"Guess Who's Coming...or Going to Dinner"

I had invited the four sister missionaries in our area to dinner for Tuesday, April 28 at 5:00 pm. It had been on the calendar for about a week.

Unbeknown to me, just this morning, Elder de Paula told the Rivas family to be ready at 4:00pm and we would take them out to dinner.

Oops!

Isn't there something in the missionary handbook about communicating with your companion. Oh, that may just be for those young, pliable, communicative elders?

The Rivas family is on the left - Frank holding Frankie & Marlene (behind), Sisters Frodsham and Mullens; (back) Elder de Paula, Sisters Burton, Brimhall and de Paula.

It all worked our just fine. We invited them to come to our apartment. I marinated chicken and steak and cooked up loads of stir fry loads vegetables and served it with spinach salad with Mandarin oranges, crusty sesame bread and lemon bars for dessert. The Rivas' also brought beautiful Colombian pastries.

We all had an enjoyable time together and Frank's wife, Marlene, seemed pleased that the Brentwood Spanish-speaking sisters were here since she's still working on her English. Three-year-old Frankie communicates in both languages, and was, of course, the center of attention.

The evening couldn't have turned out any better.

Thanks for your Kindness

Sometimes in some places with some people you make a connection. It doesn't really matter the age span or the background differences or the varied interests or anything else - you just make a friend. And it's good.

Deanna and I had several phone conversations over the months and shared some profound ideas and thoughts. I think we both got some good understanding and insights.

On Monday evening we were invited to their brand new, newly decorated and very adorable apartment, as their very first guests, for a wonderful "going away" dinner for us. It was not only delicious, but great fun to be with them. Who would dream that young people would be caught dead with old seniors like us? Thanks Bryant and Deanna!

Bay Shore Ward's Newest Member

Congratulations Oscar!

Oscar with his two children Jennifer 13 and Chris 6, and Erika with her daughter, Kaylie 3, enjoy Oscar's baptism day Saturday April 25.

Oscar and Erika have been dating for two years during which time Erika, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as been trying to get Oscar to have the missionaries over to teach him. It wasn't until he met Sisters Frodsham and Burton that the Spirit touched to him. They are engaged to be married and all three children are delighted. They will live in Oscar's home in the Bay Shore ward after they marry.

"These sisters are just amazing," said Ocsar at his baptismal service. He bore a powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the Book of Mormon. And he also told of how he thought he had been a good man in his life, but now he noticed ways he wanted to improve and people he wanted to exemplify.


Many friend and family from Erika's ward were in attendance for support and to participate in the service. Ward members brought refreshments for a social after the baptism. Oscar's daughter, Jennifer (in denim jacket) and her friend Destiny (in yellow shirt) are taking the missionary lessons now and are attending Church regularly.

Chris waits patiently while his dad cuts the adorable CTR (Choose The Right) cake made my a member of our ward.

Oscar was baptized by Erika's uncle and confirmed Sunday in Sacrament meeting by Elder de Paula. President Bennion gave a few closing remarks at the baptismal service and mentioned what a great contribution Oscar and his family will make to this Church. This was a good weekend for Bay Shore.

On The Way to the Manhattan Temple

Woodhaven Subway Station

The Manhattan Temple is not in our mission, but our young elders and sisters are allowed to go two times during their missions - at the mid point and just before the end of their missions. Senior missionaries do not have the same rules as young missionaries and can go whenever time permits. The young people always give us new life...and sometimes wear us out!

We made the hour drive in from Bay Shore to the mission office where we met the sixteen missionaries we would escort to the temple and walked to the Woodhaven subway station to catch the R train.

Click to watch and hear our R train coming:


Teaching on the Train
Elder Jeong never stopped being a missionary for even one moment, going to or returning from the missionary temple trip. He passed out cards, initiated conversations, smiled at everyone, shared pamphlets, had discussions and even got help when he couldn't speak the right dialect. What a missionary!


I saw Elder Jeong (above) conversing with a woman for about 15 minutes, explaining something, showing her materials, writing information down, and giving her a card. Several seats down in the same car, there was an Oriental woman watching the entire thing, who seemed interested in Elder Jeong and his presentation. I watched with interest.


When the first woman exited the train, the second woman (above) got up, hurried over, sat in the empty seat and began talking to this missionary. After only a few sentences, Elder Jeong stood and went to the front of the train where some other missionaries were seated.


Elder Jeong returned with Elder Ng. I assumed there had most likely been a dialect or language problem, and that Elder Jeong knew right where to go for help. Now everyone appeared happy and content. With 184 nations represented within our mission boundaries and several languages spoken among the missionaries, there's a chance the right language or dialect can be found.

It was a beautiful experience to watch this drama unfold on the way to the temple - a dedicated young elder fulfilling his purpose by "inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel..."

At the Manhattan Temple

The sixteen missionaries we escorted on Friday, April 24 were celebrating the halfway points in their missions.

Manhattan Anniversary Temple Trip

Included in this anniversary temple trip (in no particular order) are the following Sisters: Heininge, Kevan, Frodsham; and Elders: Goodman, Karl, Rhodes, Wallace, Baker, Carcel, Gabrielson, Haggard, Jeong, Mendbayer, Ng, Peterson, Stone.


Looking up at Angel Moroni

We brought the missionaries up from the subway on Broadway where the first thing they spot is the temple. We could hear all their oohs and aahs! We arrived in plenty of time for them to take a few pictures before entering to serve in this beautiful edifice.


Looking out through Stained Glass Doors

When the temple session was over, we exited through the beautiful stained glass doors, taking with us a bit of the celestial - a greater commitment to serve, to work hard, to love more, to be better missionaries. It was good to be in the House of the Lord.

"A True New York Experience - The Hot Dog Stand"

"I could be starving right to death!"


"There's no graceful way to eat a drippy hotdog!"


"How many of these things do we get?"
After a quick bite we headed one long block east on 66th street and there we were at Central Park on one of the most beautiful days of the year! The missionaries were thrilled to be able to see one of the most famous sites in New York - or in the entire country for that matter.

After the Manhattan Temple

After the Anniversary Temple Trip, when both time and weather permit, the escorting senior couple have the option of taking the missionaries on a brief walk through Central Park. Everything was right, so we made the decision to go. For most, this would be a once in a lifetime experience. They were elated!

A Walk Through Central Park

The day couldn't have been more beautiful!

After days of heavy rains, people could enjoy Spring in New York!

The blossoms were bright and the trees were beginning to leaf.

Blue skies and green grasses seemed endless in the Park.


As we walked, we heard the rhythmic sound of this jazz trio.

There was plenty of space for visitors to find the sun and the solitude of Central Park.

And here in the Park, a gentleman from Orem spotted our name tags and struck up a conversation with Elder de Paula. An additional coincidence is that his own son, Elder Dan Kim, now at Cambridge University in England, was in the New York New York South Mission a few years ago. Small world!

The missionaries were amazed to learn that Central Park covers over 800 acres and has many natural wooded areas.

These missionaries loved Central Park...almost as much as we loved being with them. We've been to the Park many times, so we didn't need to see it. We enjoyed watching them. We watched people watching them. There is something unique about them. They truly are different. They are clean. They are set apart. They are the Lord's Chosen to do His work in spreading the gospel on the earth...and they do it well.

The purpose of the Anniversary Temple Trip is to give missionaries the opportunity to serve in the House of the Lord, to renew their covenants and to gain strength and perspective for their continued service in the mission field. That mission was truly accomplished.

"If you feed them...they will come"

Elders Law, Merrill, Maughan and Evans grab an appetizer before dinner

Yes, if you feed them, they will come. And who might "them" be? The elders, of course! They came to dinner on Thursday the 23rd...and we loved having them over. When I invited them to come and have dinner with us before our mission ends, one of them mentioned that they were ready for some regular "Utah-Idaho" food. Somehow I kinda' knew what he meant.


There was a request for "funeral potatoes." Would that have been from one of the two Idaho elders? With those, the pork chops, carrots and broccoli with garlic bread seemed to help fill up these "starving servants." They also enjoyed a dessert of sugar cookie cake with mandarin oranges, fresh strawberries and ice cream - topped with whipped cream.



Elders Lead in Bay Shore and Brentwood

These great elders are very dedicated and give countless service to others - in and out of the Church. We comment frequently that the two wards in our building - the Bay Shore English-speaking and the Brentwood Spanish-speaking -would not be able to function properly were it not for the full time missionaries. Both bishops rely heavily on these young men for the smooth operation of their respective wards.

We are honored to know them.