MISSIONARY MOMENT-FASTING FOR AN INVESTIGATOR

Dear President,

This week has been so great. We had a neat miracle on Sunday. We were low on investigators so we decided to fast. We started our fast and thought we could find some investigators in the morning before church... no luck. Then we went to church, hoping some new people would show up. Nothing! So we went home, broke our fast, and went out tracting. We tracted for a few hours and it was getting dark and we knocked one door that we almost skipped over because it didn't look Hispanic.

A man from El Salvador opened the door and immediately let us in. We sat down and started to chat. He said he has never let preachers in his house before, like missionaries, but he did this time. We taught the lesson and he felt good about what he heard. He said he is a doubting Thomas but that we could keep coming back. He then told us of a dream he had recently that caused him to let us in his home. In his dream, he saw a white man come to him with a huge blanket. He was cold and the white man put the blanket around him to help him stay warm and comfortable. He said he interprets the dream to be us missionaries bringing him the gospel and the Holy Ghost. It was great. He and his wife and his little daughter listened to our message and loved the lesson and the Spirit. His wife is religious and has been praying for a long time that her husband would finally start to believe in God. Her prayers are being answered!

Love,
Elder Hancock

ZONE ACTIVITY - ASHBURN & CENTREVILLE

On Monday, September 12, 2011 we held a 2-zone activity at the mission home for a p-day activity. This was the Ashburn and Centreville Zones. Had a great time. Lots of fun. This group played a little volleyball, but really got into the ping-pong and basketball. But mostly it is just fun to visit and relax together. Thanks for a great time. ALOT OF PEOPLE CRAMMED TOGETHER; Pres and Sis Albright, Elders Cejedo, Mann, Ford,

Lafeen, Bolos (Norris on shoulders), Perry, Freeman (Shupe on shoulders), Forrest, Hadfield, C. Johnson, Sisters Patten and Murray, Elders Bluemel, Donaldson, Church, Butcher, Pomeroy, Juengling, Jacobson, Bothwell, Schwendiman, V.W. Bateman, Taylor,Choi, Davie, Harb, Peterson (on shoulders), and Elder and Sis Maldonado. Hope I got everyone.

Elders Bolos, Bateman, Taylor, Choi, Donaldson, Maldonados, Peterson, Juengling, Chance Johnson

Elders Shupe, Zapata, Lafeen, Freeman, Davie, Jacobson, Peterson, Norris, Ford, Cejedo, Choi, and Doman.
Elders Hadfield, Perry, Forrest, ? too much light, Sis Murray, E. Schwendiman, Sis Patten, E. Donaldson, Church, President and E Mann
President with Sisters Lee and Moses who stopped by for something else and we Insisted they stay.
Elders Norris and Ford
Elders Shupe, Butcher and Zapata
Elder Freeman
A little Ping-pong for Elders Pomeroy, Doman, Norris, Donaldson, and Peterson
Elders Bolos and Juegling try fusball.

Basketball- Elder Forrest
Elders Ford and Maldonado visit while E. Lafeen plays piano
Elders Cejedo and Mann
Sisters Patten and Murray with El Butcher

Elders Donaldson and Bolos
Elder Bluemel

Game of SPEED gets going- pretty intense
Elder Harb and Peterson
E. Norris, Harb, and Doman

Lined up for their shots

Peterson shoots
Getting in line for a turn


Elder Forrest lets one fly

Elder Davie


Donaldson was a dominator




E. Domans pretty hard to guard
Chance Johnson

IN LOVING MEMORY-MICKEY MARLENE HOLMGREN

A memorial service was held for Sis. Holmgren on Monday, September 12, 2011. It was a beautiful and loving tribute to one of the kindest and most charitable women I have ever known. Mickey was a truly remarkable lady who was ALWAYS happy and smiling. She made every person feel loved and important. She was always thinking about everybody else and doing things for others. All of the missionaries loved her and knew that she loved them. It was very evident from the number of missionaries that attended the service.

Her son-in-law, Bp Roney conducted. Her grandchildren sang a sweet song and then gave tributes to her. 2 of her children, Kurt and Kristy then gave tributes. Jon spoke next and was wonderful. Together they made a perfect pair.

Then about 70 missionaries came to the front and sang "Called to Serve". Mickey loved her mission and was a devoted missionary to the end of her life. President Albright gave a great talk with tributes from many missionaries who had emailed President Albright.

If you called the office during the last 2 years chances are you talked to Sis Holmgren or Sis Bryson. These sisters work incredibly hard. The amount of work in a Mission office is quite amazing. They keep everything running smoothly. And they LOVE the missionaries. They get to know each of them thru their paperwork and before they even arrive, these sisters know and care for them. When missionaries come to visit the office, they ALWAYS find a smiling sister behind desk. And Sister Holmgren loved to have the missionaries visit. Her heart was really with them.

They will be leaving for California next and have a service there on Wednesday. We are sure going to miss her. It is hard to believe she is gone. They had a wonderful display of pictures. I put of few of them here for you to see how beautiful she was.

Sister Mickey Holmgren
Elder and Sis Holmgren

Sis Holmgren and her Mother, Sister Burden
Sister Holmgren, Sister Burden, Sister Kristy Roney (daughter) and a granddaughter
Jon and Mickey with their 4 children
With all their children and grandchildren

Beautiful -- a younger couple

An even younger couple. too cute