Trainer and Trainee Meeting: September 27, 2012

It was wonderful to see all of the newly arrived missionaries - now a month old.  Here they are with their companions.

Elder Arnett and Elder Stoor

Elder Cervantes and Elder Bodily at the piano

Elder Hansen and Elder Munoz

Elder Giles and Elder Kuddes

Elder Salanoa and Elder Broadhead

Sister Bowman and Sister Jones

And because we didn't have very many new missionaries for you to look at, here are two more sets of companions who were at the meeting.

President and Sister Matsumori

Elder Croft and Elder Brown

During the meeting we allow the new  missionaries to get together to share what they have learned. The trainers also meet to discuss what they can do to be better at helping the new missionaries.

Left to right: Elder Cervantes, Sister Bowman, Elder Arnett and Elder Giles.

Left to right: Elder Broadhead, Elder Munoz and  Elder Croft who leads the discussion.

Trainers left to right: Elder Salanoa, Elder Hansen, Elder Bodily, Elder Kuddes,  Elder Stoor and Sister Jones.

In addition to training and teaching, we also play a game - just to have some fun.

The missionaries listen to the explanation.

Elder Kuddes watches as Elder Broadhead and Elder Salanoa try their hands at nerf guns.

Elder Arnett watches Elder Bodily and Elder Cervantes.

Yes, this may sound sexist, but Sister Jones and Sister Bowman were not as accurate with their shots.

Here is where one of their darts ended.

Elder Hansen and Elder Munoz concentrate and Elder Cervantes watches.

Elder Brown asks the final question of Elder Broadhead, Elder Salanoa, Elder Hansen and Elder Munoz.

Yes, there was lunch. However, because of the fewer numbers of missionaries, I cooked the food rather than have someone else help.  I have discovered I cannot serve food and take pictures, too.  But we'll assume your sons and daughters were more grateful for lunch than for the pictures that would have appeared here.

Zone leader Council September 24, 2012

You already saw part of the council day as we visited the 16th Street chapel.  But rather than me providing lunch, we decided to go to Moroni & Brothers Pizza which is near the chapel.  Sister Acosta of the Mt. Pleasant Branch has fed the missionaries for years.  We thought it would be great to not only bring in missionaries, but also some money as well for a change.

By the way, this wood fired oven pizza was delicious.

You prononce this like it's Italian:  Maroni.

Around the table starting at the left: Elder Brown, Elder Gleed, Elder Croft, Elder Sanchez, Elder Dilon, Elder Wells, Elder Williams, Elder White, Elder Standing, Elder Furugen and Elder Gillespie.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Furugen, Elder Gillespie, Elder Mataele, Elder Brown and Elder Gleed.

Sister Acosta gave us tamales for appetizers.
Left to right: Elder Williams, Elder White, Elder Standing and Elder Furugen.

Some of the pizzas start arriving.
Clockwise around the table from the left:  Elder Dillon, Elder Wells, Elder Williams, Elder White, Elder Standing, Elder Furugen, Elder Gillespie, Elder Brown, Elder Gleed, Sister Matsumori, Elder Croft, Elder Sanchez and Elder Clapier.  

16th Street Chapel

It's been more than two years in the making, but the 16th Street chapel which will house the DC 3rd ward and the Mt. Pleasant Branch is close to completion.  The official dedication will take place sometime soon.

President and I have had a couple of tours and watched it's progress and then on Monday the zone leaders had a tour as well.  Here is a compilation of pictures taken over time and hopefully a glimpse of what you would see if you came to the open house that is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday.

View from the parking lot.

View from Emerson. This is the side door.

More of the view from Emerson.

Corner of Emerson and 16th Street.

From the front.

Also from the front.

Some missionaries pose on the front steps.  Left to right: Elder Dillon, Elder Wells, Elder Mataele, Elder Croft and Elder Brown.

These bike posts are one of the missionaries favorite features at the building.

There is underground parking to supplement the spaces around the building.

Driveway to the underground parking.

The door to the parking is on the right.

On the main floor you'll find the bishop's office.

On the second floor is the RS room, Primary room and classrooms and media room.  All of it is accessed by an elevator.

Here are the members of the zone leader council.  President and I are standing on the cultural hall floor looking up at the 2nd floor.
Left to right:  Elder Sanchez, Elder Dillon, Elder Furugen, Elder Gleed, Elder Clapier, Elder White, Elder Brown, Elder Williams (tall), Elder Gillespie, Elder Croft, Elder Mataele, Elder Bigelow, Elder Wells and Elder Standing.

This is the upstairs hallway.

The media room several months ago.

There are signs posted to help those on tour understand more about the Church as well as understand the purposes for the rooms.

This is the Relief Society room several months ago.

This is the Relief Society room today.

One of my favorite rooms.

The room is long and narrow.

This elevator is wonderful for those who have difficulty with stairs.

On the main floor is the Melchizedek Priesthood room, baptismal font, kitchen, baptismal font, chapel and cultural hall.

Again an explanatory sign for the open house.

We used this room to have our zone leader council.  Behind the doors at the back is a pass through window to the kitchen.

The baptismal font several months ago.

This is the baptismal font today.  It may have been the eldes favorite room.

The kitchen ovens are still being installed. 

Another descriptive sign.

Because the chapel has not been dedicated yet, we took this picture.
Front row left to right:  Elder Wells, Elder Bigelow, Elder Gleed, Elder Croft, Elder Brown, Elder Gillespie, Elder Standing, Elder Furugen, Elder Williams, and Elder Sanchez.
Back row: Elder Mataele, Elder White, Elder Dillon and Elder Clapier.

And this was the chapel several months ago.

Looking at the cultural from ground level.

Looking at the cultural hall from the second floor. 

The cultural hall right now is stocked with food in preparation for the Day of Service that is happening on Saturday, September 29. This particular event is what the Washington Stake is doing.  In Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, area congregations of many faiths as well as other organizations are devoting time and resources to help fight hunger and provide other services.  If you would like to see additional information, go to:  DaytoServe.org.

The plan is to fill 1000 boxes of food.

There are many different items.