"The Purpose of Institute"

When Dr. Lowell S. Bennion (our mission
president's father) helped found and teach at the Institute of Religion near the University of Utah over a quarter-century ago, he encouraged several important aspects of student life - congregating, socializing, eating, and studying the gospel.

We so agree - as do our students!

Quiet times at class are 1) student's personal preparation to teach and 2) eating. Often, these two take place at the same time.

A Fresh Approach

One of our most successful experiences teaching was last week. We planned and prepared very carefully for chapters 10-16 in Matthew and informed the students what a wonderful lesson it would be - because they would be teaching it!

It was spectacular! Each student had his or her own scriptures and a single page of supplemental material and quotes which we prepared. The guidelines were that they would read their chapter heading, summarize important chapter details, tell in what year of the Savior's life that chapter fell, provide insight and enlightenment on a point of doctrine or gospel principle, involve class members, and bear testimony.

The spirit was at work even in the silence during the 15-minute preparation time. Each presentation was remarkable - informative, concise, individual. Each "teacher" involved others, asking questions, discussing feelings, meanings, developing ideas and bearing testimony.

These same scenarios were repeated at the US Merchant Marine Academy, Stony Brook University and the Bay Shore Ward throughout the week with great variation in presentation but equally satisfying in result.

What happened in those classrooms last week was exactly what we would describe as "real teaching." We were all "fed" in every way!

"New Assignment for Elder de Paula"

The Bay Shore Ward Bishopric has been reorganized. The bishop and his counselors will now be working with a new executive secretary - Elder Lin de Paula, called by the Stake President. One of our major missionary assignments was to strengthen the Bay Shore ward -a ward we dearly love! This is where we have spent, and will spend, our entire mission. Until recently, however, we have felt stifled in our efforts to make any progress with re-activation, church attendance, commitment, missionary work, etc.

Things will probably change now. In the twelve days since his call, Elder de Paula has spent incalculable hours updating membership records, organizing data, making phone calls, procuring training manuals, printing interview schedules and meeting agendas, etc. to assist the bishopric in fulfilling their responsibilities in a more timely manner. It has literally been a full-time job! The young elders assigned to our ward have helped Elder de Paula so much to update the new members on the ward membership list, which list has not been updated for five years. Elder de Paula is extremely good at detail. He's truly the right man for this calling!

With Elder de Paula's new assignment, Sister de Paula has become the principal Institute class teacher - preparing the lessons, visual aids, handouts... and of course the meals for the students. This seems more than fair and Sister de Paula loves every minute of it!

"Bay Shore BBQ - A Huge (Missionary) Success!"

On Saturday the 20th, a much publicized and eagerly awaited Chili Cook-Off and BBQ took place at our church. Both wards who attend church in this building were involved - the Bay Shore English-speaking ward and the Brentwood Spanish-speaking branch. What a huge success it was!

Above are Brother Urban, left and Brother Danner, right - members of our ward bishopric and intense cooking rivals. It better not be announced here who the winner of the Chili Cook-Off was:-)

The purpose was to gather, mingle, invite friends, the less active, investigators, eat, visit...and, in general, have a great evening. That happened. It all happened.

Below, the salad line forms as the beef patties, hot dogs and barbecued pork spare ribs sizzle on the grill. The food was plentiful and delicious! Everyone brought something - salad, dessert, drinks, chips and salsa, etc.

Great planning went into this event. The children had a blast in the Bounce Castle that kept them entertained for hours. Parents had to remember that they, in fact, had brought their children:-)

About 20 tables were placed around the lovely church grounds and on the lawns as well as nestled in the trees to provide places to visit and eat.

People were content and happy to mingle, exchange recipes and visit other tables throughout the evening. The event was planned from 3-7 pm, but people lingered until after 8:00 o'clock.

Many who stayed the longest were investigators... visiting and asking questions of missionaries. They wanted to know "what is different" about "these people" and why they "felt something different being here." There were impromptu missionary lessons given at at least one picnic table after sunset in Bay Shore on Saturday.

Yes, we would all say the evening was a huge success.

"Saturday Morning at Belmont Raceway Park"

On Saturday, September 13, the senior missionaries enjoyed a leisurely trackside breakfast while watching the horses breeze through their morning workouts as Mary Ryan announced the action on the track. We then took a free 20-minute guided tram tour through the barn area and participated in a Starting Gate demonstration. A Paddock Show taught us about a typical day in the life of a Thoroughbred.

Riders work with the horses every day, training them to walk out of their stables, stand in a line, then on command, walk or run the track. Belmont has the largest dirt track in the world.

Belmont Park is a lovely, groomed 430-acre racetrack and facility which houses about 2500 thoroughbred horses located in Queens in the city of Elmont. The Belmont is one of the three races in horse racing's Triple Crown.

What an enjoyable morning! Thanks to Elder & Sister Conlin for planning such a delightful outing for us seniors.

"Fall Semester Has Begun...with a BANG!"

Meet our Stony Brook Institute students: (front l to r) Diana, Tate, JaNae, Jennefer and Diana; (back l to r) Ally, David, Melanie, Rob, Chris and Kristian. A few of our students were not able to attend on Tuesday night, but will join us next week, so we will get updated pictures:-)

We are so excited about our Institute classes filled with wonderful young people who make the time in their overwhelmingly busy schedules to come and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This school year, we study the Savior's life, His mission, His atoning sacrifice and His gospel as He organized it on earth. We look forward to discussing the New Testament with our students and how it applies to their lives in these, the last days.

Part of the Institute tradition is to socialize and eat as well as have a spiritual lesson. We have found it very valuable to do this. It is often the only real meal these young people have that day...and perhaps in a week. This night's meal was baked potatoes with ground beef and mushroom gravy, grated cheese and tomatoes and a cut fresh fruit bowl. Homemade food is always a hit!





At right, after class was over, students enjoyed just hanging around visiting, making new friendships and renewing old ones.

Above, Diana, a young woman we had never seen, arrived just as we were finishing. I could tell something was wrong, because as I was bearing my testimony, she closed her eyes and kept shaking her head. After the closing prayer I hurried over to her and introduced myself. She blurted out, "I couldn't find this place!" We chatted briefly and asked what I could do to make her feel better.

"I just need to be hugged!" was her reply, so I hugged her. She was near tears as she clung to me. When I offered her some dinner, she didn't even know what to say. I took her hand and led her to the food table. "I'm not hungry, I'm just mad I missed this," she exclaimed, "but the fruit looks great." Diana finished it off from the bowl with the serving spoon as others in the class came around to meet her. What a sweetheart!

I'm certain she'll be back next week:-)

Monday Institute Training... and Lunch at Pio Pio Peruvian Restaurant"

Even Institute Teachers have to eat! The rich colors and costumes of the Peruvian culture greet the guests as they enter this delightful restaurant - Pio Pio.

After our two-hour Institute training meeting on Monday, we, with Elder and Sister West had lunch here before hurrying back to our individual pads to put the finishing touches on our first New Testament lessons of the Fall semester. We were all so excited to be studying and teaching this marvelous testament!

Pio Pio is a classy Peruvian restaurant with eight different locations in the New York area. The decor, the garden, the food, the service are all top quality. And of course the company was tops!

OH MY! This food is some of the finest we've had...ever. Of the four main dishes on the menu, we chose the roast chicken and an A la Carte avocado, shrimp, red onion, cilantro salad. It was a just spectacular!

Wanna' taste?

Our mission does have some great ethnic food...as well it should with 184 nations represented within the mission boundaries. We don't mind driving 90 miles round trip for our bi-monthly meetings when we can take advantage of some of the fine, and reasonable, cullinary offerings in the Queens area.

"Teaching - a Sacred Calling"

Teaching is indeed a sacred calling.

We don't mention it nearly enough. But teaching is the main focus of our mission assignment - and we love it. It is a blessing in our lives to be able to spend literally six to eight uninterrupted hours of study a day delving into the scriptures in preparation for a one-hour or a 90-minute lesson.

We experienced a beautiful moment at our Bay Shore Book of Mormon class the other night. Summer attendance has been sporadic - one or two, or occasionally none attending, which we understand. Our joy is in the preparation as well as the presentation. But on Thursday there were seven of us, including one young man named Mike, who has attended one or two times before.

Mike is very involved, reads the scriptures well, participates in the discussion and asks intelligent questions. Our discussion that night was Alma 32 - the great chapter on faith. The spirit was present as we took turns reading, and as passages were discussed. While explaining the difference between "faith" and "knowledge," I glanced at Mike. He was deep in thought. There was light in his eyes and a glow in his countenance. I tried to look at others in the class as I spoke, but found my eyes darting back to Mike, because of his expression. I didn't know whether Mike was a member or an investigator, but I knew that something had clicked with him during that lesson. It was a special moment when the spirit bore witness to a ready heart.

It wasn't until later that evening, when the young elders came to our apartment to eat dinner, that we learned Mike had been "investigating" the Church for some time and had even attended Church meetings, but had successfully eluded the missionaries. But Thursday after class, he approached the elders and asked to be visited, gave them his real phone number and asked them to set up a time to teach him.

Yes, teaching is a sacred trust, and we are so thrilled to be set-apart teaching missionaries. Beginning next week our course of study in all of our classes will be the New Testament. We can hardly wait!

"Every Friday is District Meeting"

We Love Our Young Missionaries!

With 14 of us, we are the largest district in the New York New York South Mission.



After our last District meeting on Friday, we thought it would be a great idea to treat our fine district of four sisters and eight elders to a spaghetti dinner. They downed three loaves of Italian bread, a huge green salad with grape tomatoes and cucumbers and one enormous pot of homemade spaghetti!

Aren't they just adorable? We love them like our own!

You could smell those Italian spices and three kinds of meat simmering all through the church! Everyone had a good time eating and visiting after a very successful district meeting. Our young missionaries work so hard and give so much service in this area. We are happy to serve them once in a while.

"Matt and Rachelle Came to Town!"

Welcome to New York Matt & Rachelle!

Our son, Matt and his wife Rachelle wanted to come and visit while we were in New York serving our mission. It just so happened that Matt's birthday is the end of August, as well as the US Open Tennis Tournament. Well, it all came together perfectly this past week during our Institute class break. And it was great!

Above, is a very common sight - buying tickets at the Long Island Rail Road ticket machine. The kids went several times into Manhattan and as well as east to the Hamptons. It's one smooth, effortless way to get around in the busy traffic. We visited, again, Teddy Roosevelt's lovely home, Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay and this time took in the museum.

Old Westbury Gardens

Old Westbury Gardens Phipps estate, built 1909 is likely the best preserved Gold Coast mansion and estate. The mansion was designed in the style of an English manor house. Over the Labor Day weekend, the Long Island Mozart Festival is held on the grounds. We just happened to pick the right time to attend.

My favorite of the 70 total rooms may have been the sun room on the south, looking out to the gardens. Magnificent!





We just keep finding the most spectacular places to visit on Long Island! The Old Westbury Gardens is the former mansion and home of the John S. Phipps family. It is simply stunning on 100 acres of gardens, lakes, lawns, trees and flowers with play cottages for the children.

US Open at Flushing Meadows

USTA at Flushing Meadows was a real treat - especially at night. It's cooler and the lights reflecting off the globe is spectular! Matt is an avid tennis fan and had long looked forward to attending a US Open event.
We all enjoyed it so much.

We caught the action of two good matches including Serena Williams playing at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"Time to Go"

And then it was time to say
"Good-bye."

Five days flew by so fast! Matt and Rachelle left Tuesday for SLC and "back to reality" as Rachelle says.

Our door...and our hearts...are always open. We loved having them visit us in our mission environment:-)

(I'm sure Rachelle will have more pictures of their adventures in New York on their blog, so click their link at the bottom of my blog.)