Our blog has been on hiatus for a while, which means mission life has been busy! Here are a few photos and highlights from the last few months.......
                                                                 

This is a photo of our good friends, Joanne & Arthur Nintzel, during their first visit to the sacred sites at Palmyra, which included the Hill Cummorah Visitors Center, the Sacred Grove, and the E.B. Grandin printing press.  Joanne had been an inactive member for many years, and her good husband, Arthur, an MIT graduate and retired civil engineer, told us he did not believe in God when we first started visiting them back in Dec., 2013.



As we became good friends with Joanne & Arthur, learning about their lives and concerns, we invited them to a Valentine's social we were hosting at the church.  They called us to say they were coming!  We soon invited Arthur to receive the missionary discussions - which led to their coming out to church regularly, and...

ARTHUR'S BAPTISM DAY - June 14th, 2014!!

                               
































Ella and Sierra, from our Lancaster ward Primary, singing  for Arthur's baptism!      

                         

Sunday, June 15th - Arthur's confirmation at church, & our new investigator, Roman Belotsky

The tall man second in from the right, is Roman Belotesky, who immigrated 10 yrs ago from the Soviet Union.  I met him on the plane in Chicago, when I flew back from Arizona to be with Kevin, who is fighting a tough battle with cancer.  Roman saw my missionary tag, and had a lot of questions, wanting to know more about the Church....We talked for 2 hours, as he was meeting his daughter in Buffalo NY for a tourist trip. Roman stayed with us for 2 days, and came to church for the very first time!!  Before he left to meet his daughter, Roman had all the information he needed to follow up with the Church when he returns home to Burbank, CA, including the name & phone number of the bishop of Burbank 2nd ward!!  (Photo also includes our special ward missionaries, Elder Stoddard and Elder Howard, who also assisted us in teaching)

The happy new couple of our Lancaster ward - the Nintzel's !

              THIS IS A PHOTO TAKEN OF THE FAMILY Aug. 2013 when we were all together in Napa,
          Dana, Shawn, Stephanie, Leslie, David, Kevin, Karen and Jerry

Missionary Moments

A special baptism was held last Saturday, as Pierce Bringhurst was able to baptize his good friend, Hunter Soares at our Lancaster chapel.  Hunter, (6'2" tall) has been coming to church with the Bringhurst family for several months - and had also been receiving the missionary discussions.  Then, last week, Pierce turned 16, and on the day of Hunter's baptism,  Pierce was confirmed a priest in the Aaronic priesthood - so he was able to perform the baptism for his good friend Hunter.  Family, friends and various members & ward leaders were gathered in abundance for the ordinance, and warmly cheered Pierce as he brought Hunter up and out of the water!  A wonderful spiritual experience for all & a sweet new beginning for Hunter!

Our wonderful mission president, Arthur Francis and his wife with 'some' of their family of 8!!  President Francis is 6ft.6", his wife is 6ft.1".  The tall standing young man is one of their sons who just recently returned from his mission!

Our Christmas Eve all-day event included lots of talent, including this amazing hoop dance by Elder Goedel. He was taught this incredible talent by his Native American father!!

    The lovely sister missionaries sang while two good elders accompanied on the guitar.........

                                       

Our beautiful outside Christmas Tree - through our window

Our Christmas Eve Day - 2013 - with ALL of our Rochester NY missionaries!!  The seat next to me is vacant, because Jerry is taking the picture...!!

 Christmas Eve Day with our zone missionaries! - 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!
Love & Blessings from the New York Rochester missionaries!!!