18 Months in the Big Apple: "GOT BLOOD?" It's Yours to Give

Sunday, July 20, 2008

"GOT BLOOD?" It's Yours to Give

Queens and Westchester Stakes hosted a Regional YSA Activity Saturday. It began with a blood drive for the Long Island Blood Bank and workshops from 12-6 pm. Specialists taught nutrition, physical fitness drug awareness and addiction counseling, and classes for both women and men on the importance of appearance. Judy Pham (above), an outstanding Astoria Ward YSA empowered the women as she instructed about the art of using make-up, hair, and dressing for success. She has been a make-up artist for 7 years, (Madonna's at one time) and now works for the marketing department at Dior. She talked about "branding" and told us some of the secrets big corporations use to get their names out there. Then she talked about what we need to do to represent God as His children, and still enjoy being women. Her presentation was very reflective of her; tasteful, wholesome and terrific! By popular demand she's agreed to teach a hands-on, make-up master class for the YSA women of the Queens Stake. Thanks Judy, for the best workshop given. Below, blood donors, wearing hearts on their sleeves! Perk up guys...more cookies and juice? Sister Gilstrap, from the NYNY North Mission, looks like she could donate more! After giving blood and attending classes we had an all you can eat Dominican meal, catered by Pica Pollo Restaurant. Chicken, rice, beans, potato salad, fresh fruit, green salad, all fresh and so yummy. Miraculously, after a big meal, Elder West got us in a huge circle, taught us a Russian Folk Dance, and then before we knew it, he taught The Swing. The YSAs were cheering at their success and had such a good time. It was great! After some clean up, we arrived home tired after a long day, but we think those that attended enjoyed themselves and want more. That feels wonderful.

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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.