"Reba" is on date for May 31st!

The Chapin Elders have been teaching a cute, middle-aged woman who looks so much like Reba McEntire!  And she's got the southern drawl - just like Reba.  She had an interview with President Holm yesterday and she passed!  She's on date to be baptized next Saturday.  I'm so excited because Nate and Haley will be here visiting.  And I'm so excited because the Chapin Branch is growing!  4 baptisms in the last two months!  I love being part of the Branch!

Cinco de Mayo with the Seniors...

We've wanted to have another Senior FHE with the President for a while now - and the time is growing short for President and  Sister Holm.  They will be released from their three year mission the end of June.  We decided to get together at the WAS Sisters' apartment on Monday the 5th of May - Cinco de Mayo.  We all had food assignments and tried to keep with a Mexican theme.  When we got to the Sisters' apartment, it was all decked out with colorful table cloths, flowers for the Sisters' hair and red-ribbon sashes for the Elders.  Sister Barton's and Sister Munson's apartment is beautiful.  They make a wonderful companionship.  Sister Barton has been widowed for about 4 years, I think.  May 5th marked the 1-year-anniversary of Sister Munson's husband's death.  They both had their husbands photos on the kitchen counter - such a sweet memento of their devotion to their eternal companions.

Brother Munson, Sister and Brother Barton

El der Arrington, Presidente Holm, El der Fenton  :o)

Hermanas Arrington, Barlow, Barton, Munsen, Fenton and Holm

Olé

Sister Barton knows how to throw a party!

He Has to Beg?

On Friday, someone who works at church headquarters in SLC sent an email.  She said a man from Charleston had called "the church" wanting missionaries to come and teach him and his family.  Of course, I put the referral right in and it was picked up by the missionaries down there.  So today - Monday, May 5th, i get another referral from the man himself.  "Please send missionaries to come and teach me and my family." What?  The guy has to beg for missionaries?  I sent them off a text and they said they had called him a couple of times and got no answer., but they'd call again tonight.  Hope they get in touch with him soon! Sounds like a golden contact to me!  :o)

Graduation at Fort Jackson

Elder Brenchly told us weeks ago that there would be a really big graduation the end of April.  I can't remember the exact number, but I think there were six platoons graduating.  There was rain in the forecast, so they soldiers didn't wear their dress uniforms - only their fatigues - but it was still impressive.  Lots of family members gathered in the stands, the band came out and started to play, and in the distance we could see hundreds of troops filing onto the field.  One of our LDS soldiers received an award of merit at the ceremony.  We didn't know him, but the Brenchlys knew him well.

I loved the band!  They were small in number, but big (and very good) in sound!

All the graduates passed in review.
We were sitting about half-way back, right in the center, in the seats reserved for clergy and VIPs.  :o)  

Jack and Elder Brenchly have known each other for many, many years.
They served in the Utah National Guard together.

The Brenchlys and us.  They were called to a one-year mission - Military Specialists - but extended to 18 months.
They are great and dedicated people!  They're from Ephraim, UT.

Zone Training Meeting - In Person This Time!

Jack and I listened in on a conference call zone training meeting several weeks ago.  We were so impressed by it!  When the zone leaders stopped into the office on Wednesday and encouraged us to come to training meeting on Friday, we decided we really needed to do just that.  We were not disappointed!

Elder Gonzalez conducted the meeting...

President and Sister Holm both spoke via a conference call to all six zones.  Missionaries in Greenville, Greenville East, Florence, Columbia and Charleston listened in.  We in West Columbia got to hear, as well as see them talk.  :o)  I wish I had gotten a pic of Sister Holm as she spoke.  She is SO powerful!

Each district in the West Columbia Zone reported their accountability.

The young missionaries team-taught many principles of missionary work.

Another team of sisters taught about being positive.

Zone leaders also taught us...

We also had some skits - skits with purpose.  Some were funny as heck!

Elder Muir told us of promising an investigator that if she would quit her job so she could attend church, that she would be blessed to get another job that paid twice as much!  After a lot of thought and prayer, she did quit, and the day after she came to church, she got 5 phone calls with job offers that all paid over twice her previous salary.  That was a bold promise to give the woman - but Elder Muir had faith that it would all work out the way he said it would.  Wow!  Don't know if I have faith that strong!

After all the training and skits, we had a closing song and prayer.  I LOVE to sing with the missionaries!  They have so much Spirit!!!

Jordan's Talk

Here's the talk Jordan gave at Marcus and Maurice's baptism last Saturday.  It's a great talk - wish we could have been there to hear him.  :o)

I am glad that Maurice and Marcus asked me to talk today at their baptism. I know that their

decision to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ will bless them throughout their lives. I know

this is because they are following the example of Jesus. We know that Jesus lived a perfect life. He

was not baptized to be washed clean of His sins. He was baptized because he wanted to do

everything our Heavenly Father commanded him to do. When He asked John the Baptist to baptize

him John responded “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” Jesus answered,

“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus knew that to

continue to be 100% obedient, he needed to be baptized. The prophet Nephi taught, “And now, if the

Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O

then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!” When we are

baptized we make promises to Heavenly Father. I brought a kit with me today that will help us

remember the promises we make to Heavenly Father.

K is for KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

When you are baptized, you promise to do your best to follow Jesus and keep all of His

commandments.   When you make a mistake, you repent and try to do better.

A is for ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM.

A few ways we can remember Him are following his example and sharing the gospel with others.

Also, if someone is sad or having a bad day, we can help them and show them we care about them.

T is for TAKE UPON YOU THE NAME OF CHRIST

You will be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As a member of Jesus’

church, you do things that Jesus would want you to do to build the kingdom of God.

Have you heard these phrases before at church?  Keep His commandments?  Always remember

Him?  Willing to take His name upon you? We renew the promises we make at baptism every

week at church when we take the sacrament.Just as we have made promises to Heavenly Father,

he has promised us that if we keep our promise we will always have His spirit with us. Tomorrow

in church you will be confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and

you will receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. With this gift Heavenly Father has promised that he will

always guide us in what we need to do, as long as we keep our promise to keep His commandments,

always remember Him, and take upon us Jesus’ name or be his disciples.

I am so happy that two of my friends have chosen to follow Christ’s example and be baptized into His

church. I also know that our Heavenly Father and Jesus are so happy today, too. I know this church is

true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Welcome Back Elder Saunders!

Elder Saunders (right) came back to the mission yesterday after 6 week of recovery time at home in Rexburg, ID.

He was working on a service project in Walterboro on March 11, when he was struck by a large tree branch.  He was life-flighted to a hospital in Charleston where he stayed a couple of weeks.  Elder Zwick was here for two Zone Conference Meetings, so he and President went right to the hospital to see Elder Saunders.  Elder Zwick arranged for the missionary's mother to fly out to Charleston the next morning.  

When he was stable, Elder Saunders and his mother flew back to Idaho so he could take it easy for a few weeks.  He was due to go home in July, I think, but Elder Zwick said he could stay a little longer to make up for the time he was gone.  Doctors told Elder Saunders that he could expect to have headaches for the next two years.  He said he hasn't had one since the first week.  And, although he had THREE skull fractures, the only scar he has is on his chest - when his missionary name tag was forced into his body.

Elder Saunders looks great, and he is raring to go!  While he was home, he went out with the missionaries assigned to Rexburg - so he stayed busy in a good way.  Love this valiant young elder!  I am so thankful that prayers are answered and he was permitted not only to live, but to continue to serve in South Carolina!

Family Ties!

We took the Chapin Sisters out to dinner Tuesday night.  Sister Billin is new in Chapin - we hadn't gotten to know her except at church.  I asked her where she's from and she said, "Nevada, but my grandparents live in Clinton."  She already knew we were from North Ogden.  I asked their name, and she told me it was Vaterlaus.  Well, I'd heard that name before!  My sister-in-law Julie's sister married a Vaterlaus!  Sure enough!  Sister Billin is a niece of Scott and Carrie Vaterlaus!  Besides that connection (I love to make connections!), Sister Billin's grandparents worked with my dad in the Ogden Temple!  Small, small church world!  :o)

Sister Wellman and Sister Billin - the Chapin Sisters
Sister Billin is a niece of Carrie Niederhauser Vaterlaus.
Carrie is a sister to my sister-in-law, Julie.  :o)
Sister Billin's grandparents also worked with Dad at the Ogden Temple.