YSA Happenings

Family History in Eatontown

 Before Sister Horning left us on July 21st, it was great that we were able to have a lesson on Family History.  Sister Horning is really big on searching for her ancestors.  In fact, she has found that some of her progenitors came from this area, and she has taken the time to visit some cemeteries. Our lesson plan came from Elder Cook's talk in the April conference "Roots and Branches." We gave a short lesson that highlighted how important it is that the young adults get involved in family history, and then the balance of the time was having some hands on experience. The YSA's were invited to bring their laptops so we could all work at the same time.  Most of them did not have a Family Search account, so that was the first order of business.

The following is a picture of the main group in Eatontown (Spanish and English groups combined.) We often have a group of older ladies and an older man attend Institute also, and that's great!

Left to right: Sebastian Martinez, Sister Horning, Sister Young, Wilfrido DeLeon, Violeta Mendez, Dalia Mendez, Alex Courter, Mary Swindler, Sister Hancock, and Elder Hancock. (Brittany Gonzales does not like her picture taken so she is the photographer.)

Sebastian on the far left in the picture above is investigating the Church.  He is from Columbia. When he heard that I was trying to learn Spanish, he kept coming up to me and would encourage me to practice.  He does not speak any English, so now I come ready each week to communicate with him.

Our great group!!!

Elder Hancock helping Sebastian

This same lesson and activity was held in all our locations.  In Elizabeth and in Tom's River, the family history consultants were very helpful.

Going Away Lunch

We have enjoyed getting to know many young adults that have been here working just for the summer.  One by one, they are already leaving.  A couple of weeks ago we were invited to an impromptu birthday/going away gathering at "Five Guys" for Mike Peterson and Haley Hoffman.

The "Nannies" and the "Solar Panel" Guys (except for Tyler)

Our Closest Shopping

Here in New Jersey there are lots of fields of corn, squash, berries, etc. and because of that, there are lots of markets. When we first arrived here we asked the sister missionaries where the closest grocery stores were.  The major grocery store "Stop and Shop" is about 4 or 5 miles away.  They then told us about the market that is really close on Highway 1.  We shop here quite often.  I decided to include a picture or two.

If you look closely at the picture of the outside of the "Garden Fresh Market", you will see a Costco across the street.  This Costco just opened on July 24th.  This area on Hwy 1 has always been a bottle neck with traffic.  Now, though, with Costco open, it is really a bottle neck.

New Brunswick Institute Opening Social

Our biggest Institute group is the New Brunswick group.  One of our regulars, Liby Tejada, works with the young women in her ward.  She told us that there were five young women graduating from High School the end of June. Liby and the YW president wanted to have a special graduation party for these girls. This event turned into a very special evening. Not only did they honor these girls and have them bear their testimonies, but they invited the Bishop and the YW president to talk.  Then the RS president welcomed them into Relief Society and we welcomed them into the Institute program.

This was held July 18th on a Friday evening which is when we usually meet for our Institute class.  Liby said that it was planned to start at 7:30 and to bring some food to share as it was a potluck.  We drove up before 7:30 and there were no cars in the parking lot.  We knew in working with this group that they were usually late, and sure enough, by 8:00 or so families were arriving with lots of food. After everyone arrived the program started.  It was after 9:00pm when we finally had the dinner.

 The old group

 The new girls coming in

The new New Brunswick Institute: Back row: Josele Gervacio, Magaly Olivares, Liby Tejada, Joslin Guerrero, Issamar Burdie, Romina Gallegos, Citlali Olivares, Gladys Sarabia, Javier Garcia; Front row:  Paul Lora and Taurino Lopez.

Palmyra and Rhododendrons

Palmyra

On July 12, 2014 we joined the YSA's for the much awaited trip to Palmyra. We advertised to all our Institute classes to join with the other YSA's from mid and northern New Jersey groups and ride a chartered bus together.  It was a whirlwind trip for them.  They left early (6:30 am) from the Morristown Chapel and returned very early the next day. The YSA's from the East Brunswick Branch decided to go up on their own. Their plan was to drive up in three or four cars and then spend the night.  Us older chaperones did the same.  We drove, spent the night at the Palmyra Inn, and came home on Sunday.

When we arrived in Palmyra we had time for a bite to eat, so we stopped by the Yellow Mills Diner just outside of town. We had eaten at that same diner last year with Janell and Stan.  Then, we hurried over to the sacred grove where there was a planned meeting and we were able to hear from President Arthur Francis of the NY Rochester Misson.  During the afternoon, Elder Hancock and two other vehicles, shuttled the YSA's to the other sites around town and also to the "Chill and Grill."

Fireside in the Sacred Grove

 Dalia Mendez, Aggie Brochocki, Haley Hoffman, and Kaitlin Finlinson. Can you see Elder Hancock in the background?

 

Alyssa Peterson and Erin Ray Brophy

Behind is: Caitlin Fullerton, Allie Blanch, Beccah Plate

Dalia Mendez

Mike Peterson, Cole Lacroix, Dane Morgan, Kelly Kercher

When visiting the visitor's center near the Hill Cumorah, I ran into a friend from home. Marcia and Lamar Angle are here as volunteers for a couple of weeks.

With Marcia Angle

Before the pageant we went to have a visit with cousins, Art and Gene Bushman. They are serving a temple mission in the Palmyra Temple. Their little apartment is in the Palmyra Inn and our room was just across from theirs.


The pageant was great. This is from the final scene.

It was fantastic and we left on a spiritual high!

On Sunday morning we decided to attend church at the Fayette Ward which is next to the Peter Whitmer farm.  This building was much less crowded, I'm sure, than the Palmyra ward. After a wonderful church we headed for home.  It was raining hard this morning, but let up after an hour or two.  The drive through New York has been one of my favorites so far.  It is beautiful!



Rhododendrons

On the way home, Brother Bean made a stop at Dingmans Ferry.  We were there just two weeks ago and the rhododendrons were just ready to bloom. Sure enough, they were in bloom and it was beautiful. There were wild rhododendrons all along the walk to Dingman's Falls.

Dingmans Falls

 

 Two good sized beavers along the way

This is a heavily wooded area.  We had never seen a sign like this before.

Amish and Duke Farm

Last Saturday (July 5th) for our P-Day, we took Sister Horning to some places that she wanted to visit before she goes home in two weeks.  She wanted to go to the Amish store in Flemington and then visit the Duke Farm in Hillsborough.  This is a beautiful, more relaxing part of the state.  It is northwest of where we live and only about 40 minutes away. The Amish market is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.  When we arrived we watched as some Amish girls made pretzels and mini hotdogs.  The one girl was working so fast, I was afraid that the picture I took of her would be blurred more than it is.  We had a delicious lunch there and did some shopping.

A great find! And, I'm not just talking about the market.

 Fastest worker around!

Bakery area

I ordered a steak and cheese sandwich with onions and peppers.

Check out the different kinds of eggs.

And then we found the fudge shop.

The older fellow dipping chocolate said that he had been working there for over 52 years!











Our next stop was Duke Farms. Duke Farms is one of the largest privately-owned parcels of open land in New Jersey.  It was created by philanthropist, James Buchanan Duke (for whom Duke University is named) and preserved by his daughter, Doris Duke. It was their homestead when Doris was a child.  She died in 1993, but wanted to preserve the area and its natural resources. The Farm is open to the public, free of charge. It has more than 18 miles of trails to explore. Many people were bringing bikes to ride.  It was a nice day to visit.

The Sisters and us enjoyed a 20 minute tram ride around the area

Wildflowers along the tram ride.














Dinner with New Mission President

That evening all the Senior missionaries were invited to the Mission Home to meet the new mission president and his wife and have dinner together.  President and Sister Taggert are from Park City, Utah.  They still have two children at home, so we got to meet Emily (17) and Sophie (10) and their dog, Gucci (11).  We are going to love the Taggerts.  We felt very much 'at home' with them.

Sister Young and Sister Shaw

We enjoyed a very nice dinner together.

Elder and Sister Gilchrist

This is the first week for the Gilchrist's.  Elder Gilchrist will take care of all finances and Sister Gilchrist is the new mission secretary. Elder Gilchrist's career has been being a pilot for the Navy. What is interesting about this couple is that Elder Gilchrist is a Bushman. (My mother is a Bushman.)  His mother is Mary Bushman, daughter of Homer Bushman.

Elder Hancock has also found relatives out here.  Sister Vause says they are Hancock relatives.  Guess we'll need to get out our family histories and figure things out.

Dingman's Ferry

On June 30, 2014 the CES senior missionaries were treated to a trip to Dingmans Falls, PA.  Brother Bean and his wife Natalie and daughter Rachel, and Shaz Kramer, his secretary showed us some sites in this beautiful area.  It was about a two hour drive and then we crossed the Delaware River that divides New Jersey from Pennsylvania and we entered what is called "The Delaware Water Gap National Park" area.  After we crossed the Delaware on a one car wide wooden plank bridge, there was a little toll booth ($1) to pass. Our first stop was to the Dingman Falls Visitor center.  We hiked the trail to Dingman's Falls but saw other falls and lots of GREEN along the way. The rhododendrons were just buds during our visit.  We may have to stop by again to see them in full bloom. For quite a while we were just walking along a wooden boardwalk but as we got closer to the falls, we ended up having to climb 240 steps.  Elder Hancock counted them as he was going up.  After enjoying this area, we drove over to the George W. Childs Recreation site where again we hiked in to see the beautiful water basins of that site.

On our way out of the area we stopped for lunch at the "Black Bear Cafe."  This was a Mexican food restaurant and had the best Mexican food that we have tasted since coming out east. The chef/owner of the cafe was a 911 survivor.  He was a chef at the Twin Towers.  After 911 this chef decided it was time to leave NYC and he moved to Milford, PA where life is a lot quieter.  For dessert, we stopped for some homemade ice cream.

 

 Elder and Sister Smith, Shaz Kramer, Sister Young, Sister and Elder Stroud, Natalie and David Bean 

the Hancocks

Silver Thread Falls

Enjoying the green!

Wild berries. There were wild blueberries also, but still green.

We love the Smiths.  They are from Cheyenne, Wyoming and are to go home soon.  We will miss them!

Dingmans Falls

Just before the climb to the top!

Rachel Bean being adventurous.

It doesn't look like a Mexican restaurant, but it is one of the best. They plan to change the name to "Tequila Sunrise."

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

I ordered a "California burrito."  Had enough for the next day's lunch for both of us.










       

May not look like an ice cream shop, but it is well known here.







 

 We had a great day!