18 Months in the Big Apple: LET FREEDOM RING

Monday, July 7, 2008

LET FREEDOM RING

"Since the beginning of the world, many have talked, written, suffered, cried, and died for liberty. Artists paint it, sculptors sculpt it, philosophers describe it, and prophets teach it...A teacher, leader, a follower of righteousness remains free. What is righteousness? First, to know the difference between right and wrong; but second, once you know it, to do what is right. To be righteous, then, is to act. However, before you act there must be a decision, a choice between right and wrong, between God and Satan, light or darkness, freedom or slavery, and knowledge is necessary to make that choice. That is why we are here on the earth."

Elder Charles Didier

Happy Birthday America! We hope everyone had a most memorable 4th of July. We surely did and we thank Elder and Sister Comer who hosted our Senior Social on Roosevelt Island, out in the middle of the East River, for the Macy's Fireworks display. It was an adventure just getting there on the trains, both coming and going! We have a tendency to forget we're living on an island with 9 million people. Most of them have come from foreign lands. They were out in mass for this party and we had a great time just observing them. It was cloudy, and soft rain fell through out the evening. New Yorkers think they have it all! We believe the fireworks in Idaho Falls, to glorious, synchronized, music, are much, much better! Actually, the US can take a lesson from the Swiss, as the fireworks over Lake Geneva were the most spectacular we have ever witnessed. The security was extra tight, and we're glad we had the experience once, but have adopted a new motto; "If all of New York is going to be there, we won't!" It took us hours to get back home! Thanks Comers for obtaining tickets, saving seats, yummy treats, all with good friends. It was great fun!

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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.