A BOLD "PMG" STYLE INVITE

Inviting like Preach My Gospel teaches can be difficult for missionaries. 

It takes courage, boldness, and the spirit. 

This involves inviting each and every lesson.

It involves explaining the spirit to the investigator at the first of the lesson and asking them ,

 "If you feel this spirit as we teach you, and come to know the things we teach are true, 

will you be baptized?"

  

Dear President Albright,

We had a awesome miracle last week, we were tracting and trying to find investigators to teach as we all do as missionaries, we were looking for a former investigator and we knocked at this home and a lady opens up she smiled at us (that doesn't usually happen). We then asked (with a smile) if she was Dedra.  She told us that Dedra was her landlord, so we talked to her.  At first she seemed not to be interested and she told us she has her own church. We then told her about the blessings of families and how our message will bless her family and that they can be more united.  She told us to come by Saturday at 3 pm. We were happy to hear those words.

Saturday came and we went met with them.  She was married with a 5 month old baby boy.  We met with the husband we talked and we taught them the restoration, a lot of their questions were answered and my companion (Elder Watson) with boldness invited them to be baptized (PMG style) for June 16 and they accepted. The Spirit truly helped us in that lesson; they come to church the next day and they loved it. 

Elder Bednar’s words come to my mind later in the week: "success doesn't come because we deserve it or qualify for it. It is a gift from God."

I'm grateful to be part of this great and marvelous work and help our Father in Heaven to bring souls unto repentance. What a great joy this is!


Love
Elder Athenkosi Makwenkwe

DO WHAT IS RIGHT, LET THE CONSEQUENCE FOLLOW

 WHY I LOVE THESE MISSIONARIES

President received this beautiful letter this week. 

Hello there President!

We had an interesting experience on Sunday that I wanted to tell you about. About two weeks ago we met a man outside of his house that we had a great conversation with about the Gospel. He is a Baptist and is sincerely searching for the truth. At the end of our conversation he asked us if we could come to church with him that Sunday. We replied that we could as long as he came to our church with us, which he agreed to do.  So on Sunday we went to the church, found where the Hispanics meet in the building and we were greeted by one of the members who asked if he could help us with anything, we replied that we were looking for Elmer. He took us to him and Elmer was excited to see us there. We stepped out for a minute to make a call, and when we came back in he introduced us to his Pastor. The gentleman shook our hands, thought for a second and said, "Let's talk in the hall for a second." Elder Young and I exchanged looks communicating "Oh boy, we're in trouble!" to each other, but we followed him outside along with Elmer.

When in the hall he said to us, "You two are welcome to be here but we don't want any confusion there inside, so if you stay you will have to take those off," and he pointed at our name tags. Elder Young and I looked at each other again, and for a second I felt that it wouldn't be a really big deal if we took them off just so that we could be here, but then the distinct thought came to me "You cannot do that." So I looked at the Pastor and said "We can't do that." "Again," he said, "we don't want any confusion. You don't believe in what we believe and we don't believe in what you believe, so if you stay you will have to take those off." Again I said, "I'm sorry, we cannot take them off." He then took a step back and put his hands up in a defensive, apologetic sort of stance and I extended my hand, which he took, and we thanked him for receiving us. Elmer said "Are you sure you don't want to take those off?" Again we said, "We're sorry, we just can't." He said that he would call us so that we could talk another day at his house, and we left. 

Since then I have pondered quite a bit on what that experience meant. What would it have meant if we had taken our tags off? Was it really that big of a deal? My answer came in this way: You are a full-time representative of Jesus Christ. You have been "set apart to a higher plane of thought and action," as President Kimball said. Taking that tag off would have made you just like any other person, you would not have been different at all. We are called to be different. We are to represent the Lord in ALL times, in ALL things and in ALL places. That experience helped me to understand my calling as a missionary and to take it more seriously. I am so grateful that I learned this lesson.

Love you lots!
Elder Wright

Our LAST Zone Leader Council

We held our last ZONE LEADER COUNCIL today.

This is one of the most amazing meetings of the whole mission. 

20 young men assembled together being taught how to lead a mission, 

They share ideas, worries and concerns, and discuss solutions to problems.

  President Albright is a master at helping them discover for themselves how to fix problems, 

how to motivate, what needs work, etc.  And because they are able to have input into this process, they 

own it and really feel motivated to implement the things determined at the meeting.

I wish all the parents of these young men could be a fly on the wall and witness 

this process.  I had no idea of the leadership training that takes place in a mission.

I wish every elder had the opportunity to participate in this meeting.  

I know that every Elders calling is important and they all lift whereever they serve

ZL Council is also a unifying time for the mission leaders. 

They begin the day at 6:00.  They play ball together for an hour and a half in the morning. 

They all arrive at the mission home between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. and head to the showers. 

We then have a big breakfast.  Today was home-cooked Egg McMuffins and 

fresh strawberries, blackberries and bananas, and juice.

Then it's down stairs for the Council to begin. 

We go until noon. 

Then head upstairs for lunch. 

Today we had pulled-pork sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, chips, salad.

And home-made raspberry icecream. 

We (Pres. helped me) stayed up until 1:00 a.m. making this old family recipe

And it was delicious.

Then it's downstairs for more council time. 

We ended around 3:00, took pictures, and sent them off to work.

Of all the meetings I will miss, this is perhaps the one most.

President and Sister Albright, Elders Walker, Freeman, Liew, White, Jensen, Wright, Harper, Edgington, Slade, Parker, Barney, Mckwenkwe, Westover, Kneeling:  Elders Johnson and Hanson, On Swing Set:  Elders Norris, Carnline and Dakota Anderson

Having Fun

Elders Hanson and Liew- Oakton Zone

Elders Harper and McKwenkwe - Annandale Zone

Elders Barney and West- Ashburn Zone

Elders Slade and Edgington- Centreville Zone

Elders Freeman and White- Fredericksburg Zone

Elders Norris and Carnline- McLean Zone

Elders Anderson and Westover - Mt  Vernon Zone

Elders Jensen and Walker - 

Assistants Chance Johnson and Parker

Elder Wright-  Spanish Traveling Assistant

Elder Westover gave the opening thought on the purpose-

He said "We must have the Spirit to lead" 

The basement where we meet

Councilling together

Lunch time

Elders Harper, Edgington and Slade

Elders Carnline, Norris, McKwenkwe and Harper

Elders White and Jensen

Elders Liew, Hanson, Walker and Freeman

Elders Wright, Anderson, West

Elders Anderson, West, Westover, Barney

We had the three departing missionaries share their testimonies. 

First was Elder Jensen who shared a deep love for the mission and for his Savior

who he has come to love and know better.

2nd was Elder Liew from Malysia.

He shared such beautiful thoughts.  He reminded us of 2Nephi 1:5 where it 

says that "no man is brought to this land save brought by the hand of God" 

He testified that he was brought by God to this land. 

He said he has a close relationship to the Book of Mormon and from it learned to 

many things. 1st to read and write English, and to know and love the Gospel and the Savior.

He expressed a desire to bring the spirit of Liberty to his country. 

he said, "I want it so badly for my country" 

My country needs the Book of Mormon.

He said, "ILOVE AMERICA"

These were very moving words to hear from this wonderful foreign missionary 

We will miss him.

Last Elder West shared his testimony.  

One of the things he said he learned on his mission was that Prayer works. 

He has learned this because of his mother (who has cancer and has 

been in the prayers of many missionaries)

And that fasting works.  He has witness countless people change when

they pray and fast. 

President Albright shared some letters from different people and community groups expresssing thanks for the many hours of service given by our missionaries.  

We receive letters regularly expressing this appreciation for the service our missionaries 

render and for how hard they work when they are performing service. 

This makes us very proud and is a beautiful reflection on the church.

HEROES

I love these missionaries and shared with them some thoughts about heroes. 

First, I asked them to share with me who and why some of their heroes were. 

They spoke of parents, grandparents, coaches, bishops, teachers, brothers,neighbors, etc. 

What I love was that they spoke of ordinary people. 

Not stars, famous athletes, politicians, etc. But people who had touched them in important ways.

What had they done to deserve the title of hero? 

listened, served, been great examples, always happy, persevered through trials, inspired to do 

things and seen the good in them, been kind, disciplined with love, showed patience

I then told them that they are the Heroes of the DC South mission. 

The other missionaries look up to them and want to be like them. 

What should they do to deserve that title? 

The same things they see in their heroes. 

And that is exactly what kind of young men they are.

Wonderful super heroes of the DC South mission.

I had a little handout with a superman wearing a missionary name tag. 

THESE ELDERS ARE MY HEROES

in fact, all missionaries are heroes to me. 

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. 

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

Aurthur Ashe

Heroes are people who transform compassion into heroic action.  In doing so, they

put their best selves forward in service to humanity.  A hero is as an individual or a network of people (a mission) that take action on behalf of others in need, or in defense of integrity or a moral cause.

STAFF MEETING

Staff Meeting is held each Monday afternoon. 

So many issues to cover. So many things to take care of in a mission this big. 

We have a wonderful staff. Great Senior couples, office elders, the Assistants. 

They make this mission run smooth and happy.

The Senior office couples love all the missionaries and would do just about anything for them.

Elder and Sister Gengler, Sister and Elder Harris

Our office Elders- Elders Litchfield is new to the office and Elder DeHaan

Elder DeHaan helping at the mission home.

Elder Litchfield at Sister Albright's desk at the mission home. 

These guys are so good on the computers and can do anything for me.

THE FOLLOWING VIDEO WAS MADE BY THE DC SOUTH 
ASSISTANTS FOR TRANSFER MEETING-MAY 24, 2012. 


MOTIVATION AND INSPIRATION TO REACH OUR GOAL.

"Operation Windows of Heaven" D.C. South

TRANSFER BOARD- A WHOLE LOT OF INFO

THIS IS THE TRANSFER BOARD. 

THIS IS WHERE MANY OF HOURS OF THOUGHT, WORK, AND PRAYERS ARE 

INVESTED TO GET IT JUST RIGHT.

THANK HEAVENS FOR INSPIRATION.

EACH VERTICAL ROW IS A ZONE (OR STAKE) WITH THE NAME AT THE TOP. 

THE TWO ELDERS AT THE TOP ARE THE ZONE LEADERS FOR THE AREA.

EACH HORIZONRAL RED LINES DIVIDE THE DISTRICTS.

THE DISTRICT LEADER HAS A SMALL BLUE LINE.

THE WHITE LINES W/ RED WORDS SHOW THE NAME OF THE AREA (WARD) WHERE

EACH COMPANIONSHIP IS SERVING 

THE CARD COLORS REPRESENT THE YEAR IN WHICH THE MISSIONARY ARRIVED 

IN THE FIELD-2010, 2011, AND 2012. 

STICKERS IN THE CORNERS OF EACH CARD SHOW THE MONTH THEY ARRIVED  

AND THE MONTH THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE AREA. 

BLUE CIRCLES MEAN SPANISH SPEAKING. 

OTHER THINGS MEAN- NON DRIVER

THE NUMERS  ON THEIR SIDES SHOW THE APARTMENT NUMBER AND 

IF THEY ARE ON BIKES. 

AND THE CARDS TURNED SIDEWAYS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN MOVED THIS TRANSFER. THEY WILL BE UPRIGHTED AFTER ALL THE NEW ROSTERS ARE UPDATED. 

WHEN EACH CARD IS TURNED OVER, IT LISTS ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS THEY HAVE HAD SINCE THEY ARRIVED IN THE MISSION.  THE AREA, DATES, COMPANIONS, AND ASSIGNMENTS. 

SO MUCH INFORMATION IN SO LITTLE SPACE. 

BAPTISM FOR YVONNE

Sunday, May 28, 2012 we attended the baptism of Yvonne Prempeh

This sweet lady is from Ghana.  

She won the Ghanian Lottery for a visa to America. 

Her uncle and aunt live here and so she is living with them and 

helping to care for the 2 cutest little twin boys. 

Elders Chance Johnson and Parker taught Yvonne the lessons. 

Elder Johnson baptized her and Elder Parker gave a 

powerful talk on Baptism.  He is a gifted speaker. 

There was a large crowd from the Fort Belvore Ward  which is always

great at supporting the missionary work. 

And there was a wonderful spirit. 

Yvonne shared her testimony during the meeting. 

It was sincere and strong. 

BAPTISMS ARE THE BEST.

MT VERNON ON THE POTOMAC

We drove to the Mt Vernon Chapel on the Potomac River this evening, May 28, 2012.

This chapel is located right on the Potomac River. 

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is a scenic drive that runs from the 

Mt Vernon Estate (home of George Washington), along the Potomac River and 

all the way into Washington DC.  

The road is bordered by a small green beltway and running/biking path next to the river. 

And on the other side of the road are old stately homes. 

Among these home sits the beautiful Mt Vernon LDS chapel.  

Directly across from the chapel is the mighty Potomac.  

A really incredible location here in this historic area. 

The side parking lot of the Chapel

The back doors.  The style is the red brick and white trim.  Very "Mt Vernon" style.

This is view directly across from the front lawn of the chapel

A little confusing- the road turning to the chapel 

I got out and took some pictures from the shore

The beautiful parkway drive leading to Mt Vernon

The Mt Vernon Estate Restaurant

Entrance to Mt Vernon