January 2013 Pheasant Ward Newsletter Article

We have had another great month in the mission. We had a surprise baptism a couple weeks ago with a boy who was a little over 8-years-old. Elder Carmack did an excellent talk on the Holy Ghost and Sister Carmack got to chorister to “When I Am Baptized” and “The Church of Jesus Christ”. That was a wonderful day. We love their family. His parents attend the Gospel Principles class.

We had the neatest experience just before Christmas with a dear woman in her 80s. She is a friend of our FHE family and they wanted us to meet her. She is from England and her husband, who is from Pennsylvania, served in the military in the late 1930s and was stationed in England. She is a walking history book. She has investigated about every church there is and accepted a Book of Mormon and a Joy To The World Pass-A-Long card from us. We had a great time with her.

Christmas Day was awesome with the young Elders here for Christmas lunch, Book of Mormon games, and Skyping their parents. We love to serve with these two young men who have been so well prepared to serve missions. They are the best! They have about 4-5 investigators now and 2 have committed to baptism. So awesome. We love to help give rides, help with Gospel Principles class, and whatever is needed.

Our Ward was so good to us for Christmas. They gave us a huge box of supplies and food for the apartment and a nice gift card to Bob Evans Restaurant. We love our Ward. We love our mission. We are so grateful to have been called to the Ohio Cleveland Mission. We know the Lord called us to this mission.

As we testify of the Atonement, always, but especially at Christmas, we are reminded of the great gift it is to each of us and the hope and love the Atonement brings into our lives. We know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. We know we are children of a heavenly Father who loves us and has a plan for us. We love you and miss you very much.

Best Christmas Present Ever!

We received news this morning that our son-in-law is going to the Temple for the first time soon. We are sad we won't be there, but we are so proud of him! Congratulations! That is the best Christmas present ever!

Our Christmas Tree In The Mission Field



It turned out quite nice, don't you think? Thank you to Emily Carmack for the inspiration for the design from her beautiful Christmas card envelope. There is a heart of gold in the middle of the tree that you can't see too! We used a yellow Sharpie and it soaked right into the brown paper! Our thought was "Home Is Where The Heart Is". We love our mission!

 

Christmas From The Warren Ward

Thank you so much for the much needed supplies for our mission. There is a nice gift certificate to Bob Evans also. We have a great Ward! What is best is how well they take care of the young Elders also. We are so blessed!

 

 

Some dear Ward members gave us this nice box of chocolates and a very nice gift certificate to our favorite grocery store too!

 

 

 



The family we are teaching the young men the missionary lessons gave us these beautiful Christmas mugs.

 

Our FHE Family we have been having FHEs with gave us this beautiful wall decoration. They are special to us.

 

Our First Trip to the Columbus Temple

What a wonderful day filled with the peace and blessings the Temple brings to our lives. Our Christmas present to each other this year was to go to the Temple. As we remember the Spirit of Christmas in helping others in the name of Jesus Christ, we will be giving the greatest gift of all, love.

Christmas From Idaho

We love to decorate our apartment with pictures of our beautiful grandchildren and children.

 

Christmas From Louisiana

Thank you so much for the gifts we needed so much and especially the pictures of our beautiful family.

Christmas From Utah

Thank you so much for our traditional Christmas Eve finger foods! Yum! Especially the picture of our family.

Christmas From Kansas

Thank you so much for the beautiful Christmas decoration.

Surprise Baptism

We got to participate in a wonderful baptism. We didn't know about it until the night before but we were thrilled to participate anyway! It was one of our 8-year-olds that has been delayed for a few reasons. We are so happy for their family and love their family very much. He is a special Spirit. Elder Carmack did a great talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost and Sister Carmack was the chorister for the music. We sang "When I Am Baptized" and "The Church of Jesus Christ". It was a wonderful Sunday, December 16, 2012. We are so blessed to be assigned to such a great Ward.

December Newsletter Article for Pheasant Ward

We have had another wonderful month in the mission field. We had an investigator come to church a few weeks ago. He is one of the youth’s piano teacher and she invited him to church. She is the Bishop’s daughter. The Bishop is having the missionary discussions in his home with him. When the investigator came to Gospel Principles class our new “golden” member bore her sweet testimony and the Spirit was very strong.

Our FHE family gave the FHE this week on Prayer. We were so thrilled to share FHE with their family. The father read from the scriptures, the 8-year-old read a story from the Friend, the 17-year-old wanted to sing “When I Am Baptized”, and the mother bore her beautiful testimony.     

We have been taking our laptop to members’ homes and tutoring on things like putting the Newsletter on the Ward website and indexing. We met with a less-active member to show her how to index and download the program to her computer and she called us with a question on indexing on the way home from her house! It is a pleasure to help others do Family History, especially when that is their talent. She loves genealogy and has a huge Book of Remembrance full of her genealogy. We showed her the new Family Tree program on the FamilySearch site and she loves it.

We had the rare opportunity to attend a 3-Zone Mission Conference beginning at the Kirtland Temple. Words cannot describe the strong feeling of the Spirit in the Kirtland Temple. We were very inspired by talks and testimonies of Karl Ricks Anderson, President Stacey, Brother Hokanson, and President Vellinga. We then separated into four groups at each corner in the temple and bore our testimonies. The Spirit was awesome. The Historic Kirtland Visitor’s Center is magnificent all the time but this time of year presents over 700 Nativity Scenes. There are some pictures on the blog. A beautiful Spirit was present as we ended our Christmas 3-Zone Conference there. Our Mission President challenged us to “have enough faith to know the Lord has prepared someone to be ready to hear the Gospel, be ready to commit to baptism, and be ready to be an active member of the church.” We know the Lord hears and answers our prayers to find those He has prepared because we just baptized one. The church is true!

We are so excited to go to the Temple for the first time since we have been serving a mission. The Temple is out of our mission area so we have not been able to go to the Temple while serving. Our new Mission President asked the Area President about it and they gave us permission to go twice a year. We printed some of our family file to do and are looking forward to the blessings of the Temple.

We feel so blessed to be called to the Ohio Cleveland Mission at this time and in the place we are serving. We know the Lord called us. We wish each of you a blessed Christmas and New Year. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and He lives! We love each of you.

Christmas | Mormon.org

Christmas | Mormon.org

Christmas is Jesus Christ. Christmas is Family. Christmas is Service. Christmas is Love.

Christmas means seeing and feeling the love of Christ in everyone. It is a season to reflect on the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ for each of us. Christmas is pondering on what Jesus Christ would do to lift a family member, or friend, or neighbor. Christmas is loving one another and trusting in the Lord to guide you to those in need. Christmas is hope for a brighter future for your children and grandchildren. Christmas is a time to celebrate our families and the gift they are to us. I love Christmas and our families, friends and neighbors. Merry Christmas everyone! Your Heavenly Father loves you and knows you and has a plan for you.

Christmas Mission Conference in Kirtland

The Mission Christmas Conference in Kirtland was so inspiring. We know and have faith that the angels have prepared someone for us in this mission and are grateful to have the many opportunities we have been given to share the gospel and to serve a mission here in the Ohio Cleveland Mission. We listened to testimonies of angels in the Kirtland Temple today. We saw nativity displays from all over the world in the Historic Kirtland Visitors Center today. We listened to testimonies and inspired counsel from Karl Ricks Anderson, President Stacey, Brother Hokanson and President Vellinga today. It was a great day. We know the Lord called us to serve in this place at this time and are so grateful for the call. We love our mission and Ohio.

We were honored to have Karl Ricks Anderson sign his new book for us. It is: The Savior in Kirtland: Personal Accounts of Divine Manifestations. On the back cover is this quote: "In Kirtland the Savior personally directed His Church and taught His Saints by appearing to at least twenty-three Church leaders or by speaking to them. Brother Anderson points out that more first-person words of the Lord have gone out to the world from Kirtland than from any other location in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." We are so grateful to serve in such a sacred place on earth. It is a priviledge to be called to the Ohio Cleveland Mission.

Amish Homes

One way to know where the Amish live is their clotheslines.

Amish Barn Update November 2012

They (Amish) have added beautiful doors to barn.Little by little it is being finished.



Baptism

Sandy with Brother and Sister Bowman, her neighbors.

The Bowmans introduced Sandy to the Missionaries.



Sandy is the sweetest person you will EVER meet!!

Elder Dowley baptized Sandy and Elder Roe confirmed her.

Veterans Day Parade

A block from our work site in downtown Warren is the Trumbull County Veterans Memorial Park.

The Veterans Day parade passed  in front of the monument.

A great parade with cars carrying veterans, marching bands, Honor guards, and even some farm tractors.

Beautiful day...Great Parade.



Names of fallen veterans on bricks surrounding memorial.

Sister Carmack at Vietnam plaque.

Monument to Civil War.

Lots of Color Guards.

388th Army Band of Ohio.

One of many cars carrying veterans.

Huge  high school band from Warren G Harding High School.

Yes..even farm tractors and antique fire engines.

Some army vehicles.

Memorable tribute to many veterans.

Antique cars.

I really liked this one so I put it in twice..

The kids on other side of street were waiting for candy thrown by cars.

GOD BLESS AMERICA !!