Sunday, March 11, 2012

Stylin' Cookin'


President couldn't resist the photo. It's making dinner for the incoming missionaries in style. (Better than hair in the cafe rio salad.)

To Walk in Newness of Life


Having chosen to be baptized "as a witness" to have entered into a covenant with God "to serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly," Patti reflected the utter joy of her decision to walk in newness of life. Needless to say, these two elders reflect abundance of joy themselves!

Standards of Excellence


The mission has unitedly chosen standards of excellence, an overall standard for the mission and an individualized standard for each area intended "to raise..vision,...increase faith,..help [missionaries] stretch, work effectively,, and reach higher levels of performance. Although all zone leaders helped teach goal setting and planning as part of reaching these standards, one particularly creative set of zone leaders invented a song to reinforce the reason for standards of excellence.

The Work of the RESCUE


Tugboats lie at anchor in Belfast Maine Harbor. They reminded us of the children's story, Little Toot by Gramatky. Little Toot loves to play and make figure 8's in the water. His play leads him to be rejected by fellow tugboats and into a completely dejected life adrift in the ocean. He changes as he has an opportunity to save a shipwrecked ocean liner. Sometimes our missionaries struggle to learn how to work but when they take the opportunity to help in the "rescue" of someone shipwrecked by sin or sorrow, they learn the age old lesson, "Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work!" (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Interviews - Testifying of Truth


During individual interviews, President Wilkey asked each missionary to recount to a beloved friend the vision of Joseph Smith in a grove in Manchester County, New York state in the spring of 1820. When one companionship who had been invited to dinner was presented not food but reams of anti LDS literature. One elder said simply, “All this will not change the truth, God, our Heavenly Father and His Son, appeared to the boy Joseph. He translated what is called the Book of Mormon and he was the instrument through whom the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored in its fullness.”

Fantastic Franklins


We love our senior couples!! Elder Nick and Sister Jean Franklin served with whole heart, might and mind,not only in the office but in the Manchester Ward. Each shared generously their time and talents, from repairing elders' pants to turning wood on a wheel, from accompanying in piano to apartment inspections. They tolerated President's penchant for puns but left him a book, hoping he will find new material. for instance, "What does a magician need when he looses his rabbit?' "Hare restorer." Not a bad riddle for a bald, amateur magician.
Franklins will report on March 25, Lehi 14th Ward.

Once There Was a Snowman


The snowman on campus was more successful in finding someone who would stop and talk than all other attempts to start conversations. This elder's new companion from Arizona was excited to build his first real snowman.

The Power of Sacred Music

Caroling cards at Christmas, a quartet singing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" to the tune of " Oh My Father," singing "I Am a Child of God" to teach a part of a lesson - these are only three instances of the power of music. President Wilkey and Elder Dickison sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" at a zone conference. Hillary Hughes at the harp and Sister Franklin at the piano were the accompaniment. This is a taping of practice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58CEdMlublc&feature=colike