Sunday, October 23, 2011
Area Mission Presidents Seminar
The much anticipated Area Mission Presidents Seminar was held here this past week. Our mission was the host mission. We had 22 presidents and their wives in attendance. We had the opportunity to drive the mission van to pick up four mission presidents and their wives at the airport. They included Pres. Pitt (our former Stake President from Centerville), Pres. Hess (also from Bountiful), and two others. They were accompanied by their wives. Three General Authorities from the First Quorum of Seventy also arrived: Elder Jay Jensen, Elder Marcus Nash, and Elder Jose Alonzo.
Elder Servoss had the duties delegated to him to take care of all of the physical arrangements for three different venues. It involved a lot of planning which started last month with a walk through of the Palmyra, Fayette, and Pittsford ward church buildings. He was given an outline and planned out the details. He arranged for help at each building and found a person who could supply 12 desk mics and 3 cordless mics to use. The set up started on Wednesday morning when we set up things in Palmyra. We had to put out 15 long tables with chairs in a seminar form. Each table was set with a table cloth and candy dishes, nuts, and water. Fortunately the ward members has already set up the tables and chairs for the dining area, which saved us time. At 9:45 I had to drive to the office to do some work. At 5 pm we had to be back in Palmyra to set up the sound system. Two hours later I drove home. Then the next morning (Thursday) I was back at 8:15 to open the building. The presidents arrived at 9. After 5 minutes of problems with the sound system, I got the controls tweaked and all was well for the rest of the meeting. I went back to the office to get Kae and returned to meet some of the senior missionary elders who came to help take down the tables and chairs. We finished just after 2 and then drove 45 minutes to Fayette to set up things. Kae decorated the Relief Society room tables with pumpkins, flowers, acorns, and silk leaves. We worked hard and had things ready by 7 pm. Then we had glitches with the sound system that took us until 10 pm to resolve. We got home at 11:30 pm.
Friday morning I was up early and headed off to Fayette. I spent an hour and a half there and then returned to the office to work, a 45 minute drive. At 5 pm three of us senior Elders were back there to take things down. We had help from ward members and young men and were done by 7:30 pm. We then had to drive back to Pittsford to set up things there. I had asked the High Priests to help, and was very grateful to find that they had set things up by the time we arrived at 8:30 pm. It took us over an hour to set up the sound system, and so it was about 10:30 before we arrived home.
Saturday morning I went to the church at 7:10 am. I met the bishop's councilor there and got the building unlocked. We had to hurry and move a piano into the gym and do a quick test of the sound before the 9 am arrival of the group. I stayed at the church while they had the program. At 12:30 we were able to take things down. We had plenty of help and were done in less than an hour. Everyone was very pleased with the terrific job that they said Elder Servoss and the others had done. Elder Jay Jensen (one of the 7 Presidents of the Seventy) thanked me personally and told me that he had been told many years ago, while preparing for a similar event, that if things ran smoothly it allowed the spirit to be uninhibited in the meetings. That he said had been the case over the past three days. The Area Executive Secretary, under whose direction I worked, told me that he had been doing these events for 13 years, and had never had one run so smoothly. He also had very little that he had to do for clean up, which was very unusual for him. We were happy to have had so many people who were willing to help us serve. Our mission president was very pleased with all that we did, and thanked us many times. Kae and I know that we were in the Lord's master plan a long time ago to be able to be here in New York for this event. It was a great experience, but very tiring.
Elder Servoss had the duties delegated to him to take care of all of the physical arrangements for three different venues. It involved a lot of planning which started last month with a walk through of the Palmyra, Fayette, and Pittsford ward church buildings. He was given an outline and planned out the details. He arranged for help at each building and found a person who could supply 12 desk mics and 3 cordless mics to use. The set up started on Wednesday morning when we set up things in Palmyra. We had to put out 15 long tables with chairs in a seminar form. Each table was set with a table cloth and candy dishes, nuts, and water. Fortunately the ward members has already set up the tables and chairs for the dining area, which saved us time. At 9:45 I had to drive to the office to do some work. At 5 pm we had to be back in Palmyra to set up the sound system. Two hours later I drove home. Then the next morning (Thursday) I was back at 8:15 to open the building. The presidents arrived at 9. After 5 minutes of problems with the sound system, I got the controls tweaked and all was well for the rest of the meeting. I went back to the office to get Kae and returned to meet some of the senior missionary elders who came to help take down the tables and chairs. We finished just after 2 and then drove 45 minutes to Fayette to set up things. Kae decorated the Relief Society room tables with pumpkins, flowers, acorns, and silk leaves. We worked hard and had things ready by 7 pm. Then we had glitches with the sound system that took us until 10 pm to resolve. We got home at 11:30 pm.
Friday morning I was up early and headed off to Fayette. I spent an hour and a half there and then returned to the office to work, a 45 minute drive. At 5 pm three of us senior Elders were back there to take things down. We had help from ward members and young men and were done by 7:30 pm. We then had to drive back to Pittsford to set up things there. I had asked the High Priests to help, and was very grateful to find that they had set things up by the time we arrived at 8:30 pm. It took us over an hour to set up the sound system, and so it was about 10:30 before we arrived home.
Saturday morning I went to the church at 7:10 am. I met the bishop's councilor there and got the building unlocked. We had to hurry and move a piano into the gym and do a quick test of the sound before the 9 am arrival of the group. I stayed at the church while they had the program. At 12:30 we were able to take things down. We had plenty of help and were done in less than an hour. Everyone was very pleased with the terrific job that they said Elder Servoss and the others had done. Elder Jay Jensen (one of the 7 Presidents of the Seventy) thanked me personally and told me that he had been told many years ago, while preparing for a similar event, that if things ran smoothly it allowed the spirit to be uninhibited in the meetings. That he said had been the case over the past three days. The Area Executive Secretary, under whose direction I worked, told me that he had been doing these events for 13 years, and had never had one run so smoothly. He also had very little that he had to do for clean up, which was very unusual for him. We were happy to have had so many people who were willing to help us serve. Our mission president was very pleased with all that we did, and thanked us many times. Kae and I know that we were in the Lord's master plan a long time ago to be able to be here in New York for this event. It was a great experience, but very tiring.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Fayette, Seneca Lake Camp & Fall Colors
Last Thursday we went to Fayette for a Mission Conference. It was an opportunity for us all to review our recent six week reading of the Book of Mormon. We had a testimony meeting in which many of the young missionaries bore testimony of the value of having read the book in such a short time. The process strengthened many testimonies and created a special atmosphere in the work here. There have been some extra baptisms that have resulted. Many of our missionaries had never been to the sites in Fayette. We went to Fayette because it was the place where the translation of the Book of Mormon was completed and the Eight Witnesses were shown the plates and bore testimony of their experience. The Whitmer Farm with its cabin (home) was also the site where the church was organized. Many of us remember April 6th, 1980 when a session of General Conference was broadcast live from the Whitmer cabin as part the 150th anniversary of the organization of the church. President Spencer W. Kimball spoke and also dedicated the reconstructed Whitmer cabin and the new church that day. The church was built next to the Whitmer cabin. It has a wing that is used as the Visitor's Center. The church has purchased many acres surrounding the sites, so it is in a protected spot in the country. It is 2+ miles from the town of Fayette.
About 7 miles away is a wonderful camp that the church owns called Seneca Lake Camp. It is a beautiful complex of cabins, tent & trailer campsites, lake front property and a large guest house that can be rented. It is nestled in wooded and grassy areas. There are canoes that can be used to explore the lake. Seneca Lake is one of the deepest lakes in the US (almost 300 feet). It is sort of like Aspen Grove combined with a scout camp. Church groups from all over the east use the camp.
The fall colors here are fantastic. There are so many brilliant yellow, red and orange colors dotting the landscape. Then there are still the green hills, and some trees that are still green. The temperature is still in the 50's and 60's. What a great place to be. We also enjoyed walking through part of the Sacred Grove yesterday. We pray that all is well with each of you and that the Lord will bless you in your endeavors. Enjoy the fall wherever you are.
About 7 miles away is a wonderful camp that the church owns called Seneca Lake Camp. It is a beautiful complex of cabins, tent & trailer campsites, lake front property and a large guest house that can be rented. It is nestled in wooded and grassy areas. There are canoes that can be used to explore the lake. Seneca Lake is one of the deepest lakes in the US (almost 300 feet). It is sort of like Aspen Grove combined with a scout camp. Church groups from all over the east use the camp.
The fall colors here are fantastic. There are so many brilliant yellow, red and orange colors dotting the landscape. Then there are still the green hills, and some trees that are still green. The temperature is still in the 50's and 60's. What a great place to be. We also enjoyed walking through part of the Sacred Grove yesterday. We pray that all is well with each of you and that the Lord will bless you in your endeavors. Enjoy the fall wherever you are.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Letchworth State Park & Wooded Areas
Saturday, we joined two other senior couples and drove to the “Grand Canyon of the East” - Letchworth State Park. It is a wonderful canyon cut through a mountain with the Genesee River running through it. The park is about 20 miles long and 5 miles wide. There are a number of waterfalls, the highest of which is 107 feet high, with the canyon walls rising to 600 feet above the river. Many of the trees had changed color, but we were maybe a week early for the ‘real show of color’. It was great to see nature’s wonders even in New York. We visited a craft fair in the park and then ate a late lunch at Dave's Diner. The food was great and the company was too.
Missionaries are not much different than others in that they need a little ‘down time’. It is wonderful to be in the mission office where we do important work 8 to 9 hours a day, five days a week. The mission rules allow for a preparation or diversion day, which for us is Saturday. Some of those days we attend baptisms and other church meetings, or the temple. We also help with the local ward.
We are enjoying the changing colors of fall here. Many trees in the woods are turning shades of yellow, orange and red. There are trees everywhere here and farm fields. Most things are still very green. The corn crops have now turned yellow and are about ready to be chopped up into feed or bio-fuel. It is an amazing site to see and we love driving the 8 miles to the office, passing farms, fields, and large homes secluded in wooded areas.
The life is great here and we love it. We certainly miss our family and friends back home, but we are also grateful to have this opportunity to work with the missionaries and people of New York. The time is going by quickly. We love the Lord and pray that he will bless you and your families. We love you all so much.
Missionaries are not much different than others in that they need a little ‘down time’. It is wonderful to be in the mission office where we do important work 8 to 9 hours a day, five days a week. The mission rules allow for a preparation or diversion day, which for us is Saturday. Some of those days we attend baptisms and other church meetings, or the temple. We also help with the local ward.
We are enjoying the changing colors of fall here. Many trees in the woods are turning shades of yellow, orange and red. There are trees everywhere here and farm fields. Most things are still very green. The corn crops have now turned yellow and are about ready to be chopped up into feed or bio-fuel. It is an amazing site to see and we love driving the 8 miles to the office, passing farms, fields, and large homes secluded in wooded areas.
The life is great here and we love it. We certainly miss our family and friends back home, but we are also grateful to have this opportunity to work with the missionaries and people of New York. The time is going by quickly. We love the Lord and pray that he will bless you and your families. We love you all so much.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Conference & Hurst Relatives
We have just had another amazing week here in New York. We have been involved in many things in the office and elsewhere. On Saturday we attended a baptism in the church building where we attend. We then returned to our rental home and watched conference. We then made a trip to the library and grocery store. We returned to our place to watch the afternoon session and then at 6:30 Kent and Elder McVea drove to the Rochester Stake Center for another convert baptism. Then we walked into the chapel and watched the priesthood session. President Christianson sat next to us and we gave him a ride home afterwards. I wondered about my sons back home and where they viewed the session. I miss being with them, but know that we are in the right place right now. I loved Elder Holland's talk about enlisting in the service of the Lord and serving missions. I was happy that we had answered the call already. Many of our friends also have done that, or are serving as they can. What a wonderful opportunity for all worthy and able members, to serve as they can.
A few weeks ago I discovered that a local bishop's name was James H. Hurst. I thought that he was probably related to me, so I called him and confirmed that we had a common great great grandfather, Frederick William Hurst. We shared some emails and then today we drove an hour to Brockport to meet him and part of his family. We met them at the church there and watched conference with over 30 members. Then we enjoyed a luncheon in the recreation hall. Jim has been the bishop for 5 years and has lived here for 14 years. Like so many others here, he works for Kodak Company. It was nice to make their acquaintance and visit. We then returned home to watch the concluding session of conference. What a blessing that we have the Internet that enables us to watch the conference sessions live. We are so grateful for the gospel and love serving the Lord. It is such a blessing to be here at this time. This week we have arriving and departing missionaries and transfers. It will be another busy week. The gospel is true and we testify of that to all of you. May you all enjoy the messages of this conference.
A few weeks ago I discovered that a local bishop's name was James H. Hurst. I thought that he was probably related to me, so I called him and confirmed that we had a common great great grandfather, Frederick William Hurst. We shared some emails and then today we drove an hour to Brockport to meet him and part of his family. We met them at the church there and watched conference with over 30 members. Then we enjoyed a luncheon in the recreation hall. Jim has been the bishop for 5 years and has lived here for 14 years. Like so many others here, he works for Kodak Company. It was nice to make their acquaintance and visit. We then returned home to watch the concluding session of conference. What a blessing that we have the Internet that enables us to watch the conference sessions live. We are so grateful for the gospel and love serving the Lord. It is such a blessing to be here at this time. This week we have arriving and departing missionaries and transfers. It will be another busy week. The gospel is true and we testify of that to all of you. May you all enjoy the messages of this conference.
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