AUTUMN 2020

I’ve been so grateful these past few weeks for the beauty that God has designed for us!
Fall in New York is the best!!!
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I’ve been pondering about that phrase from President Nelson’s talk in October’s General Conference, “Let God Prevail.” What does it look like to let God prevail in my life? One day as I was on a walk, enjoying the fall colors in all their glory, I realized that these leaves are giving me the answer. They are showing me exactly what it looks like to “Let God Prevail!” They are doing what they were designed to do! They are trusting their creator and following His plan for them. And when they do, they bring so much beauty and joy to the world ! What if I did that? What if I trusted my creator and the plan he has for me? What if I did what I was designed to do, if I chose to do what he asked me to do: to love Him and love others? Would my life, like these leaves, bring beauty to the world too? I want to be more like the fall leaves and Let God Prevail!
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Yep! We love Jesus! Sister Barnum, Sister McClara and Sister Allen. October 2020

Manhattan District (one companionship joined virtually because they were still in quarantine with a new missionary.

Devotional with the Chinese Zone. We read the “Dedicatory Prayer of the Chinese Realm for the Preaching of the Gospel” by Elder David O. McKay of the Quorum of the Twelve given on 9 January 1921. There are some blessings for the missionaries in that prayer that even a century later are relevant.

…may the young men and young women come out of the darkness of the Past into the Glorious Light now shining among the children of men. Grant, our Father, that these young men and women may, through upright, virtuous lives, and prayerful study, be prepared and inclined to declare this message of salvation in their own tongue to their fellowmen. May their hearts, and the hearts of this people, be turned to their fathers that they may accept the opportunity offered them to bring salvation to the millions who have gone before. May the elders and sisters whom thou shalt call to this land as missionaries have keen insight into the mental and spiritual state of the Chinese mind. Give them special power and ability to approach this people in such manner as will make the proper appeal to them. We beseech thee, O God, to reveal to thy servants the best methods to adopt and the best plans to follow in establishing thy work among this ancient, tradition-steeped people. May the work prove joyous, and a rich harvest of honest souls bring peace to the workers’ hearts which surpasseth all understanding.
“Dedicatory Prayer of the Chinese Realm for the Preaching of the Gospel,” Elder David O. McKay of the Quorum of the Twelve given on 9 January 1921

SPECIAL MORNING DEVOTIONAL WITH ARTIST CLARK KELLY PRICE

We really enjoyed learning from Clark Kelly Price and hearing the stories and inspiration behind some of his paintings. He was so generous to share digital images of a dozen of his paintings with us. I’ll share a little about 3 of them

“Dan Jones” is every missionary’s hero! Especially here in NYC where (pre-Covid) we would take to the streets, trains and busses and talk to everyone. Faith over fear, just like Dan Jones. Now they open their mouths online!

“First They Pray” depicts a father and son in Tonga (where Clark Price served his mission with my dad as his mission president 😊) before heading into the sea. First they pray, then they go! Much like Nephi: “I will go and do what the Lord commands…” trusting that he will provide a way for us to accomplish our tasks.

“All Present and Accounted For” which depicts the Stripling Warriors from the Book of Mormon at the end of a difficult battle–many wounded and tired from the fight but all present and accounted for. He shared how we sometimes want to quit the fight when it feels too hard, but that one day we will meet these warriors–will we be comfortable looking them in the eye and explaining our reasons for complaining or not doing our duty?

Virtual Mission Tour with Elder & Sister Clayton

We loved spending several days online in a variety of formats with the Claytons. We learned so much from both of them and loved having them join district councils, companionship studies, lessons with friends the missionaries are teaching and even some personal time with individual missionaries.

ZONE CONFERENCE:

Zone Conference has become a hybrid of online and in-person meetings. We love being able to gather in-person in small groups for our devotional portion and we also really like the convenience of being able to get the whole mission together at once on Zoom. We also like being able to meet online with individual zones and practice teaching or other skills. It gives more people a chance to participate and it gives us the opportunity to hear from and be taught by more missionaries.

In October, we focused on working with members. It was really wonderful for the missionaries to hear from several different local members who live and work here. They helped us gain insight into things we can do to earn trust and be more helpful to the members.

In November we learned about different ways to have effective scripture study and then we did some effective scripture study together by combining two of those ways–careful or in depth study of a certain passage and also topical. We explored the topic of gratitude and studied together the story of the 10 lepers. I’ll try and condense nearly an hour into a few sentences. All 10 lepers had the faith to call out to Jesus, all 10 were obedient when he told them to go show themselves to the priest, all 10 were healed as they went and did as he said, all 10 must have been overjoyed to be given this miracle of being healed, but only 1 returned to give thanks, 1 recognized who the true high priest was, 1 was grateful not only for the gift, but for the giver of the gift. It is easy to be grateful for the gift or the blessing or the miracle that is what we asked for, the prayer that was answered the way we hoped, but are we equally able to be grateful for and recognize the Savior as the source of all our blessings–even when we don’t recognize them as blessings? I love the quote from President Nelson and also this artwork entitled “Holding Sorrows” from Caitlin Connolly. When we truly develop a grateful heart we will be able to see beauty and good and opportunities for growth even in our sorrows. I am so grateful that He has provided a way through those sorrows and that he gives “beauty for ashes.” One of my favorite hymns is Come, Thou Fount. When I learn to see Christ as the source of every blessing, when I “tune my heart to see his grace” in and through all things, when I learn to recognize “streams of mercy, never ceasing”, then it truly does “call for songs of loudest praise.”

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
I loved filming this music video for our Facebook page on the steps of the Met and in Central Park!
New York City has so many beautiful spaces. Sister Low, Sister Barrus and Sister Martial singing and Sister Taylor as videographer.

THANKSGIVING

We wanted to make Thanksgiving special for the missionaries since Covid cases are back on the rise so they weren’t able to have meals with members or others this Holiday season. Elder and Sister Buckner joined us on Zoom in the morning and gave an outstanding devotional. Elder Buckner is the Area Authority Seventy and they live in the Manhattan 1st Ward and are the absolute best! We love the Buckners! After the devotional we had our very own baking show featuring our star chef Sister Clifford! She taught us how to make homemade rolls and then I showed everyone how to bake a pumpkin pie. The missionaries spread lots of joy and messages of gratitude and then we met back together over Zoom in the evening to eat our pie and share our testimonies how good God is!