NEW DC SOUTH BLOG

THE MISSION HAS A NEW BLOG SITE:

IT CAN BE FOUND AT:

armiesofhelaman3.blogspot.com

THE CHANGE IS THE # 3.

OUR THREE YEAR MISSION HAS COME TO AND END. WE LEAVE THIS SACRED PLACE OF VIRGINIA TOMORROW. 


FAREWELL TO ALL OUR FAITHFUL AND DEVOTED READERS.  I HAVE LOVED KEEPING THIS BLOG FOR DC SOUTH. 
IT HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE AND A PRIVILEGE AND BLESSING FOR ME. 
 I WILL MISS IT AND SHARING THE JOY THAT COMES FROM SERVING WITH SUCH VALIANT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THRU THE STORIES AND PICTURES THAT ARE A TESTAMENT TO THE GREAT MISSIONARIES WHO SERVE HERE. 
THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND READING. 
IT HAS BEEN MY JOY.
FAREWELL & MUCH LOVE, 
SISTER  KARYN ALBRIGHT

OUR LOVELY MISSION HOME

We have been so blessed to live in this  lovely mission home. 

We have taken literally thousands of pictures in front of this fireplace.

But this is the first of just us. 

The home sits on a hill and overlooks a beautiful field and trees.

I will sure miss this. 

Beautiful Virginia homes and yards

4 SUPER HEROS

The Assistants and office Elders came over to bring their ties, have photos and say goodbye. 

These are incredible young men. 

I love them and will miss them 

The mission is being left in excellent hands. 

These young men are really some of my HEROS.  

President and I with Assistants Elder Parker and Elder Johnson. 

These two young men are the best.  They are amazing leaders. 

All the missionaries love them.  They are powerful teachers. They are kind and 

loving and hardworking.  They not only do hours of assistant work but keep their 

area going well.  They practice what they preach and have Moral Authority 

with the other missionaries who admire them for their examples. 

Elders DeHaan and Litchfield are our office elders.  They are great.  The office 

is tip top because of them.  They are computer wiz's and very efficient.

They are always happy and willing to do whatever ask.  And they 

are great missionaries too.

Hanging their ties

Elder Parker

Elder Johnson

Elder Litchfield

Elder Dehaan

FAREWELL TO 8 GREAT STAKE PRESIDENTS

President has worked with 8 wonderful Stake presidents. 

He has enjoyed every minute and learned to love these men. 

He talks so highly of each of them and really thinks the world of them. 

The DC South stakes are in excellent hands. 

We were invited to President and Suzy Halls' home this evening to 

say good-bye to the stake presidents. 

It was fun to see most of them before we head home. 

A couple had girls camp and were out of town, but heard from each of them. 

President  Robert Hall presented Mark with a beautiful picture of the DC temple from all the presidents. 

Elder Glen and Carolyn Davis

President Lynn and Sister Chapman from the Ashburn Stake

President Steve and Sister Hilton - the Centreville Stake

President Michael and Sister Kitchens - Fredericksburg Stake

President Robert and Suzy Hall - McLean Stake

President Steve and Dorothy Greenhall- Area Presidency

President William and Tami Nixon- Mt Vernon Stake

President Clark and Sister  Price- Woodbridge Stake

President Doug and Ann Bush- Annandale Stake

President Scott and Sister Wheatley- Oakton Stake 

LUNCH AT SPARTANS

TOOK OUR BOYS TO SPARTANS FOR OUR LAST LUNCH. 

AREN'T THEY THE BEST? 

4 HEROS

LAST GOODBYE AT THE OFFICE

We have 2 wonderful-hard-working couples serving in the office now. 

The Genglers and the Harris.  

They are so efficient and keep everything running smoothly.

The missionaries love them and so do we.

We will miss them, but have made life long friends. 

Last day at the office and have to say goodbye to our friends.

Pres and I with the Genglers

Elder and Sister Gengler

Elder Harris

Sister Harris

Sister and Elder Harris

Sister Harris, Evans, Gengler and Anderson. 

The Senior Sisters love it when the young sisters drop in for a visit.

SHOUT OUT TO FACILITIES

I just have to give a "shout out" to the facilities people in DC South. 

It has been a blessing to have a group of great men so willing and quick to 

help us with our needs at the mission home. 

Anything breaks or needs repairs we just call them up. 

Gonna miss this nice perk at home. 

Judd, Don and Dave Berger thanks for all youv'e done to make our

time here so enjoyable.  You're the best.

FINAL WORDS TO OUR VALIANT MISSIONARIES

To:  Our Beloved Valiant Warriors of the Washington DC South Mission,

The time for our departure from this Garden of Eden is tomorrow! We have had many mixed emotions as we enjoyed this last round of conferences with you to bid farewell and then to enjoy our last departing missionary fireside and have one last transfer meeting with you yesterday .  Each meeting has been so special and filled with the spirit.  Thank you so much for your kind expressions of love.  Thank you for the priceless gift of your time and sacrifice to be here at this time in this special place that has been made sacred to us by the blood, sweat and tears of so many wonderful missionaries, not to mention valiant soldiers who have fought and died here.

Our minds have been flooded with memories as we have walked into each chapel.  We have recalled the wonderful interviews, baptisms and zone conferences we have enjoyed with you over these last three years.  We have marveled at how quickly you have matured and blossomed into wise, hard working and obedient missionaries who know the gospel and know how to find, teach and baptize.

Please know that we will always love you and be concerned about each of you.  Please stay in touch and let us know what is happening in your lives.  You will always be welcome to drop by when you are driving through Las Vegas.  Remember that a testimony is as fragile as a moonbeam and must be recaptured every day of our lives with daily prayer, scripture study and service to others.

Remember that you are on the Lord’s errand as His servants and Valiant Warriors!  You have been sent out as angels to warn the world and to announce to all the inhabitants of the earth that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are true and that Jesus is the Christ, and has returned to the earth in this our day and restored His church in its fullness.  Yours is not a mission-impossible!  It is possible!  The Lord has blessed you and allowed you to baptize and/or  re-activate almost 1,000 people per year into the fold of Christ.  Great has been your harvest!  The rescue has been and continues to be successful.  There are no dead areas.  You are hunters and fishers of men and are led by the spirit to where people have been prepared for your arrival.  Prayers are answered!  The growth in this area is very real as attendance at sacrament meeting continues to grow at the pace of approximately 1,000 per year in our mission.   Change is exciting and brings opportunities for new growth and learning.   Please know that both you and this wonderful mission, even the best mission in the world,  will always be in our prayers. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you and give you peace.

Blessings,

President Mark Albright

Sister Karyn Albright

WHAT WILL WE DO WITH ALL OUR TIME?

I was thinking about the incredible schedule we keep here on the mission.
It is a unique schedule for Mission Presidents and wives.
A little summary for my memory:

100 Zone conferences or trainings
27 departing Missionary Firesides
27 Mission Home firesides w/ treats
27 Transfer Meetings
27 Return & Reports w/ meals
27 Orientations
27 Zone Leader Council Mtgs w/ breakfast & lunch
27 Senior missionary dinners
14 Leadership Meetings
36 Presidency Mtgs
80+ airport trips
12 Sisters p-day activities
12 Spanish Forum Trainings
130 Office staff mtgs
288 Stake Correlations meetings
12 of 18 Why I Believe Firesides
27 Transfers- arriving and departing missionaries
27 Departing Temple trips
27 Departing luncheons
135 Transfer Meals  (@2800 fed)
48 Stake Conferences
3 Marriott Barbecues
6 Mission President Seminars
20+ Temple Visitor Center presentations
27 Trainer Meetings
420 Apartment Inspections
90 wards visited
100 Baptismal interviews
100 Baptisms attended (out of 1200)
300 Departing Interviews w/ treats and ties
300 departing Books compiled
480 New Missionary Interviews
36+ Mission Home barbecues or Activities
2880 Missionary Interviews
24960 weekly letters read
Firesides, speaking invitations to sacrament mtgs, etc
1500 Medical phone calls
3000 phone calls -missionary issues
and 360 loads of sheets and towels.

I think we are going to have to take up some hobbies.

LAST NIGHT OF BOWLING FUN

After dinner and a wonderful mission home Testimony meeting, we departing missionaries 

are ready for some fun.  So it's off to the bowling alley. 

I must say, they are all better missionaries than bowlers.  Haha

But we sure have fun.

Departing Group:  Kneeling Kevin Moya (sis Moyas bother) Elders Johnson and Parker

Elders Tacaki, Lafeen, Liew, West, Horton, Litchfield, Naylor, DeHaan, with 

Sisters Moya, Newman and Olsen