Sunday, September 9, 2012
A Very Active August in the Mendon-Palmyra Areas
August in Western New York was another full month. As happens, some
months seem to start early. On the 30th of July we hosted a Family
Home Evening for all of the Temple Missionary couples. Most of them
had never been to the John Young home, or knew much about the history
of the Saints from this area. I spoke to the group for about 20
minutes about the beginnings of the Church in the Mendon area. We
then had some cake and visited. Elder Jensen and I split the group
into two and I went to the Tomlinson Inn with half, he went to the
Brigham Young baptismal site. We then switched groups. It was a nice
way to culminate July and get ready for August.
On Friday the 3rd of August our foster son, Robyn Steenstra, and
family arrived from Florida. It was very nice to see them again. We
enjoyed the next four days with them. Robyn was 14 months old when my
companion and I tracted off his family's apartment in Haarlem,
Netherlands in 1966. That was the start of any amazing conversion
story that resulted not only in the baptism of his parents, but the
sealing of the family in the temple, and their two sons serving
missions, getting married in the temple and sending their own sons on
missions. Robyn actually lived with us in Centerville, Utah in 1983,
went to BYU and then left on his mission from Centerville to
Philadelphia. He has a wonderful family. They really enjoyed seeing
all of the Mendon and Palmyra sites. It is actually much better for
family to come after Pageant so they can enjoy the sites when they are
much less crowded.
We were privileged to be able to attend a "morningside" at the Hill
Cumorah Visitors Center on the 11th with Elder Gordon H. Smith, our
new Area Seventy. He lives in Maryland and was a former US Senator
from Oregon. He told us about an amazing experience that he and then
Elder Uchtdorf had in Italy a few years ago. The Church had been
trying to get full legal religious recognition in Italy, and needed
some diplomatic help. Elder Smith was able to meet with the Italian
Ambassador in D.C. where he arranged a meeting in Italy with some high
government officials. He and Elder Uchtdorf flew to Rome and met with
the officials. They explained the concerns of the Church and the
desire to have the same religious recognition in Italy as other
non-Catholic churches. The one official told them that he had quietly
made a trip to Salt Lake City the previous year, without his
governmental leaders or our Church officials knowledge. When he and
his family arrived on Temple Square, they mentioned that they were
from Italy. Within minutes two young sister missionaries from Italy
were by their sides offering a tour. They were able to take the tour
of those sacred grounds and were instructed in their own language.
They were very impressed that two of their countrymen were so kind and
such wonderful examples. They had an amazing experience in Utah. Now
back in Rome, the official told his Church visitors that he was so
impressed with the fine young people from his country, that he wanted
his country to have more such good young people. He commented that he
also loved the beautiful temple in Salt Lake and then asked, "Do you
think we could have such a beautiful temple here in Italy?" Elder
Uchtdorf replied, "-- I will start working on that tomorrow." So,
after all of the years of official contact and prayers, it was the
goodness and testimony of two young missionaries that sealed the deal.
Soon a beautiful temple will grace the skyline of Italy.
We had four Zone Conferences during the month that kept us very busy.
Kae manned the office by herself for three of those days. She had
previously arranged for meals to be provided by the Relief Societies
each day. My help is always needed to inspect the mission cars in the
church parking lots as the conferences begins inside. Most of the
young missionaries work in large areas, where bikes are not practical
and the Western New York weather is not too hospitable. They do take
good care of the cars and the Church has a great system of buying new
cars, and having them driven about 50,000 miles before being sold.
That way reliable vehicles are used.
On the 23rd we hosted a specialized training session for the senior
Member and Leadership Support (MLS) missionaries at the John Young
home.
We borrowed chairs from the church and set up space for 34 of us in
the living room. We had some great training and then took our chairs
outside to the tables that were set up for dinner. Kae, and Sister
Jensen organized and helped prepare the wonderful meal. We enjoyed
the camaraderie and fun time visiting. I then took them on a tour of
the Mendon sites. After they departed, we also hosted the
sister-in-law of our son Garin, Corie and Scott Samuelsen, their
daughter Shalece and son Colton. They spent the night with us. They
had enjoyed the Palmyra sites that day.
The next day we had breakfast with them, then showed them the Mendon
sites. They were soon on their way to other parts of New York. I
made it to the office at 10:30. After noon our friends, Steve & Lana
Barlow, from Bountiful, Utah arrived. We took them to Pittsford
landing where we met other senior missionaries and boarded a canal
boat for a tour. The next 1 1/2 hours were spent boating along the
canal and going through one of the locks. The Erie Canal stretches
from the Hudson River in Albany all the way west to Lake Erie at
Buffalo. It is about a 400 mile route that is still in existence.
These days, mostly pleasure boats use it. We enjoyed time with the
Barlows in Mendon and Palmyra on Saturday. Steve is a great great
great grandson of Israel Barlow, who joined the church here in Mendon.
It was fascinating for him to learn more about this area and to see
the possible sites where Israel had lived.
On Monday, the 27th, we met a dozen young missionaries at the mission
office location and began our move to our new office in the Kreag Road
church. It was a long hard day getting moved in. We were able to use
a former Stake office suite in the building. It took a week to get
settled and get things working right. The longest delay was getting
our main telephone number switched over, but it is all good now. We
are very happy to have the office right there in the church. It is
still about 7 miles from where we live, but that is manageable.
It has been such a great, busy month and has brought us a lot of joy.
We really love being here to serve the Lord. Our prayer is that all
of you that are able to will might be able to experience similar
mission opportunities. May the Lord bless you and your families.
months seem to start early. On the 30th of July we hosted a Family
Home Evening for all of the Temple Missionary couples. Most of them
had never been to the John Young home, or knew much about the history
of the Saints from this area. I spoke to the group for about 20
minutes about the beginnings of the Church in the Mendon area. We
then had some cake and visited. Elder Jensen and I split the group
into two and I went to the Tomlinson Inn with half, he went to the
Brigham Young baptismal site. We then switched groups. It was a nice
way to culminate July and get ready for August.
On Friday the 3rd of August our foster son, Robyn Steenstra, and
family arrived from Florida. It was very nice to see them again. We
enjoyed the next four days with them. Robyn was 14 months old when my
companion and I tracted off his family's apartment in Haarlem,
Netherlands in 1966. That was the start of any amazing conversion
story that resulted not only in the baptism of his parents, but the
sealing of the family in the temple, and their two sons serving
missions, getting married in the temple and sending their own sons on
missions. Robyn actually lived with us in Centerville, Utah in 1983,
went to BYU and then left on his mission from Centerville to
Philadelphia. He has a wonderful family. They really enjoyed seeing
all of the Mendon and Palmyra sites. It is actually much better for
family to come after Pageant so they can enjoy the sites when they are
much less crowded.
We were privileged to be able to attend a "morningside" at the Hill
Cumorah Visitors Center on the 11th with Elder Gordon H. Smith, our
new Area Seventy. He lives in Maryland and was a former US Senator
from Oregon. He told us about an amazing experience that he and then
Elder Uchtdorf had in Italy a few years ago. The Church had been
trying to get full legal religious recognition in Italy, and needed
some diplomatic help. Elder Smith was able to meet with the Italian
Ambassador in D.C. where he arranged a meeting in Italy with some high
government officials. He and Elder Uchtdorf flew to Rome and met with
the officials. They explained the concerns of the Church and the
desire to have the same religious recognition in Italy as other
non-Catholic churches. The one official told them that he had quietly
made a trip to Salt Lake City the previous year, without his
governmental leaders or our Church officials knowledge. When he and
his family arrived on Temple Square, they mentioned that they were
from Italy. Within minutes two young sister missionaries from Italy
were by their sides offering a tour. They were able to take the tour
of those sacred grounds and were instructed in their own language.
They were very impressed that two of their countrymen were so kind and
such wonderful examples. They had an amazing experience in Utah. Now
back in Rome, the official told his Church visitors that he was so
impressed with the fine young people from his country, that he wanted
his country to have more such good young people. He commented that he
also loved the beautiful temple in Salt Lake and then asked, "Do you
think we could have such a beautiful temple here in Italy?" Elder
Uchtdorf replied, "-- I will start working on that tomorrow." So,
after all of the years of official contact and prayers, it was the
goodness and testimony of two young missionaries that sealed the deal.
Soon a beautiful temple will grace the skyline of Italy.
We had four Zone Conferences during the month that kept us very busy.
Kae manned the office by herself for three of those days. She had
previously arranged for meals to be provided by the Relief Societies
each day. My help is always needed to inspect the mission cars in the
church parking lots as the conferences begins inside. Most of the
young missionaries work in large areas, where bikes are not practical
and the Western New York weather is not too hospitable. They do take
good care of the cars and the Church has a great system of buying new
cars, and having them driven about 50,000 miles before being sold.
That way reliable vehicles are used.
On the 23rd we hosted a specialized training session for the senior
Member and Leadership Support (MLS) missionaries at the John Young
home.
We borrowed chairs from the church and set up space for 34 of us in
the living room. We had some great training and then took our chairs
outside to the tables that were set up for dinner. Kae, and Sister
Jensen organized and helped prepare the wonderful meal. We enjoyed
the camaraderie and fun time visiting. I then took them on a tour of
the Mendon sites. After they departed, we also hosted the
sister-in-law of our son Garin, Corie and Scott Samuelsen, their
daughter Shalece and son Colton. They spent the night with us. They
had enjoyed the Palmyra sites that day.
The next day we had breakfast with them, then showed them the Mendon
sites. They were soon on their way to other parts of New York. I
made it to the office at 10:30. After noon our friends, Steve & Lana
Barlow, from Bountiful, Utah arrived. We took them to Pittsford
landing where we met other senior missionaries and boarded a canal
boat for a tour. The next 1 1/2 hours were spent boating along the
canal and going through one of the locks. The Erie Canal stretches
from the Hudson River in Albany all the way west to Lake Erie at
Buffalo. It is about a 400 mile route that is still in existence.
These days, mostly pleasure boats use it. We enjoyed time with the
Barlows in Mendon and Palmyra on Saturday. Steve is a great great
great grandson of Israel Barlow, who joined the church here in Mendon.
It was fascinating for him to learn more about this area and to see
the possible sites where Israel had lived.
On Monday, the 27th, we met a dozen young missionaries at the mission
office location and began our move to our new office in the Kreag Road
church. It was a long hard day getting moved in. We were able to use
a former Stake office suite in the building. It took a week to get
settled and get things working right. The longest delay was getting
our main telephone number switched over, but it is all good now. We
are very happy to have the office right there in the church. It is
still about 7 miles from where we live, but that is manageable.
It has been such a great, busy month and has brought us a lot of joy.
We really love being here to serve the Lord. Our prayer is that all
of you that are able to will might be able to experience similar
mission opportunities. May the Lord bless you and your families.
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