We are thrilled to be involved in helping the Salvation Army in their annual Thanksgiving feast for the homeless. Today (Tuesday, November 22) two shifts of twelve missionaries each worked at the Washington Convention Center to help in the preparation. Interestingly enough, many of the missionaries who helped today do not usually celebrate Thanksgiving in their home countries: Tahiti, Bora Bora, Mexico, Samoa, Canada and Japan.
Tomorrow another 18 missionaries will help prepare while 40 will help serve the expected 3,000 to 5,000 people. (See upcoming postings about that day.)
Turkey is the star, as you would imagine. Some missionaries cut the turkey wings apart. Others sliced turkey breasts and thighs. Others broke apart the smoked turkey.
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| Elder Linday - "Now that's a knife!" |
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| Elder Gillespie had the beginnings of blisters by the time he was done. |
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| Elder Searle |
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| Elder Teriirere |
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| Elder Gillespie, Elder Lindsay and Elder Pierucci worked on turkey for 3 hours. |
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| Elder Kinne and Elder Cameron cut apart turkey wings. |
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| Elder Anderson |
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| Elder Kinne makes it look easy. |
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| Elder Salanoa continues cutting turkey during the second shift. |
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| Sister Moore oversees the turkey stock. |
What's Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce? Volunteers on other days opened small cans of cranberry sauce. Today we mixed up the sauce and then placed them in service bowls.
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| Sister Moore mixes cranberry sauce. |
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| Elder Opeda and Sister Moore dish the sauce into serving bowls. |
Sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows are also on the menu for the feast.
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| Sister Gordon adds brown sugar sauce. |
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| Sister Matsumori sprinkles mini marshmallows on top. |
We also moved rolls from their plastic bags to serving bowls.
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| More rolls left to right: President Matsumori, Elder Opeda, Elder Roomataaroa, Sister Moore, Elder Kinne, Elder Teriirere, Elder Anderson. |
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| Left to right: Elder Kinne, Elder Teriirerer, Elder Anderson, Elder Searle, President Matsumori, Elder Opeda, Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Cameron, Sister Moore. |
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| Elder Searle and Sister Gordon wrap each bowl so the rolls will stay fresh. |
Nine hundred pies have been baked - apple or sweet potato. We cut all of them. We also whipped cream to serve with the sweet potato pie.
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| Pie cutters left to right: Elder Valdetano, Elder Salanoa, Elder Vanaa, Elder Shigeta, Elder Christensen, Elder Schaap, Elder Krugman, Elder Danner. |
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| The sisters look happier about cutting pies. Smiling sisters left to right: Sister Withers, Sister Holt, Sister VanTassell, Sister Bleazard. |
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| OK, so now the Elders look happy - left to right: Elder Schaap, Elder Danner Elder Krugman, Elder Salanoa, Elder Vanaa, Elder Shigeta, Elder Christensen. |
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| The sisters start on sweet potato pies while the elders begin cutting turkey. Sisters left to right: Sister Withers, Sister Holt, Sister VanTassell, Sister Bleazard. |
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| Left to right: Elder Valdetano, Elder Krugman, Elder Shigeta, Elder Christensen, Elder Danner |
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| Elder Opeda with an industrial strength beater for the whipping cream. |
And what's Thanksgiving without tasting the food? OK, so we didn't really eat it, but it made for great pictures.
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| President Matsumori tries the turkey that Elder Pierucci has failed to guard. |
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| Elder Kinne finishes off the last of the cranberry sauce while Sister Gordon looks on. |
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| Elder Opeda tries one of the thousands of rolls while Elder Roomataaroa and Elder Cameron look on. |
The Center Plate staff, which oversaw our work, provided lunch for us. This was a great treat for the missionaries who had just spent their money using the Metro to get to the convention center.
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| Left to right: Sister Bleazard, Sister Holt, Sister VanTassell, Sister Gordon and Sister Witherss. |
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| One must speak French to sit at this table - left to right: Elder Anderson, Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Teriirere, Elder Searle and Elder Vanaa. |
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| Left to right: Elder Lindsay, Elder Gillespie and Elder Pierucci. |
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| Left to right: Elder Christensen, Elder Valdetano, Elder Shigeta. Oh yeah, there are those other elders in the background. |
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| Left to right: Sister Moore, Sister Bleazard, Sister Withers, Sister VanTassell, Sister Holt. |
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| Left to right: Elder Krugman, Elder Kinne, Elder Cameron, Elder Opeda |
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| Left to right: Elder Danner, Elder Salanoa, Elder Schaap |
