Baptisms in River View Ward

These last couple of months our ward has had several baptisms among the youth.  

        This is Elder Verkler, Elder Hart, Sister Martinez, her little son, Ivan her older son, his sister, and Brother Wong, the Ward Mission leader.  Sister Martinez is active and was so eager for her son to listen to the missionaries.  Ivan was just baptized and has a strong testimony.  Thru his efforts and fellowship, other young men are now being helped as the missionaries bring them the gospel.  He is a tremendous addition to our ward.

        This is Elder Santa Cruz and Carlos.  He is a pioneer as the only member of his family that has joined.  But, he knows and remembers what he has been taught.  I spoke at his baptism.  He is a sharp youth.  He now,  has the help of the boys in the ward and is excited for his new life.  

        This is Brother Tollefson, Roy, and Michelle (Roy's mother.)  Roy was baptized the week after Carlos was.  Roy's mother is a member and his father is preparing for baptism soon.  The whole family is coming into the gospel.  His father (not pictured here, but was at the baptism) told me that the church had changed Roy so much that he wanted the gospel in his own life.  He feels great peace since he has heard the message of the gospel.

        And, these are some of the youth in our ward.  The two on both ends are members.  Carlos, Ivan, and Roy are next with Brother Tollefson.  They call each other, pick each other up, and truly fellowship.  Next week we have another young man scheduled for baptism because of this friendship.

Last Day at the Visitor's Center

This is the last time we will be substituting in the Visitor's Center (VC) because we have been called into the office to work there for the rest of our mission.  They changed our calls from MLS Missionaries to Office Missionaries.  But, we substituted at the VC last week before training for our new responsibilities.

        This is Destiny Akers with Elder Elwood and Elder Grzan.  She is taking the discussions and we have been attending with her.  We help bear testimony as they teach her the Gospel Principles and Doctrine.  We took her to the VC and went through the tour and watched the Restoration Video.

        This is Sister Villanueva.  She works with us in Riverview Ward.  It was her birthday at the VC and the flowers were sent to her by a family who loves her.

        This is Sister Jorgensen and Sister Thurston who wanted to be in on the birthday flowers.  They are special Sisters who work at the VC also.

        This is Sister Atwood, Sister Fonua, Sister Erickson, Sister Hansen, Sister Smith, Sister Thurston, and Sister Buckhave.  They all worked with us on our last day.  We opened with a devotional; song, scripture, and prayer.  Then, we all went to work.  Elder Atwood is taking the picture.  He was presiding.

        This is Sister & Elder Lillywhite.  We will be taking over their responsibilities.  She is President Keyes secretary and is training Sister Atwood for the next month.  I have a lot to learn!!  Elder Lillywhite is training Elder Atwood, who will be managing the Housing Department.  We are happy and ready to work in our new callings.

Zone Conference

        Another Zone Conference was held in April.  There were three conferences with a third of the missionaries in each one.  We had a light breakfast in the morning when the missionaries arrived.  Here are some of the senior missionaries: Elder & Sister Steck from Lehi, Utah, Elder & Sister Burk, and Elder & Sister Burgess, from Rigby, Idaho.  Behind them the young missionaries are gathering from their areas to listen and be instructed by President Keyes, Elder Brenchley, and President Cato.

        The Sisters were there also.  Most of the sisters work in the VC part time and spend their other time working in the field proselyting.  We held this conference in the Independence Stake Center.  The Stake Relief Society prepared and served lunch for the entire group.  Both the lunch and all the meetings were great.  The main message this time was, "Be Anxiously Engaged."  Our Stake President, Cato, is outstanding; Firm and strong in the faith and testimony of this great work here in Independence.  President Keyes, the Mission President, used to be a 70, comes from the Ogden area, and is a spiritual Giant of great humility and Faith.  It was wonderful to listen to all.

        Before the meeting, they had car inspections.  We are here with Elder Hart, who served in our area before he was transferred.  It was great to see him again.  We love him and all the missionaries we are meeting.

        Again, a picture of the cars as they are being inspected.  They are required to take care of their cars, which they are grateful to have in this area of hills, valleys, and long distances in the rural parts.  Sister Borges is looking at the camera.  We used to work with her before the last transfer.

        Here is Elder Grzan, from California.  Sister Borges is from Argentina, and Sister Villanueva is from California.  All three of these missionaries served with us in the Riverview Ward down town Kansas City, Missouri.  They are great missionaries and work so hard everyday!  We have such profound respect for these missionaries who sacrifice their time and are so diligent in their callings.  We love these three very much.

Returning Members & Converts

        We had our regular Fireside at the VC after our wonderful General Conference on April 6.  This is Anna Ibarra with her mother, Aimee Davis.  Anna began the missionary discussions before Christmas.  She has a strong testimony of what she is doing in being baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  When friends and others considered her being, "brain washed" she agreed entirely saying, "I'm absolutely BRAIN WASHED, and I'm HEART WASHED too."  She is so grateful to be washed clean, both in brain and heart.  After the fireside, everyone was saying they were glad to be heartwashed also. I think you will see the phrase "Heart Washed" sweep through the church.

        This is Jacob Wheeling and Sariah Test.  Sariah was born into the church.  But, like many youth, she quit going when she was 13.  She went her way in the world without the gospel to guide her.  She is now anxious to gain all her blessings back that the gospel has to offer.  She was so full of emotion of her gratitude to be back, that she could hardly speak.  Welcome home.

        This is Brother Phil and Sister Maryann Faitau.  Maryann is part Polynesian, Samoan, Tongan, and even a bit of Italian.  She was born into an LDS family who came to the United States when she was very young.  But, she also was trying to find herself as a youth and didn't attend church.  Years later, after marriage, family, and a son who chose to serve a mission for the church (he's now in Hawaii serving his mission,) she is thrilled to be back.  She bore an extremely strong testimony of the power of the gospel in her life.
        Her husband also was inactive.  When their son told them he wanted to serve a mission, Phil agreed to support him, but not for him to expect him to give up tobacco.  He considered himself stubborn and would smoke more whenever someone told him he should quit.  At times he would even admit he should quit.  But, as he prayed for the Lord to take his addiction away, he would light up another cigarette.  It wasn't until he really decided himself to give it up and to trust completely in the Lord and his Atoning Sacrifice, that he was able to quit smoking.  They are wonderfully happy and strong in the church and their son has one year more before he will come home to this great family change.

        These are our great friends the Shethi's.  Sister Charlene Shethi is originally from Tahiti.  Many of her family were members of the church.  She had a very special Aunt who was strong in the gospel, but patient in allowing her to decide whether to join or not.  Yet, her aunt and her husband fed the missionaries for years.  Charlene continued to live by them and watched their example.  Finally, in later life she joined.  Now she wishes she had chosen earlier because of all the blessings she has experienced.  She now feeds the three sets of missionaries all the time, just like her aunt did.  Here is the Indian food they made for us.

        This is TC Shethi.  He is from India.  He acquired a great sum of money in motel businesses.  Thru fraudulent  and dishonesty of others, he lost everything.  It was a dark time for him.  Anger and temper filled his thoughts.  But, subsequently he joined the church and it has completely changed his life and disposition.  His family cannot believe the change in him.  He humbly gives credit to the church for changing him.  He tells everyone, "the church has made me a soft nice guy!"

Women's Conference in Kansas City & Independence

        We met at the local Pizza Place for afternoon lunch before the World Wide Women's Conference.  There were about 30 women there to eat pizza & salad.  We had a great time!  The Bishop bought everyone's lunch.  His wife is in front with the paper cups.

        This is just one table:  Sister O'Laughflin is in the white sweater and Sister Loya is with her two daughters.  Her husband is taking the lessons.  She is the Young Woman's President in the ward.

        This was the youngest sister there.  She is ten months old, but a constant companion to her mother, Sister Tollefson.  She reminds me of Bowen in the face.  Her daddy is a Med student here in KC and the ward clerk.  Her mom is the Seminary teacher and ward choir directer.  Yes, I still go to choir.  Love it!

        Just a few sisters:  Wellerman, Givens, Merchan, Banks, and Becker.  Four different nationalities right here.

        After pizza, we went to the Stake Center where they had a musical singing program before the Broadcast.  It was in the chapel and I couldn't take pictures.  But, different groups stood and sang wherever they were sitting.  So, here and there they stood all over the chapel room.  First, all the Young Women stood and sang, "I Walk by Faith."  Then, all the Primary girls stood and sang, "I Am a Child of God."  The Polynesian Sisters sang a song, the Spanish Sisters sang, "More Holiness Give Me" and all the women sang, "As Sisters in Zion."  It was so wonderful and brought tears to my eyes to see all the different sisters singing praises to God in there own language.  It went right along with the Conference.  This particular picture, was the Stake officers singing a fun song after the conference and during our refreshments of Cheese cake. (my favorite!)

        Then, President Cato stood and spoke for a few minutes.  He is a man for his time; so devoted and converted to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He said Satan is selling diversity.  But, we must hold together and be ONE.  We have the most divers stake in the church, he said.  But, we can be unified in the gospel and do great things.  His talk absolutely fit with the General Women's Conference talks about being united in our differences.  We are truly all children of God and brothers and sisters here on the earth.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that, and teaches the true way back to our Father by accepting his way, his ordinances, and his laws.  We will only go back to Him by lifting, helping and carrying our brothers and sisters!

        This is a lady in our ward, Sister Nativita Dite Monique Laforgue.  She is from Haiti and is 81 years old.  When we asked if we could take her picture, she ran upstairs to change her top.  She is so agile and healthy!  She loves the gospel, joined the church while in Haiti, and has three kids.  Two are still in Haiti.  Her daughter, in Haiti, has eight children, all active in the church.  We met the granddaughter who was visiting here and going to school in Montana.  She brought her grandmother to church, where we met her.  She speaks Spanish, French, and Creole.  But, we only speak English, so need an interpreter.  But, she brought out her family pictures of kids and grandkids and great grandkids.  She was so proud of her pictures.  We understood that language very well!