We don't care what people say . . .

Rockaway is here to stay!

October 29, 2012:
the Place of Sands meets Superstorm Sandy

Rockaway: Native American phrase meaning "Place of Sands" Sandy: National Hurricane Center Category 2 hurricane, second-costliest in US history

We met most of the other senior missionaries at a picnic in Forest Park today. There are about about ten couples. The companionship in Bermuda, understandably, stayed home. Most of these couples have office responsibilities and live in the Brooklyn-Queens area. We are the only CES missionaries, but several other couples teach institute classes. The mission couples meet socially each month and enjoy a variety of local activities. This gathering was in part a farewell to Elder and Sister Hawkes.  
President Calderwood was there with his family and shared some recent mission history, focusing upon Hurricane Sandy. He explained that it was a defining moment in the mission, a coming of age for all of the missionaries. Their aid to the storm victims lasted many weeks. He referred to this service as an echo of Zion's Camp, noting that much of the current mission leadership grew out of this maturing effort.



President Kevin Calderwood and other Helping Hands from "popular" YouTube video: "On Sunday, November 11th, thousands of Mormons cancelled their church services and arrived by air, bus and train from all across the country to help."

I remember when Sara Marshall used the YouTube documentary short in a Relief Society lesson on service earlier this year. Its popularity was also mentioned in a Church News article. We had already received our call to the NY-NY South area. I flippantly mentioned to Stefanie that we had, "dodged a bullet on that one." I don't know about bullet dodging, but I definitely missed the spiritual mark. Sandy service is a point of declination here. Post-hurricane missionaries will always feel a bit removed fron those that were there. A copy of the Church News cover commemorating the service was signed by the missionaries, and is prominently displayed in the mission office.

President Calderwood said that several months after the clean-up, the missionaries were invited to march in the Queens County St. Patrick's Day Parade. He described his amazement at the standing ovation that they received all along the route.

The Deseret News of March 20 reported, "The crowds in the Rockaways—a community still recovering from the disaster—went wild; their 'little yellow army of happiness' had returned to a hero’s welcome. Donning the yellow Mormon Helping Hands vests they wore in the weeks after the disaster, the missionaries marched along the parade route carrying a huge sign: 'We Love You Rockaways."

Crowds on the parade route hurriedly made their own signs: "We love the Mormon Helping Hands.”

President Calderwood concluded his story by explaining that several of the families helped by the New York members have since joined the Church and meet in the newly formed Belle Harbor Branch on the Rockaways Peninsula.



faux pas at Frankie's

It appears that our permanent residence is delayed, so our immediate arrangements are variable. We find ourselves wholly dependent upon mission largess and convenience. As mentioned, we will spend some time with the Kauffmans in Queens. Hopefully we will enjoy a few days with the President Calderwood and his family in the Port Washington mission home. Island distances, traffic and etiquette require significant driving times and patience.


The couple we are replacing, the Hawkes, are recommending a "pad" in a quieter location. Brother Haitsma has become our favorite Senior Elder since he is the one responsible for negotiating a new lease. It looks like we will eventually be living between the railroad station and Bethpage Park.

Elder and Sister Hawkes teaching Messages of the Prophets at Plainview

The Hawkes are an outstanding senior missionary couple and are much loved in the young adult ward. Our first meet with them was at "Frankie's Pizza" on Farmingdale's Main Street. We have been observing them at various meeting and teaching venues throughout our new area. They teach the youth about the Gospel, and then teach us how to eat pizza and bagels the New York Way. Yes, there is a specific method, and we have learned that things move along better when these local protocols are strictly followed. Both are eaten like a sandwich - not open faced, and never with a fork or knife. The first time I asked for honey on my bagel, the young clerk insisted that I had misspoke, and then spent five minutes in the back room trying to locate, "that honey bear we got around here somewhere." He squirted one side with the honey confection, smeared the other with margarine, and slapped both together for my culinary pleasure.

Long bridge into Long Island

We were so pleased with our successful Manhattan bypass into Queens today that we failed to notice the toll rates on the bridge into Long Island. The route was jointly preferred by both our in-car and Google GPS systems. Earlier readings about Verrazano bridge costs were forgotten in our joyous avoidance of Big Apple traffic. When later reviewing our Easy Pass bill I noted the $15 charge ($10 with the pass discount), for the Staten Island to Brooklyn passage. I dimly remembered reading that it is the most expensive bridge in the New York area.

It probably would not have mattered anyway. Flying up the New Jersey Turnpike at 5PM on a Wednesday is no time for out-of-towners to assess entry options and costs. Just pay the man. In fact, total toll costs for the trip from New York were over $50. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge? Chump change.

 

The bridge, named for the first European to enter New York Harbor, stole the longest suspension bridge honors from San Francisco's Golden Gate in 1964. It is still the longest bridge span in the Americas. According to Wikipedia, the curvature of the Earth's surface had to be included in the design. The towers are 1 5⁄8 inches farther apart at their tops than at their bases.

After the crossing we carefully edged up the west side of Brooklyn, gradually curving into the neighborhood of Elmhurst, Queens. An empty space was miraculously open right in front of President Kauffman's 4th floor "pad." Stan Kauffman is our CES director, and also a counselor to Mission President Kevin Calderwood. We moved our suitcases into the third bedroom that will be our home for the next week or so.

View toward Flushing

View of co-op from room

Tonight Stan and his wife Shirley drove us back to Brooklyn Heights. We visited and strolled along the East River, savoring what many believe to be the best view of the Manhattan skyline.
So far, we agree.

Photo by Andrew Mace http://www.flickr.com/photos/acmace/4477623867/  

Biding Biden

 We entered the District of Columbia at rush hour, navigating five point intersections and one-way streets in directional series. One missed turn required ten minutes of navigational recovery.
 


South Lawn from The Ellipse



 

Our path to the mall the next morning was blocked by the Vice President's White House arrival. We then negotiated numerous barricades and construction areas, noticing significant preparations for the July 4 celebration. Despite high temperatures and humidity we enjoyed many monuments and tours, including the Smithsonian Air and Space museum and the National Art Gallery.  

 

The final memorial visited was Arlington Cemetery - a sobering hike. Since leaving Utah, we wore our mission badges. Church members would approach us from time to time. This happened at the Tomb of The Unknowns. An LDS military veteran working on an airline flight crew explained the he often flew to Washington and that he always made the tomb his first stop. He insisted on this private act of respect prior to any other sight-seeing activities. It was interesting to watch public reactions to the formal ceremony. Many shared the veteran's reverence. Some acted as though they were attending a theme park attraction. I remembered my first view of the exchange during a conference trip ten years earlier. It was the dead of winter. No one else but the honor guard was present. The ceremony provoked solemn veneration.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YIchQaISms

 

 



Going to the Ohio

"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou art not called to go into the eastern countries, but thou art called to go to the Ohio. And inasmuch as my people shall assemble themselves at the Ohio, I have kept in store a blessing such as is not known among the children of men, and it shall be poured forth upon their heads. And from thence men shall go forth into all nations."

Revelation given at Fayette, New York, January 5, 1831. D&C 39  



The Cables



After a long day of intermittent rain showers and construction delays, we crossed the Ohio River into my former mission field. Neglecting to mark another dateline shift, we arrived very late at the home of Gene and Dee Cable. They were one of the families I taught in my first mission area. Newark is a thickly wooded village in the hills east of Columbus at the southern tip of Amish country. The mission president left me among these great members for seven months. The sisters taught me to make rhubarb pie and country noodles. One member delivered fresh milk to our doorstep many mornings. Elder Wilcox and I taught many of the "new" flipchart missionary discussions in this area.

  

Over the years I lost contact with the Cables and have not returned to the Midwest any further than Chicago. So after receiving our call to Long Island I conducted an on-line search of the Church in the Newark area. I learned that the Newark building has grown into a phase 3 structure housing two wards. The Bishop of the Newark Ward had not heard of any Cable family in the area. It took a while to contact the bishop of the second ward, who, after a brief pause said the he knew the cables well as they were regular members of his ward. He promised to have them call me. It was touching to hear from them and to share our family and religious activities covering the last forty years. I have wondered about them often over that time, drawing upon the deep tenderness that a missionary feels for those he serves, and the humbling portion of Divine love that is shared within the penumbra of his efforts.  

We spent a couple of days with the Cable family. I especially enjoyed attending church services in the building where I matured as a young missionary. Time compressed. I am thankful for the patience and faith of those pioneering members in the Newark area. I marveled at the strength of their fellowship and their commitment to the Gospel.

Stefanie saw her first firefly. I have sometimes told her of the mystical impression that they held for me, but my verbal effort fell far short. She and the Cable's granddaughter chased the small creatures across the forested hillside behind their property. I could hear childlike barks of delight well into the dusk of evening.

 

Wee Granny lives

Stopped living out of suitcases this week - Slowly catching up on blog . . . 

 

Cousin Richard Murdoch

June 21. Stefanie met a cousin in the Nauvoo visitor's center: We were searching out information on deceased relations when a living one walked up and started talking with her. Noticing his missionary name tag, she mentioned that she also was a Murdoch, but that he was probably from a different ancestral line. She said that her Murdoch ancestors were from Heber. 

He said, "I'm from Heber." 

She noted that he probably didn't know Grandpa Grant Turner. 

He said, "I know Grant Turner." 

Not fully registering the information, Stef continued, "or Glady Turner", to which the senior missionary responded, "I know Gladys Turner." 

Stef took a moment to regroup and realized that she was talking to her cousin Richard. We spent the better part of an hour catching up on family and mission experiences. 

 

He later helped us get good seats for the BYU VocalPoint evening performance in the outdoor theater. 

 

Returning from the concert, I captured several nighttime images of the temple.

Chasing windmills

Through Medicine Bow and the Pawnee grasslands, following the North Platte.
Asphalt, dirt, construction detours, and endless rows of young corn stalks.
Wind farm blades tilling the air, and finally,
the City Beautiful . . .

We are staying in a bed and breakfast across from the Baxter vineyards. Coincidentally, it is adjacent to the Hawkes' home, the missionary couple we are replacing in Long Island.

_______________________
Friday 8 AM - Attended session in the Nauvoo Temple

View from west temple portico toward Mississippi River 

THANK YOU President Hinckley! 

Leaving Provo

We are nearing the end of our CLE instruction. About half of the original seniors have stayed for the training, which is held in the same LDS chapel that hosted the missionary classes last week. The church building, just north of the MTC, is shared with two Provo wards. Three CES instructors have energetically presented the latest teaching methods. A church security specialist (former CIA) arrived late this afternoon with a presentation on personal safety. It was particularly focused on those travelling to foreign countries. He joked that he couldn't do much for those going to Africa.

Another large Marriott Center devotional was conducted this evening, the speaker this time: Elder Robert C. Gay, of the First Quorum of Seventy, Yes, he is the one who spoke about business morality and service at Oliver's Business School graduation in 2002. That talk was so exceptional that I circulated it to all of the LDS attorneys in the DA's office. The remarks tonight concerned missionary work. Shortly after the graduation talk he was called as a mission president. His comments tonight were punctuated with several poignant mission experiences, including some from his first mission to Spain. When he received his call as a mission president, it only specified a Spanish language country. He bought a Spanish grammar book to recover his skills and asked his wife if she would like him to purchase a Rosetta Stone application for her. She declined, finally declaring that their mission would be in Africa, not a Spanish speaking country. Elder Gay asked her to explain what part of the First Presidency call-letter she didn't understand. Of course, with only days to go, he was notified of a change by Elder Ballard. The new assignment was Ghana, Africa. We have noticed several of the new mission presidents arriving the past two days.

Our experience here has been profound. We will miss the personal concern and professionalism of our leaders, the energy of the young missionaries and the examples of the other seniors. We feel guilt passing the crowds outside of the MTC post office en route to our room here. It is a popular place. As we were eating lunch Friday, one young Elder entered the cafeteria and yelled, "No mail - again." We maybe should have sent more packages to Erin.


We will probably NOT miss the cafeteria meals. The sweet potato fries are too tempting. I began with salads, but soon discovered that I will eat a lunch hamburger everyday if it is available.











We will be leaving the MTC tomorrow afternoon.

You know you're a senior missionary when . . .

You know you're a senior missionary when even your new name tag magnet contains a heart warning:

"CAUTION - MAGNETIC DEVICE
DO NOT USE WITH PACEMAKER"

Transferred

We left the Marriott and moved into MTC housing yesterday. The new rooms are excellent. Solid maple doors and granite bath enclosures. Some rooms have views of the campus. There is an outdoor sun-deck and even an exercise area down the hall. It is much easier to navigate assignments now.



 



 Most of the rooms are empty but a record influx of mission presidents is expected this week. We will leave just in time to avoid the crowd. Next week's Seminar for New Mission Presidents will include a special session entitled “The Work of Salvation,” broadcast from the Marriott Center on Sunday. It is open to all Church members and will feature messages from President Thomas S. Monson, President Boyd K. Packer, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. http://www.lds.org/church/events/the-work-of-salvation-missionary-broadcast?lang=eng&country=nz. We will be travelling through Ohio on our way to Old Bethpage.

 

We attended our "Departure Devotional" at 5:30 this evening. There were about 400 missionaries attending. All will be leaving this week. California and Washington State had the largest groups. An emotional, but sometimes humorous devotional followed immediately afterward. Elder Stephen B. Allen, Managing Director of the Mission Department, spoke. His mission advice was punctuated with numerous "Homefront" videos that he has produced over the years.

 

 

Our CES training begins tomorrow.

 

The Missionaries

Tomorrow is the final day of training. Our young instructors are earnest, gentle and avoid direct criticism, preferring to emphasize particular portions of the PMG manual. We have participated in several role-plays where members playing investigators confront our presentations of scripture, testimony, invitation and commitment.

As we visit with other couples, our awareness their personal sacrifice grows. Many have interrupted careers to serve, based upon calls from their bishops or direct spiritual promptings. Some seniors have served three or more missions. The Tuesday devotional speaker, Elder Mervyn Arnold of the First Quorum of Seventy served his first mission with Sister Arnold while in their early 30’s with six children under age eleven. The Snelson’s in our district are ten years from retirement and have a daughter serving in Honduras. Sister Snelson explained that she experienced two Spiritual directives before she agreed to leave their home and real estate business. They are called to serve a CES mission in Mozambique. Another district couple, the Lovelands, raised ten children and are caring for aging parents. They explained feelings of guilt that their parental obligations prevented mission service. After counseling with their Bishop and the Church missionary department, they have accepted a full-time proselyting mission on an Indian reservation fifty miles from their Montana home, with special allowance for family emergencies.

 

After lunch on Wednesday, Stefanie and I walked to where the new missionaries were arriving. We watched the parade of cars down the MTC driveway, and the line of new missionaries following their escorts and luggage into orientation. Many were sisters. Their expressions showed wonder and determination. As we sat on the driveway stem-wall we heard someone yell, “Hey Owens'.” It was the Garners from Desert Valley Ward dropping off their son Drew. He marched past us a couple of minutes later.

Training begins

Is this MTC thing great or what? They put us in the Marriott executive tower.

Thirty senior couples arrived this week, half of last week’s total. They are expecting 900 young missionaries on Wednesday. Our group includes two senior single sisters. About half of us are CES, but we are the only ones going to New York. One couple in our group is CES in Mozambique. The MTC mission president teased a couple called to El Paso that it is not the end of the world, but you can probably see it from there. Many of the couples will serve as military liaisons. It seemed that most of them are retired servicemen. The MTC matron spoke during the afternoon orientation. She explained that there were three types of transgression: Sins of commission, sins of omission and sins of nomission.

We met the Walkers, a missionary couple that worked with James in the Düsseldorf Institute. They are trainers in the MTC now explaining different way to incorporate proselyting techniques in our institute programs. Food is apparently a critical component, so Stefanie is vindicated in her decision to load the Kitchen-Aid mixer in the car trunk.

Arrival at MTC

The dynamic nature of the surge is evident everywhere. Housing at the Marriott Hotel is one example. All of our campus activities were smoothly conducted, but the administrators frequently noted evolving changes, including some experimental actions. They described tomorrow evening’s fireside at the Marriott Center as a “first.” They said that it is the only venue large enough to accommodate everyone. We have been asked to bring our manuals and marking pencils. They mentioned that this requirement is also new. This is an exciting time to be in the mission field. 

10 HOURS . .

Monday - Scheduled entrance at the MTC is in 10 hours. Pre-MTC Training is currently listed at only 63%. We are still working on the Preach My Gospel and Family History assignments, but also hope to finish the extra-credit Book of Mormon re-read using a combination of written and audible formats. Mosiah and most of Alma were played at Ipod double speed on the drive from Las Vegas to the Provo valley.

missionary.lds.org status