit!   I know George Washington was divinely inspired in so many ways with the founding of America.   He was such a great leader and helped make it possible for us to enjoy the great freedoms we have in this country today!  Because of our "founding fathers" America became a fertile place for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored to the earth, where there was freedom to worship as we please. What a wonderful blessing this is, one I hope never to take for granted! 

         I loved having Maurie and Christy come to our White Plains Ward and meet some of the great people I have grown to love here, and to have the people here meet my kids! (well some of them!)  It was our first time with both wards meeting all together, so it was a large turnout!   After giving them some lunch in our very simple apartment, we drove to D.C. to see a few of the memorials they had not yet had time to see - the Lincoln Memorial, World War II and VietNam Memorials.  It was a very special day to spend with Maurie and Christy, and hard to say "good-bye" !   It is so good to know they are taking care of everything at home for me!  

Lincoln and Washington Memorials

       Now, back to work!  Searching for the lost, and those who are seeking for the truth!  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and want to share it with everyone I meet - active, inactive, members, and nonmembers!  I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity!   Love to you all!                                

June 18th, 2017

Rouge with step-day, Joel

 June 10th, 2017
        Today was a very special day with the Labtic family as Joel baptized Iris's son, Rouge, into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  After going to many of the lessons while the elders taught Rouge, and dinner with them at the Labtic's house, we were so delighted to be a part of the baptism and feel the spirit there.  Quite a few members of the ward attended, which we were so glad to see, to show him that support and friendship.  He was confirmed the following day at Sacrament meeting.  We love being a part of their family!

Elders Rowley, Buchanan and Criddle

Labtic family with elders

Sister Brown and myself with Labtics and elders

Joel with Kimber

Rouge with Elders Rowley and Criddle
 

So big changes Sunday at Sacrament meeting;  the White Plains 1st and White Plains 2nd wards had a joint meeting, where the two wards were merged together into one ward.  It makes for a huge ward, but many inactive or lost people.  Now it seems to make sense why we have spent so much time looking for the different sisters on the Relief Society lists, so that we can assure them in both wards of those who no longer live in this area and hopefully help them clean up their ward records some.  The 1st ward was totally dissolved, all those serving in it released from their jobs, so it will be very interesting to see the changes make to ward callings as they try to assimilate everyone.  I hope it will help strengthen the entire area, especially to combine the youth programs.
       

Pres. & Sis.Johnson

Jim Tate, taking us sailing

Sisters on sailboat

The Senior missionaries met last Saturday for a day of sailing with some of the members in the Calvert Ward (Jim and Sharon Tate, no relation that we can figure out), which is an annual tradition for them.  Not only do they take all the senior missionaries out on the Patuxent River on their sailboat, but they supply crabs, freshly caught and steamed, for us to enjoy!  It was a fun day with the other missionaries and nice to have some down time with everyone, even Pres. and Sis. Johnson!

Tate's sailboat

Sis. Tate digging out crab

Lunch after sailing trip

Today has been another very special day.  We spent 4 hours this morning at a missionary conference with Elder Brent H. Nielsen of the Seventy and his wife.  I felt so well-taught by such a wonderful leader in the church, and motivated in our work of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.  Then tonight he also came to our stake conference, so we were able to hear his wife and him speak again - powerful and inspiring!  I look forward to the morning session tomorrow to be instructed and taught by them again!

         This has been a really marvelous week, so many great experiences and really feeling the love and strength of our Father in Heaven as we continue serving Him the best we can.  My love for the Savior grows continuously as I see His work progress here in Maryland.  Love you all! 

June 9, 2017

I know you are all "anxiously" waiting for my next post, as somehow the days have slipped by and I have not written!  We are keeping busy, getting to know sisters in the Calvert area, and trying to help where we can.  One of the fun "new" things is that there are now young sister missionaries in that area as well as us - except they are assigned full time to that one ward alone.

Sis, Thompson and Sis. Lusk

So the days we go to the Calvert Ward, we try to check on them, see if we can help them out, or take them to lunch.  Sister Thompson and Sister Lusk are so enthusiastic and fun to be around - and we feel like their grandmothers, making sure they are okay.  We try to pass on any referrals or names of part member families that we have contacted, so that they can go to teach them!

Dares Beach View

Typical farm sign

We love seeing the beauties of the areas we drive through, the very green trees, beaches and beautiful flowers.  People here have to fence their gardens to keep the many animals (deer, rabbits, squirrels, etc.) from eating their produce.

Fenced in garden

Interesting barn

A lot of the homes are spread far apart from each other and there are a lot more farms than I expected to see here in Southern Maryland!  We love finding sisters home to visit, and are getting to know this area and the people in this ward pretty well.
        
One of the really great advantages of being a senior missionary is that we can spend time with family either that live in the area or if they come here to visit.  That is just what I did last Saturday, going to visit Stacie and her family in Virginia!  I got to see one of Liam's soccer games, attend his first piano recital, and have fun watching the kids at their "Montclair Days".

Liam's soccer game

First piano recital for Liam

Montclair Days activities

They rode ponies, played games, Isla had her face painted, went down the water slide - what a fun day for them!  (and me too!)  Then we took a boat ride on the lake by David and Stacie's house - and relaxed!  What a special day!

With Stacie's family on boat

Isla with painted face!

The Lord's work continues here in Southern Maryland and I love being here and being a part of these wards, trying what we can to strengthen the members and bring them closer to Christ.  Rouge Labtic is getting baptized this weekend, a special occasion we have been greatly looking forward to!
       I love all of you, I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the joy and happiness it brings.  The Lord has blessed me so immensely while serving this mission.  It is such a great experience and I am so grateful to be here at this time.  Have a fantastic week and stay happy!