18 Months in the Big Apple: "Gathering the Elect"

Sunday, May 18, 2008

"Gathering the Elect"

Today was a day to lift up our hearts and rejoice! Yasmin Ben-David was baptized by Elder Loftin at the Astoria Ward. As we look back on our blog, Yasmin is pictured several times. We have been able to watch her progress; study, pray and know for herself the Church of Jesus Christ is true. Last Monday night at our Family Home Evening she told us that her mother always said that it didn't make sense that God would have prophets anciently and not today. She has been well taught in her home and was prepared to receive the gospel. Elder Loftin was prompted to talk to her on a train. He and Elder Rencher taught her and then Elder Loftin was transfered to Brooklyn and Elder Patton arrived. These three young elders have had the opportunity to teach Yasmin and we hope they feel so rewarded for their service. As a Young Single Adult in the Queens Stake, we will be able to continue to encourage her as a new member of the Church. We absolutely love Yasmin who is a very confident, poised, and intelligent young woman. She is so eager to learn and we see her as a strong leader and friend to all. Elder West was asked to speak at her baptism and he pointed out that we all chose Jesus Christ once which is why we are here on this earth. Today Yasmin chose Him again. Pictured above left to right, Elder Patton, Yasmin's older sister, Lee, Yasmin, Yasmin's mother, Phyllis, and Elder Loftin.

1 comment:

Sharon said...: What a lovely story and picture. Such a darling young woman! Isn't missionary work just amazing?

It is so rewarding to associate with the investigators and new converts who the young missionaries have worked so hard to bring into the Church.

We're in a great place to meet these beautiful people!; May 19, 2008 at 8:51 PM

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“Service is the virtue that has distinguished the great of all times and which they will be remembered by. It places a mark of nobility upon its disciples. It is the dividing line which separates the two great groups of the world–those who lift and those who lean, those who contribute and those who only consume. How much better it is to give than to receive. Service in any form is comely and beautiful. To give encouragement, to impart sympathy, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self-confidence and awaken hope in the heart of others, in short–to love them and to show it –is to render the most precious service.”

Bryant S. Hinckley

January 10, 2008 we arrived in Queens, New York. We are currently serving as full-time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were called to serve in the New York, New York South Mission. It is a special and unique assignment. Serving here is like teaching all nations, with missionaries who teach in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Russian and American Sign Language. Nearly 10 million people live within our mission, representing 112 nationalities. We are blessed to be serving along side the most incredible missionaries in the world! We love President and Sister Bennion who have been cherished friends since he was the president of Ricks College. We are happy to be serving the Lord and living on Steinway Street in Astoria.
Thank you for visiting our blog! Please feel free to leave comments or questions. It makes our day:-)

History of the New York, New York South Mission

Long before our mission was organized, Elder Parley P. Pratt was the first missionary in this dispensation to preach the Gospel in New York City and Long Island.
This mission has significant historic roots. It is the heart of the former Eastern States Mission which was established in 1839.
That mission, headquartered in Brooklyn, enjoys the distinction of being the second oldest mission of the Church, behind the British Mission.
The Eastern States Mission consisted of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia in 1948. Since that time, many changes have been made in the boundries of the mission.
The name of the mission was changed from the Eastern States Mission to the New York New York Mission in 1974. At that time the mission included the following areas: New York State as far as Poughkeepsie, the entire state of Connecticut, a small part of Massachusetts, as well as part of New Jersey and the island of Bermuda. The mission boundaries were once again changed in 1976 excluding Massachusetts and all of the state of Connecticut, with the exception of Fairfield County.
In 1987, after another boundary change was made, the New York New York Mission consisted of the five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island), Long Island, New York State north to Poughkeepsie, a portion of Connecticut and the island of Bermuda.
The mission was divided once again in 1993. The New York New York South Mission encompasses the New York City boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, as well as the New York counties of Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island. It also includes the small British Island of Bermuda in the Atlantic.