Guests at the Merchant Marine Academy

We love Institute!

We usually have Garrett and Josh (front row) and Brock (back row) at our Institute class on the campus of the US Merchant Marine Academy way out at the tip of Kings Point, NY. But Monday night was a special surprise. Stephanie, a new nanny living in the area, was a guest of one of the students, along with two fulltime missionaries - Elder Edwards and Elder Douglass.

It was a record number for a class there and we loved it! We had a wonderful time discussing several of Paul's Epistles in the New Testament with these great young people. There's nothing more rewarding than teaching:-)

"Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

Although I was in a really great Choir for eighteen years, I hadn't directed one until our first mission at the MTC in Brazil. I was scared to death! But, as luck would have it, during those two years, I was hooked. Most times there were 200 voices - more singing than listening - and the experience was a deep spiritual experience for me.

Here in our Bay Shore ward, I have led our choir several times. We had practiced two times before Sunday's presentation with rather good turnouts, but with missionary transfers, out of town weddings, people coming late to meeting, we ended up with five voices total singing "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." Elder de Paula was the only man and Sister Frodsham, with three sisters from the ward made up the entire choir.

I said a silent prayer and led Elder Maughan at the piano in the introduction. The Spirit descended and again through a simple hymn we enjoyed a deep spiritual experience. The phrase came to my mind - "...where two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be in the midst of them."

District Meeting - A New Look

You've Gotta' Love Missionaries!

Our district - the biggest in the entire mission - has twelve young missionaries and us. After mission transfers last Tuesday we got one new missionary, Sister Burton with a few elders being "shuffled" within the district.

Front row: (l to r) Sisters Frodsham, Burton, Brimhall and Sellers. Back row: Elders Alder, Low, Johnson, Oliverson, Lee, Carcel, Maughan and Caramia.

Half of these missionaries were called as Spanish-speaking, half English-speaking. What a joy it is to know them!

New Missionaries Arrive February 16!

A most choice mission assignment for us is to help President and Sister Bennion with the new-missionary dinner. We were happy to help with one on Monday, February 16 and prepared our assigned dish of "funeral potatoes." There were thirteen new missionaries, five APs and office elders, the Bennions and us. The recipe I use serves 12. I quadrupled it. There were no leftovers. It's fun to feed missionaries:-)

Click the PLAY button to meet the new group at the mission home:

"A Song of the Righteous is a Prayer Unto Me"

One of the most spiritually satisfying and beautiful events I have participated in during this mission - and maybe ever was a musical number in our ward Sacrament Meeting today. The three missionary sisters on my left - Sisters Brown, Frodsham and Goldthwaite sang a personalized arrangement of "I Am a Child of God."

Last evening after our missionary correlation meeting they asked me if I would accompany them and we did a run-through at our apartment. I asked them if they wanted a "straight" version or an "improvisation." They wanted me to improvise and follow them in tempo and fullness. It was thrilling. The Spirit was working in all of us to bring about an amazing experience to be presented in Sacrament Meeting. Just before the number was announced from the pulpit today, one of the sister missionaries leaned over to Danila (on my right) and asked her if she could sign this song and would she do it right now.

They came up to the microphone, and when everyone was ready I began the introduction. The music, the Spirit and the ASL signing grew and soared through the congregation and into the hearts of everyone in the room. It was a peaceful power that can only be experienced. How blessed we were to be in that room to partake of the Lord's great love pouring down upon us. Music can truly be a beautiful prayer.

Ward Correlation - It's All About People!

We meet every Saturday evening for about two hours - all the missionaries assigned to the Bay Shore Ward and the ward mission leader, Brother Siniscalchi. One by one each missionary presents the names of the less active members or investigators who may need love and encouragement from this group, the bishopric or the ward members.

The Spirit is often very strong at these gatherings as we begin and end with a hymn and a prayer and attend to the Lord's precious work. During the evening, the following phrase frequently crosses my mind "Feed my sheep."

It is the most important work to be done.

"Thinking of You"

After 45 years of making Valentine cookies it's just in my system even if my kitchen here has no counter space, a broken rolling pin, no heart cookie cutter, no decorating tools, a really bad gas oven, and only one cookie sheet! (Do I thrive on opposition?)

Nonetheless, I spent six hours on Saturday making and decorating 36 large Valentine cookies for the missionaries, recent converts and ward mission leader's family. They turned out OK and best of all I got rid of every one of them!

Valentine Dining at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Never in all our years have we had a dining experience like this one! We had never heard of this place (although we heard there is one now in Salt Lake) - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

After district meetings at opposite ends of Long Island, two hungry couples dressed in missionary attire, including, by chance, identical red sweaters, (so tacky!) and met for lunch. We chose the rib eye steak with stir fried spinach with garlic. I salivate as I write. To die for!! I sound like a commercial. I am.

Our friends, the Wests know everything good...and expensive! Google this place anywhere you are in the world. It's almost everywhere. You won't be sorry. Senior missionaries do have more fun. Period.

February's Senior Activity

This month's senior activity on February 9, was a dinner together in a private room at the Sizzler in Forrest Hills, NY and included a farewell to Elder and Sister Burt who will be leaving the end of February.

Elder and Sister Comer planned the event and asked each couple to tell what their specific mission duties are and what the challenges have been.

Joining the activity were (l to r) Elder & Sister Wilson, Elder & Sister Hess, Elder & Sister Smith, Elder & Sister de Paula, Elder & Sister Comer, Elder & Sister Burt, President & Sister Goepfert and President & Sister Bennion. We missed the three couples who were unable to attend.

We're in charge of the March activity. Hm-mmm...I was thinking of the Island of Bermuda. It is in our mission you know!

"Dinner Rules in the Mission Field"

The young missionaries may eat at member homes on Sunday and Monday evenings and on any other evening of the week if there is an investigator present. Ward members love to feed the missionaries! Missionaries love to eat! It's a great combination - and Sister Cruz is a wonderful hostess who loves to "claim the blessings" of feeding the missionaries each week.

Elder Maughan was just about elbows deep in shaping the chocolate chip cookies for Sister Cruz by the time we arrived. He surely looked like he'd done this a few time back home!

Teaching on His Birthday - All in a Day's Work!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - FEBRUARY 5TH - ELDER DE PAULA!

We love our Bay Shore Ward Institute class. It's quite unlike our other classes - a real cross-section of diversity in every way. We love sharing and learning together. We have new converts and life-long member transplants to keep things interesting.

After our lesson/discussion on the last few chapters of Romans and the first seven chapaters of I Corinthians, we retired to the serving area for a little party. There, our dear class members had prepared hot homemade soup and crackers, drinks, all kinds of desserts and had also decorated with colorful birthday balloons! We enjoyed pleasant mingling and munching for the better part of an hour. We've going to miss this ward when our mission ends.

What a thoughtful gift - a Bay Shore Sweatshirt! Perfect for taking home to Utah:-)
Elder de Paula reads his birthday card from the Bay Shore Institute class. Isn't he the greatest-looking 72-year-old (ssshhh!) you've ever seen?

Isn't this cake beautiful? Sister Cruz is an expert at cake making! I see why there's a rule about no lighting candles in the church. Well....on this cake 1) you wouldn't be able to see the cake and 2) those 72 candles would burn the church down! It's a good rule.

Have You Considered Serving a Senior Mission?

I was just thinking how great our missions have been and wondered if there might be some seniors 'out there' who are considering a mission, but can't quite decide. I started searching for mission blogs and found some great ones. Check them out at the right. These are senior couples who have answered the call to leave home and family to serve the Lord through various means and in various places. Some we know - most we do not. But we identify with all of them!

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Along with the need for young elders and sisters, there is a growing need for couples in the mission field. Older married couples are doing a wonderful work in the missions. Many more are needed. . . . With an increasing number of people retiring while they are still possessed of health and vitality, there are many who can fill a tremendous need in the work of the Lord." Now if that doesn't put "fire in your bones" about serving, nothing will:-)

Birthday Celebrating Begins...

SINGING 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' AT CHILI'S
After our Institute Training meeting on Monday the 2nd, we headed to Chili's with Elder and Sister West to celebrate Elder de Paulas birthday...for the first time this week:-) We take every possible opportunity we can get! His birthday is on the 5th.

The Fajita Trio was the choice of the of everyone at the table - with grilled vegetables, shrimp, chicken and steak. Later, the darling waitresses sang to the birthday guy and topped off our meal with a deplorable, chocolate dessert bearing four spoons. We felt obligated to try it:-)

It began quite a week of celebrating - that is between personal study, classes, meetings, lesson planning, bishopric work, keyboard class, choir rehearsals, visiting, etc.!

Look What We Found at the USMMA...

On Monday evening we arrived a bit early to the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY for our Institute class. I began setting up for our New Testament class and Elder de Paula went into an adjacent room to pick up some LDS hymn books - a task the students usually do.

He came back with a few hymnbooks and the words - "Come and see what I found!" I followed him and found myself standing in front of this painting of the "Bay of Rio de Janeiro" painted in 1947. What a surprise!

We love Rio and have fond memories of our time in Brazil. How it ended up in a non-denominational chapel on Long Island New York is a real mystery. We'll have to find out.

Sunday Dinner Guests

Dinner at De Paulas
Frequently we invite ward members, recent converts, or missionaries to have Sunday dinner with us. On Februray 1, we were pleased to have Frank, our ward clerk and his wife Marlene, a member of the Pentecostal Church, and their adorable 3-year-old Frankie. We almost kept that little guy, but I would have had to learn Spanish:-) Mike, on the left, who is a stalwart new member and attends our New Testament class joined us as well.

Beautiful Columbian Pasteries

Frank and Marlene brought an assortment of beautiful Columbian pasteries which none of us needed! We had a delightful visit with our dinner guests.