August Activities

This month has been one of our busiest months so far.  We have had many late nights and then early morning classes the next day.  We are really starting to feel our age and wonder how other older couples before us managed.

Beach Party

Every year the East Brunswick YSA Branch has the responsibility to plan a Beach Party for all young single adults.  This year the plans were a repeat of last year.  They met at Island Beach State Park which is a long ways to come for those living up north.  Mostly only those from the branch attended but there were a few who braved the long drive.

As we arrived at the park there was a sign posted saying that no swimming was allowed.  The rip tides were strong that day.  So, the group mostly just put their feet in the water or played games on the beach.  There was tons of food and lots of visiting also.  It was overcast and windy that day and the temperature was very mild.  In fact many of the young girls were wrapped in beach towels to keep warm.  Nonetheless, they had fun!

East Brunswick YSA with Reed and Pres Eck

East Brunswick meeting Newark

Hancocks and Beans

 

Josephine, Pamela, nanny from Austria, Aide, Gabriel, Becky

Elizabeth Institute

The last couple of weeks in Elizabeth have been great for attendance.  This area has been struggling and there was talk of closing the area or combining it permanently with Perth Amboy.  This summer has seen some new move-ins and also people coming to visit.  This last week we had twelve in attendance!!!

Raul, Eromar, Nefi, Jefrys, Jonathan

After slaving away all day making cinnamon rolls for class that night, the group decided to go to a Mexican restaurant and continue with their fun.  So, off we went.  I served their cinnamon rolls to our morning class the next morning.

At El Popocatepelt

Paterson Dance

The young single adults (and especially the Spanish speaking young adults) LOVE to dance!  Last spring the Paterson YSAs planned a dance and then a blizzard hit and even though the dance was still held, no one braved the storm.  So, again, the Paterson group decided to plan another dance.  This is the flyer that they posted on Facebook.

We were worried that maybe this dance would not be supported because they requested that everyone wear white clothes.  But it was a success!  And they did not care that everyone did not wear white.

Right to Left: ?, Dorca, Delfino, ?, Nicholas, Angelica, Secundino, ?

 Fanny Morales (dark hair) and her mother are the DJs.  Fanny has been a great help in helping with the Institute program in Paterson or organizing dances, or anything.  She is great!

We knew about 70 percent of the young adults that attended the dance.  Every now and then they would dance in a circle and let someone take the center to show off their moves.  We joined with them during one of these times and were encouraged to take our turn.  We have decided that for the next dance this winter we are coming prepared with some better moves.  Here are a few pictures of boys that really stole the show! (Notice the YSA's name below... he matches the name!)

Melquisedec

Eromar is spinning on his head!

Seminary and Institute Training Meeting


On August 15th there was a meeting for all Seminary and Institute instructors to attend.  We received our materials for the upcoming year and we received training in different areas.  Brother Bean invited other S&I Directors to come and to help with the training.  Brother Russ May from West Point, Craig Done from Penn State, and Dennis Monson from Virginia were there to address us.  It was a spiritual feast for us.

Shaz Kramer is Brother Bean's secretary and she and her family will be moving to Philadelphia in the next few months.  This was her last time to help with one of these trainings.  She is a great hostess and always provides very nice luncheons.  She always has her family help her with functions like this, so I got a couple of pictures of them.

Shaz and Mike Kramer

Nathan Kramer

This is the Seminary and Institute (mostly Seminary) instructors in New Jersey along with some leadership and presenters during lunch.

One of the presenters, Craig Done, is from Tucson.  He and his wife, Suzette, lived in John (our son) and Cherece's ward when they lived in Rita Ranch.  Cherece visit taught Suzette then and they are good friends.  It was nice visiting with them.

From last week's lesson:

"The Creation required the Fall. The Fall required the Atonement. The Atonement enabled the purpose of the Creation to be accomplished. Eternal life, made possible by the Atonement, is the supreme purpose of the Creation. To phrase that statement in the negative form, if families were not sealed in holy temples, the whole earth would be utterly wasted." (Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, Nov. 1996)

The great effort that was and is expended to bring about the creation, the fall, and the atonement were done for the central purpose of sealing families together. If we don't seek and receive this central purpose, then, for us, the whole effort is for not! Let us therefore work hard to prepare for, receive, and fulfill sealing promises.

Challenges in NJ

In the last two weeks, besides having a heat wave with high humidity, we have seen some other challenges that have affected lives here in New Jersey.  The first happened near where we live.  A massive fire started on July 22 during the early morning hours.  It affected eight businesses and was a warehouse of about 50 football fields in size. Firemen from six different counties were called in to help and they trucked in water from a lake continuously for three days. The fire burned for five days.  It was right along Highway 1, near where we live, so we would ride by daily.  Thankfully, smoke was not an issue for us, but, others living in an apartment complex nearby were evacuated. This is what we saw for four days straight:

The next big challenge happened just yesterday.  We had an in-service meeting at the Scotch Plains building that was planned to begin at 11am.  We left our apartment at 10am.  About 10:30 that morning in Lindon, a truck struck an overpass on the Turnpike.  The truck caught on fire and it was feared that the fire compromised the overpass gas and power lines.  As a result, BOTH north and south travel was closed on the I-95 Turnpike.

For those of you not familiar with New Jersey, the Turnpike has six lanes going north and six lanes going south.  Since there are so many diesel trucks here, the outside lanes are for trucks.  When the Turnpike shuts down, the traffic has to use the Garden State Parkway or Highway 1.  As you can imagine, everything became a gridlock.  We wondered if we would have to cancel our classes for that night in Newark.

As it turned out, Reed studied the map and found a way to get around the affected areas.  The problem came when we got to Newark.  The surface streets were jammed there too.  We had class but started about 30 minutes late.  This was our view when we were trying to get into Newark:

Traffic was stopped both ways but, we were at least creeping in our direction. We heard that most people trying to go home from work had a three hour delay on the northern turnpike area.  We saw people out of their cars and visiting with one another.  We later saw pictures of those who took advantage of the down time and they were playing football, reading, and even sunbathing. Some reported having to wait from 1pm to dark to move!

Another challenge is affecting us personally.  In the last blog post I mentioned that half of those working in the CES program were heading home last month.  Little did we know then, but the Strouds found out that there was a family emergency and that they needed to also go home leaving just us as the CES missionaries.  We were looking forward to working with the Strouds and getting to know them better.  We will certainly miss them.

The Strouds live in Eagar, Arizona.  We always camp in the White Mountains near there.  So, we told them that we would look them up next summer.

Yesterday in our in-service meeting we were going over all the areas that had good strong established Institutes and were trying to figure how the programs can continue until replacements come.  Brother Bean, himself, is teaching three classes and we had picked up two classes for the summer sales group.  It was decided that when in Newark as Reed teaches in Spanish that I'll have a English class in another room. This will be an added responsibility for me until another new couple joins us.  We are now covering seven classes each week. We love it but we are busy!!!

This would be a good time to say:  WE NEED MORE COUPLES AND SINGLE SISTERS GOING ON MISSIONS!!!!!!  HELP!


More Goodbyes and Hellos

This is the time of year that some of the youth head back to school.  The Penaloza family in Newark decided to not only enroll their daughters in school in Utah, but to move back there with them.  We have come to really love these girls.  They have attended class every week and usually fill their car with others that need rides. These girls give the best hugs!  We will miss them!

Melanie and Jessica Penaloza with us

Time for some happy news!  We attended a Senior Couples FHE and met a new couple that will be serving a MLS mission in Englewood, NJ.  The Hendricksons are from Tempe, Arizona and know the Mortensens (my cousins).  We felt an instant bond.

Hendricksons and Hancocks

YSA Activities

On the 24th of July, the Newark girls planned a dance.  They wanted to have one last party before the Penaloza girls left.  But, also, there had not been a dance here since February.  We've decided that that is not right!  These young adults need to have a place to go to have fun and meet other young adults.  I'll discuss this more in our next post.

The dance on the 24th was very simple, but lots of fun.  We were the only adults there to support the young adults.  It is hard to take good pictures when the lights are low and bodies are moving.  Here are a few that kind of turned out.  The last picture shows the group that made it until the end.

Elizabeth boys

Newark girls with Carlos and Juan

Scotch Plains Stake YSA Fireside

Almost every month the Scotch Plains Stake has a potluck and fireside.  This last fireside was on August 2 and Mike and Shaz Kramer were the speakers.  I've loved all the firesides, but this one was very special for me.  Shaz Kramer is the secretary to Brother David Bean, our director over all the Seminaries and Institutes in New Jersey.  Shaz has been like our mom away from home while we are here.  She takes good care of all of the CES missionaries.  This was the first fireside that made an effort to include the Spanish speakers.  We know of some that come to these firesides and we know that they cannot understand a thing being said.  Tonight, President Almeida  translated to the group what the Kramers were saying.  The Kramers spoke about having trials but seeking to follow the Lord's direction and the blessings that followed.  It was excellent.

 Here again is a picture of the Newark girls as they wait for the Fireside to begin.

Back row: ?, Katie Foster, Jefrys, Eromar, Romney

Front row:  Sarah and Theresa Diez, Pamela, Josephine, and Hermana Diez

            The Beans:  David, Natalie, Rachel and the Kramers: Mike, Shaz, Nathan and Ben


July Corn
 
As an added bonus here, we often pass by a few fruit and vegetable road side stands in our travels. We like to stop and buy corn which is fresh picked, sweet and delicious. Their tomatoes are heavenly too.  We enjoy taking part in the products of the "Garden State"! 

From last week's lesson:

   Pres. Eyring has followed a pattern of prayer and made the effort that President Joseph F. Smith taught will allow God to give us the inspiration necessary for us to have power in the priesthood. He put it simply:
   “We do not have to cry unto him with many words. We do not have to weary him with long prayers. What we do need, and what we should do as Latter-day Saints, for our own good, is to go before him often, to witness unto him that we remember him and that we are willing to take upon us his name, keep his commandments, work righteousness; and that we desire his Spirit to help us.”
   And then President Smith told us what we should pray for, as his servants pledged to speak and act for God. He said: “What do you pray for? You pray that God may recognize you, that he may hear your prayers, and that he may bless you with his Spirit.”

CES Farewells

For months, we have not been looking forward to July.  We knew that half of our CES group would be returning home.  We have grown to love this group like family.  Brother Bean and his secretary, Shaz, take care of us so well.  Knowing that half of us were leaving, Brother Bean and Shaz planned some nice excursions for us.


World Trade Center or Freedom Tower

On Monday, July 13th, we visited the Freedom Tower.  The observation deck has just been opened to the public.  The World Trade Center is the tallest building in the western hemisphere.  The height of the building, with observation deck and antenna is 1,776 feet, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.  It is built next to the 911 Memorial in the Financial District of Manhattan.  Even though it was a hazy day and the views from the top were not that clear, it was a great experience.  Our favorite part was the 60 second ride to the top.  As we rode the elevator, there was a movie displayed on the walls of the elevator and it showed how New York had grown through the ages.

Here is a video about the tour: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/observation-deck-wtc-freedom-tower-opens-29-article-1.2176323

  You can barely see the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges here as they cross the East River.

Here is the view of the 911 Memorial as we left.

Palmyra

The following Friday, July 17th, we carpooled up to visit Palmyra and see the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Soon after we arrived, it began to rain.  We hiked up the Hill Cumorah then took a tour of the visitor's center.  In order to have a final "in-service meeting," Brother Bean took us to the Sacred Grove for a testimony meeting.  What a special experience!  Some in our group had never been to Palmyra or seen the pageant so we quickly went through the Smith home and cabin and the Grandin Press. We evidently timed our visits to these sites perfectly because all the crowd that was here for the pageant were probably at the Hill Cumorah at this time.  We were taking our tours during the late afternoon and early evening and it was only our group on these tours.

Before testimony meeting in Sacred Grove

Sister Toy, Natalie Bean, Sister Young, Stroud, Hancock and Pittson

Looking out back door of the cabin towards the Sacred Grove

Taking a groupie in the elevator at the Grandin Press.

Niagara Falls

As an added bonus, Brother Bean planned that we go to Niagara Falls the next day.  It just so happened to be the Pittson's 46th Wedding Anniversary that day.  How perfect is that!

Here is a picture that I got that included a rainbow!

Our group!  The two on each end (Young, Toy and Pittsons) leave this next week.

Some of the group after a warm, humid, but enjoyable time together.

Summer Institutes

This summer our class lessons come from recent conference talks.  Planning for and presenting these lessons take less time.  We have been trying to make the summer Institute classes more fun by encouraging playing games, going out for ice cream, or just watching a movie after the lesson.  Each of our classes have had a pizza night and watched the new movie called "MacFarland USA."  We watch it in Spanish, of course.

I didn't take pictures of the movie nights, but here are a couple of good "groupies." 

 Perth Amboy and Elizabeth Group

Front Row:  Sheila, Paulette, Berenise

Standing: Nefi, Hancock, Yatna, Jefrys, Raul, Loren

Front:  Dorca, Shantal, Jennifer, Diego, Richard, Melquisedec

Back:  Christian Fernando, Hancocks

From this week's lesson... by Elder Ballard

"We need your whole heart and soul. We need vibrant, thinking, passionate young adults who know how to listen and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit as you make your way through the daily trials and temptations of being a young, contemporary Latter-day Saint. In other words, it’s time to raise the bar not only for missionaries but also for returned missionaries and for your entire generation. To that end, please ponder in your heart your answers to these questions:"

1.    Do you search the scriptures regularly?
2.    Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?
3.    Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?
4.    Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?
 5.    Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?
6.    Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?
7.    Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?
8.    Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?
9.    Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?

Let Freedom Ring

New Jersey was the center of the American Revolution and has many historical sites around the state.  On June 27, 2015 for our Senior Missionary Activity, we visited George Washington's Headquarters in Morristown, NJ where Washington and troops spent a few winters.

Morristown is the story of the Continental army struggling to survive.  For two critical winters of the American Revolution, 1777 and 1779-80, General George Washington chose the Morristown area as the main Continental Army's winter encampment. Because of its strategic location, the area continually served as the military capital throughout the war. During the 1779-1780 Jockey Hollow encampment, over 10,000 soldiers endured the war's most severe winter.  The men were starving and had little clothing.  They built over 1,000 simple huts that housed twelve men each.  Washington's leadership was evident as he held this ragged army together and continued to instill a hope for independence.

Near the museum stands the Ford Mansion.  It was here that in December of 1779 that Mrs. Jacob Ford Jr., a widow with four young children, offered up her home to General and Mrs. Washington.  With the commander in chief came servants, slaves, guards, and aides who assisted in the operation of headquarters.  We toured the mansion.

Actually . . . this is the back view.

This outing was the first activity for the Ross's (orange and red shirts) and the new sister companionship: Sisters Procter (pretty white hair) and Newton (blue flowered shirt).

Before we left the grounds of the headquarters I caught these three Institute instructors. As you can see, they have a message for all of us to "see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil"!

After the museum and mansion tours, we went to the South Street Creamery for lunch.












Happenings with the YSAs

Even though this blog features a lot about our activities for the seniors and CES missionaries, our main focus while here is with our young adults.  We are with some of them almost every night of the week.  On Sundays we take turns visiting eight different wards or branches.  Right now that includes:  Passiac, Paterson, Union City, Newark, Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, and occasionally the East Brunswick YSA branch.  It is common for us to attend two wards on a Sunday.

On the weekend of  June 28, we attended the Elizabeth Ward and stayed for the baptism of Henry Romero. He is 26 years old.  Last year some missionaries gave him a pass along card and said "If you want to change your life, give us a call."  Henry kept that card and a year later contacted the missionaries.

Henry is here standing by his good friend, Loren Romero who is also 26.  Sisters Palmer and Ivie were the ones who taught him.

This past Sunday, July 5th, we made a visit to the New Brunswick ward to say goodbye to Gladys Sarabia before she leaves this week for her mission.  It is in this ward that four of our YSAs are beginning their service as missionaries. Gladys was the first of the group in New Brunswick to receive her call, and the last to go. She will be serving in the Mexico Torreón Mission.  Here is a picture of the Sarabia family. They also have a son, Roger, who is serving a mission now.  Hermano Sarabia serves in the Bishopric.

Sarabia Family

In Union City Institute on Friday night, we combined with Mario Martinez's Jersey City Institute and had a class together then enjoyed pizza and a movie.  Afterwards this group ALWAYS wants to stay and play UNO.

Sitting: Juan Solano, Jose,Cedillo, Enrique Cuyuch, Penelope Gracia, Evelyn

Standing:  Brother and Sister Martinez, Reed, Chris Quiles, Vincent, Diego Bohorquez, Carmen Incarroca, Emily Quiles

Little did we know that this would be our last class there.  It has since been decided that Brother Martinez will continue there with the combined group and we have been assigned to split the Elizabeth and Perth Amboy class and have a class for each of those locations.  We will miss associating with the Union City YSAs.  They are a strong and fun group.


Fourth of July Activities

On July 1st, we were teaching class in Paterson when a fireworks show nearby started their festivities.  We were about done with the lesson at that time and then afterwards we took our refreshments and went outside and enjoyed the show.

Sitting:  Melquisedec Pérez, Secundino Anastacio, Diego Mendoza

Standing:  Christian Jimenez, Shanty De la Cruz, Delfino Guzmán, Dorca Encarnacion

On the 4th of July, we decided to have the full New Jersey experience and join with the 140,000 (predicted not actual) others at Liberty State Park for the festivities there.  Even though the fireworks were not to start until 9:20pm, we left mid afternoon to beat the rush and assure a spot where we wanted.  As usual, Reed studies the map before we go anywhere and he found a place at the south end of the park where we could view not only the fireworks from the New Jersey side but also along the East River. We arrived near the park between 4 and 5 in the afternoon and we crawled along with the traffic of others who were trying to beat the rush. Families had come much earlier to spend the day.  They brought their barbeques, tents, and activities and were all set.  On the north side of the park (which is like 2 miles away) was a carnival and vendors, etc. We sat up our chairs directly across from the Statute of Liberty on Liberty Island.

It was a nice day to be out.  We enjoyed taking a walk along the Hudson River walkway, watching a volleyball game, and visiting with others around us.  We were some of the only white people around.  But, we are getting used to being in the minority.

This is what it looked like as we arrived:

Hudson River Walkway

As the sun started to go down, the lights came on at the statute and in the city.

We could see six firework displays in front of us, one on the Jersey side and the others on the New York side.  There were also two firework shows happening behind us.

We didn't get a great picture, but over Reed's left shoulder where the small fireworks are is the Empire State building and the World Trade Center or Freedom Tower is the tall building further to the right.  Both the Empire State Building and Freedom Tower were displaying red, white, and blue lights.  It was very festive!

While relaxing and waiting for the fireworks to start, we talked with a family who had only been here in the USA for a month from Equador. Nice family of parents and three small children.

From this week's lesson... Quotes from Elder Bednar

As predicted by prophets, we live in a world of increasing commotion...  “And in that day … the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them” (D&C 45:26). There is much to be fearful of...

But can we hush the fears that so easily and frequently beset us in our contemporary world? The answer to this question is an unequivocal yes. Three basic principles are central to receiving this blessing in our lives: (1) look to Christ, (2) build upon the foundation of Christ, and (3) press forward with faith in Christ.

Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.