MISSION HOME FIRESIDE- SABRINA & NANCY

Another wonderful Fireside. We had two recent converts share their stories and testimonies.

they were fabulous. Sisters Sabrina Massey and Nancy Craun each shared extremely well-written and touching stories of their search for the gospel and finding the church. We had another very large crowd and lots of investigators and recent converts whose hearts were touched by what they heard.

This is Sabrina and Nancy together. Two priceless Sisters.

11 SATURDAY BAPTISMS 1-29-11

Saturday the mission had 11 baptisms. What a wonderful day. We went to one that was held in our building with our Assistants. Elders Karren and Holmstead have been teaching Ellie. She is a sweet young woman. Her fiance is a member of the church and introduced her to the missionaries. The ward came out with great support and it was a touching and beautiful event.

MIRACLE OF THE STICKY NOTES

Hello President!

We had been trying to visit a less active single member of our ward named Anthony. The ward council was worried about him, and the Bishop assigned us to visit him as part of our ward’s attempt to “rescue” those who might need some help. We knew that we would have to return and report back to the ward council regarding the results of our visit, so we kept trying to find Anthony at home. Although we could never find him there, we did leave 4 or 5 sticky notes on his front door over the course of several weeks. They were just kind little notes to say hello and that we were thinking about him and wanting to visit with him.

Finally after several weeks with no success at finding him at home, Anthony excitedly called us out of the blue to come visit him immediately. He then told us his story. He had been at the top of the world. He had a great job, a girl friend, everything he thought he needed to be happy. Then it all slipped through his fingers. He now had a terrible part-time job, no friends, and was barely scraping along to survive financially. He was confused. He wondered why God would allow so many bad things to happen to him so quickly. He could not understand why he had fallen so far.

These troubling questions led him at first to depression and then to the Capital Beltway, Highway 495, atop a high overpass. He stood there, on the edge looking down at the busy traffic below, contemplating why, why! He was to the edge of his faith and at the edge of the bridge. He told us that as he looked down at the cars speeding by below, he imagined how beautiful it would be to just let the traffic take away all his pain in one quick step. He thought for a while about jumping, but then he remembered something. It was something very small, but very important to him. He remembered the little sticky notes that we had left on his front door. Hope entered his heart once again! Someone did care after all! He quickly moved back to safe ground, got in his car and drove straight home. He then called us to come over to visit him immediately.

Our seemingly small act of writing short notes, insignificant as it may have seemed to us at the time, helped to save a brother’s life. He knew someone cared about him and that we were worried about his welfare. Our actions DO matter! They DO make a difference to others! Anthony ended up returning to church, the bishop provided some much needed assistance, and Anthony’s father also requested a blessing from the elders. I know that everything we do out of love, great or small, makes a real difference in other’s lives. No effort is wasted in this great rescue mission upon which we are embarked. I'm very grateful to the Lord for that knowledge. I LOVE THIS WORK!

Merrily Marching Onward,

Elder Eric Sackett

ALL YOU CAN EAT-A MISSIONARY FAVORITE

After Leadership meeting, we all head to CiCis Pizza. It's the greatest pizza buffet-all you can eat for one low price. Perfect for hungry elders and some sisters.

Long line to pay your tab
Those plates aren't too full? Sister Malmberg and Garbrick, Elders Pomeroy, Davie, Ford, Sackett, Jones, McFarlane, Bothwell, Can't see the rest.
Elders Garlick, Brazzle, and Skousen
Elders Page, Gray, and Loar
Pres., Sisters Soresen and Gwynn, Elders Tovar, West, Karren, Kirkham and Buie.
Elders Kirkham, Stuart, Schaelling, Rex, Reeves, and Doman

A long table of missionaries.

LEADERSHIP MEETING- JAN 28,2011

Today was a fun, instructive and spiritual Leadership meeting. This meeting included the Assistants and office Elders, the 18 Zone Leaders, 2 Sister Exchange Coordinators, the District Leaders, and the 6 trainers and their trainees. So we had a pretty big group.

We focused on the Lesson ' The Role of the HOLY GHOST in Conversion'.

Elder Gillihan gave the Spiritual thought on "My purpose". We start every meeting with this. And then all the missionaries repeat our Purpose, which is:

Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end.

President Albright opened the meeting with some remarks about how great our mission is and how diligence and hard work contribute to that success. He praised their work and got everyone excited and pumped up to work even harder.

The AP's followed with "Qualifying for the Holy Ghost"- a great presentation as usual.

Elder Sacket sany a beautiful song, My Peace I Give unto You.

I then spoke about one of the teaching skills. "Asking Questions and Listening. Found a great quote. "Listening is an art, listening is a craft, listening is a virtue in itself. It has become a rare commodity these days....Patience and perserverance are very necessary to become a good listener." We discussed traits that identify a good listener and how they build a trusting relationship with investigators.

Elder Sackett spoke on Book of Mormon Missionaries and the Holy Ghost, and Sister Kelley spoke on helping investigators recognize the spirit. She compared it to learning a chemistry formula without being taught the way to find the answer. Very creative.

After the break and homemade cookies, we has skills practice. This is the most important part, because there is NO better way to learn how to apply these principles than by role playing. PRACTICE, practice, practice. It is very uncomfortable at first, but becomes natural with enough practice.

Then two our missionaries who are themselves converts told about the Role of the Holy Ghost in their Conversions. Elders Franzwa and Loar both shared very touching stories of how they found the gospel and Holy Ghost testified to them.

Always a wonderful learning meeting.

This pictures includes everyone who attended the leadership training.

These are the District Leaders who are down in the trenches and really work with the individual missionaries to help teach, train, and edify the "troops"

Front Row: Elders Skousen, Kelley, Bothwell, Kirkham, Cheung, Morrill, West, and Gillihan.

Back Row:Elders Brogan, Gray, Cuevas, Schaelling, Jones, Hall, Rex, Ta'ufo'ou, Brazell, Wallace, Ford, Hill, and Hadfield.

Zone Leaders and Exchange Sisters: Sisters Garbrick and Malmberg, Elders Tovar, Simmons, Pomeroy, and Hoffer, Back Rows: Elders Garlick, Barrett, Stuart, Doman, Holmstead, Loar, Barraza, Sackett, Buie, McFarlane, Davie, Scott, and LaRochelle
Trainers and their trainees: Front Row: Sisters Denson, Newman, Kelley, Sorensen, Gwynn, Kohler, Moya, Olsen, and Bolorsaikhan
This is this group of those who will be departing in just 3 weeks that were at Leadership:

Elders Loar, Schaelling, Holmstead, Sackett, McFarlane, Hill, and Wallace
Elders West and Gray. OUR GQ ELDERS

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT AND SO WE ROLE-PLAY

Elder Sackett accompaning for the music. He leaves in 3 weeks and we will miss his piano skills, his beautiful voice, his dynamic teaching ability, and his sincere love for everyone.
In the parking lot of the church the neighbor kids were sledding
Piled snow in the parking lot
The Centreville Stake Center