Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
June 2011
June 2011 President’s Message
In our zone conferences last transfer, we talked about keeping all parts of our missionary work in balance. We reviewed the fact that over the past year we have introduced the new, simplified curriculum lessons, which have really helped us improve our teaching. We’ve learned to teach better with the Spirit by pausing, asking inspired questions, listening, discerning through the Spirit, and then teaching to meet the needs of the investigator. We’ve understood better than ever before that investigators must make and keep commitments to repent, pray, study the Book of Mormon, and attend Church if they are to gain their own testimonies. We have practiced inviting investigators to be baptized in the first lesson. I believe we have really improved our teaching.
Then, two transfers ago, at our last Zone Conferences, we focused on planning with the Spirit and organizing our areas so that we can work smart. We talked about finding and visiting less active and fully active members as the most effective ways to find new investigators.
In our most recent zone conferences, we’ve talked about the reality that we’ve got to focus on all three of those aspects (planning, finding, teaching) to move to the next level. We’ve set a new Standard of Excellence of 2-3 new investigators per week per companionship. We are excited about bringing all three elements of our missionary work into balance, and really moving to the next level.
We love you! President Nelson
June Departures
The June 2011 Missionary “Departures” are as follows:
Sisters Language
Sister MayLyn Bartschi English
Elders
Elder Matthew Bonham Spanish
Elder Jacob Byington Spanish
Elder Jordan Call Spanish
Elder Andrew Cottrell Spanish
Elder Jared Cragun English
Elder Kelvin Curtis Spanish
Elder David Gourdin English
Elder Justin Judd English
Elder Brandon Kenney Spanish
Elder Joel Morales Spanish
Elder Corwin Oakes Spanish
Elder Lance Watkins Spanish
June Arrivals
The June 2011 “Arrivals” from the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah are as follows:
Sisters Language
Sister Tirsit Kathy Valentine English
Sister Kaitlin Elise Gray Spanish
Elders
Elder Alejandro Albornoz Spanish
Elder Jared Brandon Alvarado English
Elder George Samuel Bond Spanish
Elder Derek Daniel Crabtree English
Elder Jordon J. Crayton Spanish
Elder Steven James Holbrook Spanish
Elder Joshua P. King Spanish
Elder Timothy A. Matthews Spanish
Elder Mahonry Moises Meza Spanish
Elder Raymond Folau Moala Spanish
Elder Byron Ray Schlechty English
Elder Jordan Walton Spanish
Elder Elder Jason C. Warhurst Spanish
Talk On The Streets
A recent statement of the Church sent out is as follows, “We have no desire to react or acknowledge the musical itself. This proposal (below) seeks to take advantage of the top of mind awareness by establishing a New York City presence.”
Proposals
We desire to cover the greater Manhattan area with transit and out advertisements June through September, 2011. This will coincide with the Tony Awards to be held on June 12 and will enable a presence as the ‘Book of Mormon Musical’ continues to receive media attention.” This would include:
*Times Square digital and static billboard
*Outdoor digital panel advertising in multiple Midtown locations
*Heavy advertising in subway stations
*Heavy advertising on subway trains
*Heavy advertising on taxi cabs
General Authorities’ Visit
In June, our Mission was privileged to receive a visit from Elder Craig Christensen of the Seventy and his wife Debborah and Elder Gerritt W. Gong of the Seventy and his wife, Susan. They were on a Mission Tour—the first for Elder Gong.
Elders Christensen and Gong and their wives have spend years “on the road” in service to the Church. Elder and Sister Christensen spent seven years living in Mexico. He served as Mission President and as well as president of the Mexico South Area. Elder Gong and his wife are en route in Hong Kong where they will be living for a number of years. Elder Gong will be serving in the Area Presidency.
While they were here, they held two Conferences for the missionaries as well as two firesides. The Christensens held a fireside for the Spanish-speaking members in the Plainview Stake (they both delivered their talks in Spanish). The Gongs held a fireside in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn where they spoke in Chinese (Sister Gong served her mission in Taiwan?). Their mission tour also included a trip to Times Square in Manhattan to view the Church’s current media campaign — I Am a Mormon/ Mormon.org.
Notification was received by the missions that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have recently approved changes in the policies regarding senior missionaries. The downturn in the economy, has made it increasingly difficult for many senior couples to fulfill missions—many retirement funds targeted for missionary service have been significantly diminished. The policies will hopefully make it possible for more couples to serve.
Service. “As of September 1, 2011, couples may serve for 6, 12, 18, or 23 months. In addition, there will be a $1,400 per month cap established for housing costs. This will be especially beneficial in the New York South Mission since housing costs are among the most expensive in the world. There will also be help provided to cover utilities and furnishings. Couples will continue to pay for food and other personal expenses.
“The cap on housing costs is intended to allow more couples to serve and allow Church leaders to make assignments without being constrained by whether couples can afford housing costs.”
Area Organization – The “Map Plan”
“Organize yourselves, prepare every needful thing, and establish an area, even an area of order (DC 109:8, with some liberties).
Simply speaking,
(a) Area organization starts by organizing the Branch or Ward directory and entering the member names, addresses, etc. on an Excel spread sheet—active as well as less active, then adding investigators, former investigators, referrals, etc. (b) Missionaries then get a map of their proselyting area and divide it up into smaller zones marking the location of every member in that zone. (c) They reduce the size of the maps and names so that they fit in their planners—the map on one page and the lists of corresponding names on the opposite page, so everything is visible at a glance.
As many missionaries stated, they now always have a specific place to go—a person to look for. They focus on people not streets. It makes planning easier and enables the missionary to “work smart.” In their Daily Plans, their goal is to have a name written down to visit for every hour.
“The Map” It’s a three-part process. (a) Find the address (hopefully someone is home), (b) 2-2-5. Then knock at least the two doors on each side and five across the street or across the hall (c) the third part of the plan is to “fearless” -- the mission word for contacting people you meet on the street as missionaries travel to and from the address.
“In Astoria, Queens I knocked 1,060. doors (I counted them). We got a few call backs, but no progressing investigators. What I learned through that experience was that there are far more effective ways to find people to teach, and that is through members.”
“When I came into the mission, I equated finding investigators with knocking doors. I spent hours and hours….I learned the painful way that it didn’t work. I was not working smart. I wish I had the tools that we are receiving now. It would have completely changed my mission.
“Missionaries will never have to open their Daily Planners and find empty pages again. It makes it much easier to implement the directives found in Preach My Gospel. It will revolutionize our approach to planning and finding.”
“I love this new “map system” way of working. It really provides more structure and helps us exercise faith that Heavenly Father will put the right people in our path. We even have a success story from putting it into action! We were looking up a less-active member and in the elevator of her building I struck up a short by friendly conversation with a man. Well, we knocked on the less active member’s door and no answer. So we decided to do the 2-2-5 rule. We knocked a few doors with “Católica” stickers and got rejected right away. Then we went up two flights of stairs and I heard Spanish through a door, knocked on it and the door flies open with the man from the elevator sitting with his family at their table having family dinner all together at 8:30 pm (very rare for NYC). The man looked pleased to see us and the family listened intently as we testified of the Book of Mormon and how it blesses families. They accepted a return appointment. I know that Heavenly Father is very aware of where we are and as we listen to the still small voice to the spirit, we will be led to the people we would have us speak with. Great work to be a missionary.”
Comparative Religion ClassStoney Brook University, April 2012
In April, President and Sister Nelson were invited to make a presentation to comparative religion at
Stoney Brooke University. The arrangements were made by Elder Click and Elder Westover. The
presentation began by explaining a little about our missionary program:
*There are six languages in the mission--Spanish, the largest, English, Mardarin, Cantonese,
Korean, and American Sign Language.
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the 4th largest religious in the United States --
it's currently larger outside the US than in.
*Missionaries are not paid by the Church—they pay their own way.
*The word, Mormon, is a nickname. In Old Testament times a branch was broken off in times
during the times of Zedekiah before the destruction of Jerusalem. Lehi, a prophet, and his family
were led to the Americas where he and other prophets continued prophecying of the birth of
Jesus Christ and his teachings—a witness
President Nelson began by relating the story of the Restoration and the appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith.Everybody was encouraged to participate and ask any questions as we went along. Some of the questions were as follows:
Q. Is the Book of Mormon more important than the Bible?
A. No, we believe in both of them. As it reads in the introduction to the Book of Mormon, the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel as does the Bible.
Q. What happens to babies who die?
A. They get a straight shot to heaven (some were visibily surprised).
Q. So you are saying that God has a physical presence?
A. Yes
Q. I am a Catholic. Do you believe in Peter and what he taught—when he was given the leadership of the church?
A. Yes.
Q. What about the priesthood and women?
A. For example, the Relief Society is a world-wide organization—the largest women’s organization in the world. The women are the presidents. Women also lead world-wide organizations of young women, youth and children. All positions operate under the umbrella of the Priesthood.
Q. Is Utah like the Vatican of Mormonism?
A. Yes. Utah is the “Vatican” of Mormonism.
Q. Do you have a living prophet today?
A. Yes, Thomas S. Monson
Q. What is revelation--what form does it take?
A. Mostly thoughts and feelings that come to the head and heart. We all receive revelation because we all have the light of Christ.
Q. It says here that you have the potential to become Gods--is that true?
A. Yes, we are literal sons and daughters of God. We Have the potential to become like him.
Q. Why did they kill Joseph Smith?
A. They didn’t like him. The Mormons were becoming numerous and very strong (at one point a city they founded, Nauvoo, grew to be larger than Chicago) . From a political standpoint, people feared that the Mormons would take over politics. The fact was Mormons were only interested in seeking religious freedom.
Q. What about polygamy?
A. Plural marriage is not practiced by our Church. It is, however, part of our history. The show on television has nothing to do with us.
Q. Why don’t blacks go to heaven?
A. They do. They just couldn’t officiate in the affairs of the church until the 1970’s. They have the same rights as everybody else.
Q. The Book of Mormon--is it done being written?
A. Yes.
Scripture
The Lord has commanded, “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). He has counseled us to learn the gospel and to gain an understanding “of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—that [we] may be prepared in all things” (D&C 88: 78-80).
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
March 2011
March 2011 President and Sister Nelson’s Message
(This is a copy of a Message as it appeared in the February 2011 Mission Newsletter, after the visit of Kevin Pearson of the Seventy. He conducted a day long conference for the mission on Saturday, February 5th.)
--Dear Elders and Sisters
Sister Nelson and I loved what we learned during Elder Pearson’s visit. There were so many deeply meaningful lessons about the importance of our personal decisions. He made the point several times that we are now, and will be at the end of our lives, the accumulation of all the large (there are really not to many of these) and seemingly small (there are too many of these to count) decisions we make. We choose how obedient we will be, and receive the blessings of faith and spiritual strength in exact proportion to our decisions about obedience.
Sister Nelson and I believe that this same principle holds true for our Mission as a whole. The more we as a Mission are united in obedience and love, the more faith and spiritual strength we will receive. As we receive more faith and spiritual strength, we will be able to bless the lives of others better. It’s a pretty simple formula. As we were pondering this formula, it occurred to us that we, as a Mission, are just like our investigators. We have talked a great deal about the fact that we can bring the Spirit to them and their hearts can be touched by the Spirit, but it is only after they make commitments and carry them out that they can gain testimony and strength. We are just like that. We were all touched by the Spirit during Elder Pearson’s visit. That was nice. But it will only be after we have made real commitments to change and be specifically better in individual and Mission wide weak areas that we will have an increase in faith and spiritual power. Only then will we be able to better bless the lives of others.
We will be talking about how and what we want to change as a Mission. It is our great hope that individually we wil also prayerfully examine our lives and make real, identifiable commitments to change. It is only through these commitments as a Mission and individually that we will bless the lives of others as a result of Elder Pearson’s visit.
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Missionary Letter--Change
“Stop telling your mom you’re going on a mission—because you’re not going!” My stepdad was wrong.
I was seventeen years old when I received my answer: the Church is true. At that moment I knew what the Lord expected of me. I was to serve a mission. After I came to this resolve, nothing worked out as expected. Friends left on missions while I stayed home dealing with the many setbacks that defined my life. I had no one to rely on; I was on my own.
Two years passed; no one expected me to leave on a mission. But I was quick to remember my resolve. I did everything in my power to serve a mission. I was working three jobs, with seventeen hour work days to pay off a large debt that had accumulated. My call came: New York City.
Through this I learned that I don’t need support from others to achieve my righteous desire. Yet, as I reflect, I realize the Lord was with me the whole time; I was never alone.
Before the divorce, I measured life in homeruns, family vacations, and parties. Change was dad moving out. Change was divorce. Change was leaving home much sooner in life than expected. Change was driving to an uncertain future in a jeep stuffed with everything I owned. Change was unwelcome. Change was terrifying.
Graduation came and went, leaving behind an education I didn’t care to work for and a lifestyle I didn’t care to live.Change is Jorge telling me to go on a mission. Change is traveling across Brooklyn on the Q56 bus in a suit, tie, and scratched nametag knowing that after a life of failures, I would not fail God. Change is seeing people like John give up lifelong addictions once having heard about the Restored Gospel. Change is the Atonement.
I measure my life by seeing the dark change to light through the Atonement. Nothing impassions me more than working to help others change. While knocking the streets of Queens, the greatest change I’ve witnessed is my own. I am not the man I once was.
My greatest passion? Change.
General Authority Visits
March 5th. On the weekend of March 4th – 6th the New York South Mission was honored with the visits of Elder Neil L. Anderson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Senior President the Seventy, and Bishop Richard C. Edgely, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. The General Authorities were all in Manhattan attending a special Priesthood Leadership Conference over the weekend.
On Friday the 4th, there was a Youth Fireside held in Queens with Elder Rasband and his wife and Bishop Edgley. He opened the meeting for questions and answers. Numerous questions and comments centered on the challenges of being a Mormon in New York City in these times—especially in a school situation.
On Saturday the 5th, Elder Anderson, Bishop Edgely and Elder Rasband presided over a Special Mission Conference for the New York South Mission. It was held in Rego Park, Queens.
On Sunday the 6th, Elder Anderson presided at a Special Stake Conference held in Brooklyn at the Grand Prospect Hall. At the same time, Bishop Edgely presided at the special Stake Conference held in Plainview, on “the Island.”
The whole weekend was a very unique opportunity for all. Seldom, if ever, have there been so many General Authorities visiting our Mission at the same time.
Bermuda. Elder Rasband, in one of his talks, said that as a young missionary he served for nine months in Bermuda when it was a part of the Eastern States Mission. During his mission, he also walked the streets of Queens and Brooklyn. He recalls that at that time there were only ten companionships serving on the whole area of Long Island. Elder Rasband later returned to the New York North Mission to preside as Mission President.
Brooklyn. The Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, built in 1892, is a beautiful structure that still reflects its former splendor. It was built with the full support of the politicians, businessmen, religious leaders, and masons, who wanted a social, cultural, and political mecca for Brooklyn. The intent was to create a “French Renaissance hall echoing the embellishments of Versailles.” It was noted by one observer at the time, “Everyone who enters the extravagant lobby and spectacular spaces feels taller, more important, grander.” Today it is still in use--as noted by the Special Conference held there on Sunday, May 6th.
Woodside. The Woodside chapel in Queens formerly housed a Bulova Watch factory which employed disabled Word War II veterans. Under what are now the stake offices, was a large pool (described as some as approaching Olympic size) used for rehabilitation. More Memories
Manhattan. The French Embassy in Manhattan is currently housed in a beautiful old mansion located on 5th Avenue and 79th Street, across from Central Park. Bishop Edgley remembers when it was the Mission Home for and Mission office the East States Mission. He said that was rumored that the staircase scene in Gone With the Wind was filmed there.
Port Washington. In one of our conversations with Elder Anderson, he told us about a young Jewish man named Seth Quackenbush who lived a few doors down from the present mission home in Port Washington—the home where President and Sister Nelson currently reside. Seth had graduated from high school and was on his way to a college in Massachusetts. Elder Anderson, who was a member of the Seventy at the time, was visiting the New York South Mission and happened to be at the Mission Home when Seth dropped by. They met each other and almost as an afterthought, Elder Anderson asked Seth if he would like to meet some other students that would be attending the college. Seth said, yes. The rest is history. Seth was baptized into the Church. Later, he met a young woman who had also converted from Judiasm to Mormonism. They were married in the Washing DC Temple.
This occurrence brings to mind Elder Wigginton, who left the New York South mission just before the arrival of President and Sister Nelson. He was also a Jewish convert to Mormonism—he was studying to become a rabbi. Upon his conversion, he was immediately disowned by his family. He served a faithful mission.
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Pass Along CardsTo: General Authorities and Following Leaders in English-Speaking Units, Domestic and Internation: Area Seventies; Stake, Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops and Branch Presidents
From: Missionary Department
Subject: Mormon.org and New Pass-Along Cards for Members and Missionaries
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The following notice is principally for mission presidents, but also for stake and ward leaders to make them aware of the new products and information.
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A national advertising campaign focusing on the redesigned mormon.org began earlier this year on thousands of Internet sites. The campaign uses banner and other Internet advertisements featuring links to and video portraits from mormon.org. These advertisements have helped produce a 70 percent increase in visitors to mormon.org.In conjunction with this initiative, the January issue of the Ensign contains an insert highlighting ways members can share the gospel using new pass-along cards and the mormon.org website. Mission presidents should encourage missionaries to discuss the insert with members. We encourage stake and ward members as well as all missionaries to begin using the new cards immediately. Instructions for ordering additional cards are attached.
Given the nationwide Internet campaign and the value of mormon.org as a teaching resource, we ask that mission presidents assign all missionaries to visit mormon.oorg and become familiar with its content. Missionaries should not be assigned to review mormon.org (especially the video portraits) changes regularly, missionaries should visit the site frequently. Ideas for using mormon.org in finding and teaching activities are included in the attachment.
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Training Resource:
Mormon.org and Pass-Along Cards Background. Years of research and experience have shown that the most effective way to understand members of the Church is to meet one. The redesigned mormon.org website provides an invitation for people to view profiles of individual Church members (with the opportunity to connect with them through their social networks) and to chat with missionaries. Each profile on mormon.org has stories and testimonies from Church members from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Although each member is unique, visitor to the site will find a unified message that we believe in and follow Jesus Christ. The redesigned mormon.org and pass-along cards hope to respond to myths and misperceptions about the Church and open lines of communication for those not of our faith with Church members and missionaries.
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National Advertising Campaign. An internet advertising campaign is currently underway on thousands of websites. Vistors to sites such as facebook.com, foxnews.com, ehow.com, whitepages.come, and cnn.com will see banner advertisements. Visitors to popular sites such as hulu.com and YouTube will see video ads based on the portraits found on mormon.org. To see a sampling of the banner ads and video ads, go to boncom.com/mormon. Please note that this site also contains sample radio and billboard ads that are not running nationally.
Ideas for Using the Internet Campaign
*Members can use them to initiate a conversation about the Internet campaign.
*Mission presidents could encourage missionaries to be appropriately creative. For example, they might use the front of the cards to initiate a conversation about the diverse make up of the Church and our unifying belief in Jesus Christ.
*Various way. Missionaries can use the back of the cards in a variety of ways. They can write the address to the mormom.org profile of local Church members. (b) to write the address of specific pages of mormon.org, chapel and address and meeting times, a sorry we missed you” message for cancelled appointement or to set a specific appointment time and date.
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From Missionary Department—Mormon.org and New Pass-Along Cards for Members and Missionaries
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DAILY DOSE
Queens Parent publication, January, 2011
In December 2010, the Missionary Department released a new language training methodology.
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Daily Dose.
For years free English classes have been offered by our Missionaries to the public. We have no idea when these classes began nor where. All we know is that have been an integral part of our mission for many years. They are used as tools to spread the message of the gospel. Many people who are interested in learning English find that they are also interested in knowing more about the Church.
At the end of last year, the Church released a new program (it’s been several years in development) called Daily Dose. It will now be used in the English programs in the United States and Canada. Our mission has adopted it. It’s a completely different approach from how we have been teaching in the past. Before the missionaries made up their own lessons—now the lessons will be standardized (Just because you can speak a language doesn’t mean you know how to teach it).
The Daily Dose “kickoff” for the New York South Mission was in January, 2011. The following was a media release in the NY Queens Parent publication.
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Media Release The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been dedicated to offering ESL classes to the communities they serve for years. What’s different for the new year, is a new approach to teaching the classes that livens up things and gets students talking right away. Prompted by the desire to standardize their classes and make things, well, just more interesting, the church administration worked with a professional company to create a program called “Daily Dose.” It’s a dose of good fun, with students standing in small groups, called “huddles,” and working with a colorful graphic dialogue poster and an instructor, they are engaged in conversation right away. “It’s an exciting approach to learning a language. It’s an opportunity to start [practicing] speaking the language instead of memorizing words, nouns and verbs,” says William Nelson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints New York South Mission. Classes will be available throughout Queens at various Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints chapels and are open free to the public. Community members are welcome as volunteer ELS instructors. The church will provide training.(Contact number, 917-583-0595).
loisabarrett@yahoo.com
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March “Departures”The March 2011 Missionary “Departures” are as follows:
Sisters Language
Sister Cindy Arlin Calderon Spanish
Sister Jennifer Olsen Spanish
Sister Taeko Marie Smith English
Sister Sara Jan Sorenson Spanish
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Elders
Elder Alexander Castro Spanish
Elder Christopher Davis Spanish
Elder Lance Ole Einerson Spanish
Elder Benjamin Flores Spanish
Elder Stephen Griener Spanish
Elder Jacob Brent Hatch Spanish
Elder Daniel Craig Mosman Spanish
Elder Tyler James Nielsen English
Elder Corey Glade Olsen English
Elder Brick Cory Petty Spanish
Elder Emiliano Pucheta Spanish
Elder Claudio Reyes Spanish
Elder Nicolas Rudaz Spanish
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March “Arrivals”
The March 2011 “Arrivals” from the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah are as follows:
Sisters Language
Sister Summer Leone Dumas English
Sister Cyrena Marie Fifield Spanish
Sister Alyson Paige Harry Spanish
Sister Kori Ann Nelson Spanish
Elders
Elder Chase Kris Davis Spanish
Elder Jeffery Robert Click English
Elder Jeffery Scott Lewis Spanish
Elder Dallin Knapp McEwen Spanish
Elder Anthony Dwight Moore Spanish
Elder Kraig Eugene Peterson English
Elder Joshua Blake Roberts Spanish
Elder John Heath Sanford Spanish
Elder Christian David Lascano English
Elder Steven Roberts Spanish
Elder Gabriel Enrique Parra Spanish
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Mission Video Filming
A young woman by the name of Sharida Saeed Frias, a student (senior) at Brooklyn College was riding a bus on her way to her Broadcast Journalism class empty-handed. She had a homework assignment due and she had nothing to show for it. She needed to identify the subject that she was going to feature on her five minute documentary. On the bus, she found herself sitting next to two Mormon Missionaries. So she asked herself, “Why not?” She explained to them (Elders Kosaka and Warren) her assignment and asked them if they would be willing to participate. They said that it would be fine, but first they would have to have the consent of their Mission President. He said, yes.
To make a long story short, she spent three days following them around—filming Preparation Day activities, “fearlessing” (contacting people on the streets), interaction with the members, etc. She said that five minutes was a substantial amount of time and it took a lot of footage to be able to get it. To make a long story short, the project is finished and Elders Kosaka and Warren will be making their “debut” in a month or two.
When the Elders asked her what was some of her conclusions about the Church and the missionary program, she said, “I am beginning to understand instead of judging.”
Note: Sharida is from Miami Florida majoring in Broadcast Journalism. The purpose of her Missionary video was to investigate: Why are the missionaries doing what they are doing as opposed to leading a “normal life?” She wants to go into the TV industry. She has had a lot of internship experience with FOX, CBS and NY-ONE.
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Gospel Quote “We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.” Introduction--Book of Mormon
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
January 2011
President’s Message
Sister Nelson and I attended Mission Presidents training meetings for three days at the end of October (more on the location later). The meetings were great. Elders Jay Jensen and Kevin Pearson of the Seventy and Tracy Watson of the Missionary Department were there. Sister Nelson and I learned a lot. One of the messages that touched me deeply was the simple fact that every person in our Mission geography and in the world knew the Plan of Salvation and Happiness. We all fought a battle to be able to participate in the Plan. Our role as missionaries is, through the Spirit, to touch the sprits of those we teach so that they are reminded of what they already knew. We can, and must, teach them the facts of the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. But it is not until their spirits are touched that true, lasting conversion occurs, as Elder Ballard explains on page 93 of Preach My Gospel.
So, as we’ve discussed in the New Curriculum lessons, we must strive to teach with the power of the Spirit as well as the authority of our Calls. It is only when the spirit of an investigator is touched and their hearts softened and opened that we have magnified our callings.
In order to have the Spirit with us in sufficient strength to accomplish the Lord’s purposes, we must prepare by effectively studying and planning and practicing. We must strive to be obedient so that we merit an increase in faith and power. We must truly love the people we are teaching and listen to them and teach according to their needs. And, we must humbly pray for the guidance and presence of the Spirit after we have done all we can. In short, we must strive to be true Disciples of Christ. We must understand that we are not mortal beings having spiritual experiences, but spiritual, eternal beings involved in a mortal experience, and that our current callings are to awaken the knowledge and testimonies imbedded in our spirits and the spirits of those we teach. We are called and chosen Disciples of Christ blessed with this opportunity to bring true happiness and peace to those we serve.
Brooklyn Stake Conference
Synagogue. The Brooklyn Stake held its November Stake conference as usual. Elder Bruce Carlson of the Seventy was the visiting general authority. It turned out that the Stake has been expanding. The congregation didn’t fit in the combined chapel-cultural hall. To solve the problem, they rented a synagog for the day. It was a beautiful historic building that resembled a small tabernacle. In the Stake Conference, it was pointed out that the Brooklyn Stake began as a branch and Staten Island (now a ward) was a dependent branch. Also Brother Frank Miller, the Stake Patriarch, said that when he served as Stake President in the 1970s, Manhattan, Stanton Island, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx were all a part of one stake.
Theme. The theme of the conference, All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin, brings to mind that winter storms have begun. Are we gathered in?
Brooklyn Stake President and Sister Jeff and Janet Nelson live in a wonderful Brownstone built in in the late 1800’s. They have loved raising their family in New York. They love their neighborhood and the feeling of community that exists there. They know all the store owners nearby. For a number of years, Sister Nelson and a group of her neighbors have set aside every Tuesday for a work day. They take turns going to each others’ homes and working on projects—cleaning, reorganizing, remodeling, etc.
President Nelson is an attorney and Sister Nelson just returned to the “work force” as a 7th and 11th grade trigonometry teacher (if you can imagine). She taught in this same school over 20 years ago. It’s a public school. However, students need to apply there to attend. There are over 2000 applicants each year, with only 200 accepted. She said that half of the teachers that she knew twenty years ago are still there.
Note. Our missionaries serving in the Brooklyn Stake at the time of the Conference come from Arizona, Nevada, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Korea (via Maryland), Russia (via Washington), Oregon, Idaho and Utah.
Geneology
New Programs. The Church is putting a great deal of effort and research into developing programs in the areas of family history, geneology, and facilitating temple work at the ward and branch levels. Geneology has become a popular nation-wide hobby (the Church geneology website gets about 3 million hits a day. The Family History Center in the Plainview Stake is manned by all nonmembers. President and Sister Nelson thought it would be meaningful to get some of the missionaries together to see some of the directions that the Church is taking. We thought that sharing this with the sister missionaries would be a good place to start.
On November 11, 2010, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., an activity was held at the Rego Park Chapel in Queens. The family history specialists from the Queens Stake, Sister Zamora and Brother Mark Shelton were the speakers (they did a wonderful job-- especially relaying the spirit of th work).
NewFamilySearch.org was reviewed. This is a newly improved program designed to simplify gathering family data and getting it ready to submit for temple work. Church members may access this site by entering their church membership number (available through the ward or branch as well as located on the temple recommend). With this information you may print your own family history sheets, complete with a bar code, that enable a you to take the information to the temple directly and do the work. Also, additional assistance is available from the family history specialists called in each ward and branch.
“I Am a Mormon.” Also covered was the Church’s “I Am A Mormon” series, available through the site, mormon.org. The Church is currently using its resources researching how to more effectively reach people who may be interested in the Church. Pilot programs are being run in different parts of the US.
Research has shown that in our society, people are leery of large institutions, but receptive to new ideas and individuals. This series feature clips of members of the church in different family situations, occupations, etc. sharing their stories. These clips have been aired in some areas of the country. They have been found to very effective in getting rid of some of stereotypes people have of Mormons.
Journals. Brother Shelton also covered journaling on line. While on their missions, missionaries are encouraged to write in their journals, another important form of family history work.
Note. Missionaries are not allowed to access the internet while on their missions except to email home on Mondays. The purpose of the activity was to increase their awareness of what is “out there” enabling them to pass the information and direction along to the members and investigators. They were also given family group sheets and pedigree charts to distribute.
New “Pads”
(as in Apartments)
The Church gave our mission permission to increase the number of apartments or “pads” as they are referred to (we have no idea when or where that terminology originated, but nobody ever calls them “apartments”).
Elder & Sister Brownell, one of our great Senior missionary couples, are in charge of locating new places for the missionaries. They have been visiting the “pads” and evaluating each one. They are in the process of securing new leases and terminating old ones.
Companionships. The Church feels that Missionary work is much more effective if there can be one companionship per apartment. It’s easier to focus on the work—there is more concentration and fewer distractions. It enables missionaries to follow their morning study schedule more easily. Also it simplifies sharing kitchen, bathroom facilities, etc. There is a saying in missions:
2 companionships in an apartment is a party
3 companionships in an apartment is a riot
4 companionships in an apartment is a fraternity house
In Midwood, Brooklyn. the Church owns a home next to the chapel. In addition to housing a Bishop’s Storehouse pantry, it housed four and sometimes as many as five companionships. All the missionaries were moved to other locations. To date, the Brownells have found over 25 apartments for relocating the missionaries.
Couples Inspection. Senior Couples also have the responsibility of inspecting the “pads” making sure that they are deep cleaned regularly and departing missionaries don’t leave behind any of their old “outfits” or “treasures.”
Mission Presidents’ Seminar
North America Northeast Area
Seminar. This fall’s Mission Presidents Seminar was held in Kirtland, Ohio in October, 2010. It was attended by Mission Presidents and their wives from 24 missions in the Northeastern part of the US including Canada. Six Area Seventies were present. Also the Area Medical Advisors, as well as other officers also attended. It was presided over by the General Authorities, Elder Jay E. Jensen and Kevin W. Pearson. Much time was spent talking about the New MTC Curriculum and its far-reaching significance. Also, time was dedicated to covering the roll that the Kirkland Temple played in the founding of the Church.
Brother Karl Anderson, who has lived in the Kirtland area for over 40 years, an authority on Kirtland Church history, accompanied us to the sites around Kirtland. He and his wife have raised their family in Kirtland and have been instruments in building relationships between our Church and the Community of Christ Church--formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our Church and Community of Christ Church have had some shared activities on occasion. The Community of Christ Church is the owner of the Kirtland Temple. They have been responsible for caring and preserving the Temple since the early 1800s. We owe them a great dept of gratitude.
*The Kirtland Temple is one of the best kept “secrets” of the Church--it is considered one of its crown jewels. The roll that the Kirtland Temple has played is of more significance than even the Nauvoo or Salt Lake Temples. Before the Church could go any farther in its progression, it was imperative that the Keys and authority be restored to the earth (up to this point, only the Prophet Joseph Smith and a few Elders were in place). This had to be done in a Temple of the Lord—thus the Kirtland Temple was built for that specific purpose.
*Gathering Place. Kirtland was never designed to be a permanent gathering place for the Saints. Joseph Smith had had several visions of the Rocky Mountains their significance and knew that the Saints would be moving on once the Lord’s purposes had been accomplished.
*“Pentecostal” Period for the Church. Unparalleled spiritual manifestations were granted in Kirtland. Key manifestations include; Visions of the Father and Son (this was in addition to manifestation that Joseph Smith had in the Sacred Grove). In Kirtland there were multiple visions of the Savior, appearances of prophets of each dispensation--Adam, Elias, Abraham, Elijah, Moses, Peter, James and John, etc.
Organization. Kirtland was also the site of almost all of the organization of the Church--the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, First Quorum of Seventy, Patriarch, High Priests, Seventies, first Stake in Church, etc. Kirtland served as Church Headquarters longer than anywhere except Salt Lake City. (1831—1838). The Saints lived in Kirtland even longer than in Nauvoo. They were eventually driven out by mobs.
Amish Community
Amish Dinner. Brother and Sister Karl Anderson have established a wonderful relationship with the Amish people. They are his friends—they invite them to their weddings, open their homes to him. One of the highlights of the trip was a dinner hosted by an Amish family in their home. Brother Anderson said that there would be a question and answer period after their dinner, which was very enlightening.
About the Amish People
*Origens. The Amish originally came from Switzerland in the 1600s to find somewhere where they could worship in peace (they share many of the values we do).
*Beliefs. They believe in the Father, Son and The Holy Ghost, etc. They do not worship in churches, but take turns going to each others homes
*Photographs. You may take photographs of their homes, etc. but not of them personally.
*Electricity. They have no electricity in their homes--you can recognize an Amish home by the absence of telephone wires going from the power poles into the homes. For example they convert old refrigerators into ice boxes—taking out the motors.
*Buggies. Their vehicles are buggies—no cars. An unusual sight is that occasionally you will see a buggy pulling a fishing boat to the lake or a canoe strapped on top for river running.
*Decisions. When their children reach the age of around 16, they are given exposure to the “things” of the world—music, phones, computers, Ipods, etc. so they can experience them. Then they make a decision as whether they will follow the ways of the world or stay with their families and follow their values.
*Gathering. The theme of gathering--the gathering of Israel—was one of the topics emphasized in the Mission President seminar. There are unique numerous cultures and peoples who have gathered and have been able to retain their identity in the mist of a chaotic world. The Amish are one of these groups. It was a delightful experience.
December Missionaries
The December “Arrivals” from the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah are as follows:
Sister Language
Sister Marisol Alvarado-- Spanish
Sister Elizabeth Lambert-- Spanish
Elders
Elder Cesar Cortes--Spanish
Elder Brayden Gramse--English
Elder Taim Howard--English
Elder James Jacobs--Chinese, Mandarin
Elder Wonhee Lee--Korean
Elder Catriel Lopez--Spanish
Elder Joseph Patchett--Spanish
Elder Bret Phillips--English
Elder Steven Roberts--Spanish
Elder Jonathan Warren--English
December
Departing Missionaries
The December “Departures” from the mission are as follows:
Sisters
Emily Ball--Spanish
Erica Gonzalez--Spanish
Elders
William Black--Spanish
Derek Brienholt--Spanish
Felipe Cascardi--Spanish
Daniel Eaton--Spanish
Michael Evans--Spanish
James Gibson--English
Tyler Kunz--Spanish
Derrick Ledbetter--Spanish
Ismael Martinez--Spanish
Derick Oliva--Spanish
Benjamin Roderick--English
Caleb Thomas--English
Colby Thompson--Spanish
Samuel Vargas--English
John Vogt--English
Matthew Zimmerman--Spanish
Weather Report
Snowstorm. The first major snowstorm of the winter which hit the east coast right after Christmas was recorded as one of the worst in history. All the airports on the East coast from Washington DC up the coast were shut down—over 4,000 flights were cancelled. We are happy to report that all the missionaries were safely and warmly gathered in and there were no missionary car accidents..
And More. Two more missionaries who finished their missionaries in Italy and England were also rerouted to NY because of snow storms in England that closed the airports there. They stayed overnight with our December “Departures.” They left for home the next day.
As mentioned before, earlier this year an elder who had been serving in Utah ended up spending almost two weeks in our mission on his way home to Germany because of all the airport closures in Europe due to the volcano eruption in Iceland.
Missionary Christmas Program
Christmas Eve. A notable event in December was the annual Christmas Conference. The program began at 10:00 am and lasted into the afternoon. It included wonderful talks and fabulous musical performances by all the missionaries. Lunch was served. The program was held at the Rego Park Chapel in Queens.
Elders Swain and Call were in charge of coordinating the program. Efforts were made to feature the many varied talents the missionaries have but often are not shared-- namely the “soloist” voices. The program was spectacular. On Christmas day, after making their Christmas call home, they visited the members.
Scripture
D&C 78:17-18 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
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