They Gave a Party and Nobody Came...

 But it gave us a chance to see Times Square. When we assisted with the Thanksgiving event at the Congregation Shearith with our Jewish friends, the Stake President asked us to make a point of coming to Duffy Square inside Times Square on Saturday the 3rd of December. The stake was to give a Christmas concert from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, and he wanted some missionary badges to be in the audience. Times Square is mostly for tourists and upscale shoppers, so young missionaries are not allowed to go there. We readily agreed, because we wanted to support his stake (it is one of those stakes that is loaded with talent - Broadway singers, musicians, dancers, etc.) and because we wanted to see what all the hype was about.

We arrived in a rain storm that was scheduled to last most of the day, to discover that no one from the Stake was present. We talked to a security guard who had no information because she had forgotten her radio, but she told us that the Times Square organization (I've forgotten its name) would likely have cancelled due to weather. Not being a member of the Stake, we didn't get the memo. She also told us that Times Square is overrated. We kind of have to agree. It was fun to see the giant illuminated signs and see the mass of people, but it seemed shallow in the end.

We did find a good fast food restaurant called Jollibee and had really juicy chicken for a good (New York) price. We wandered around window shopping, browsing, and watching to see if anyone would show up. They didn't.

Lights everywhere. Olivia is in front 
of something giving a red glow.

We found a Christmas market that reminded us of
the Jul markets in Sweden. We were less tempted
this time.

A gigantic Salvation Army bucket. 
No one was managing it, so people,
mostly children, tried lobbing coins
into it.

Father Duffy's statue is in the middle
of Times Square, several feet behind
a statue of George M. Cohen.

Typical scene inside Times Square

A group had gathered to hear speakers and lend
support to the Ukraine in its fight against 
Russian aggression. 

The statue honors Father Duffy, a chaplain and a Lt. Colonel of a NY Regiment who showed exemplary courage during the Spanish American War. Interestingly, it replaced a 50' statue entitled Purity (Defeat of Slander). That was a few years after the New York Times moved onto what was then known as Longacre Square and renamed it Times Square, so... Okay, to be fair, the Times did rename the square, but the Purity statue was replaced in 1937, after the NY Times had moved to another location. 

The Purity Statue 1909

The subway trains are entirely unreliable on the weekends. I am starting, so I thought, to understand subway jargon on the apps I have downloaded. Still, trying to find the E or F trains meant going to several stops on other trains until we found a place to get on. That took most of the rest of the day and a good deal of our patience. A knowledgeable attorney who takes the train into the City every day told us that no real changes have taken place in the subways since the 1930s, so weekends are for maintenance. Parts often cannot be ordered, so they have to be repaired or retooled. I think I am repeating myself.

We were finally given the opportunity to pick up a missionary at the LaGuardia Airport this week. Elder Sperry was called to serve in Bolivia, but served in St. Louis until his visa was obtained. No sooner was he in Bolivia, than he came down with an illness that required him to go back home for treatment. He is better, now, and received a new assignment to New York City, Spanish speaking. He is a companion to the zone leaders in Bay Shore on Long Island. He has a couple of great companions, and seems very happy to be there. They baptized just days after his arrival.

We met his companions a little more than half way
to Bay Shore in the town of Minneola. To my
right, barely visible is the local chapel. We
also supplied him with a quilt and pillow.

We met him at the Terminal B baggage claim.
This is a rather new terminal and is 
beautiful. It is also quite large. It was a
trek to park, collect him and hike back
to the car. 

I should mention our District Council meeting. We were visited by the Woodside Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders (STLs). They were expert in reviewing the District's goals for December. Goal setting has been well taught and practiced on every level. They were very complimentary of the local Elders' abilities and the results of their efforts. This past week YSA wards and stakes are asked to consider releasing married members and filling their places with single ward and stake members. It is very clear to us that these missionaries will be quite capable of filling those responsible positions when they return home.

Sundays are our busiest days. Typically, we have a ward council presentation, or a speaking assignment in a sacrament meeting. This time we had none, so we chose to visit one of the wards that has more new members than those who have been in the Church longer than a year. We went to the Bronx where the Kingsbridge 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wards meet. We met with the 2nd Ward. It was fascinating, to say the least. We talked with several members, most of whom had been members a month or less. We also met the young man who was set for baptism following 2nd hour. 

A very nice building in a very Bronx
neighborhood. Parking is a challenge,
which is no surprise.

This ward is really involved in the community and enjoys an excellent reputation. They volunteer at a local home for senior citizens and at the Family Preservation Center where day care, ESL, immigration services, counseling, and other community services are offered. 

These are on the wall next to the hall where
the bishops' offices are located.

Not my best shots, but you can see that
the community appreciates these wards

The big take away for us was meeting another person who is capable and desirous of serving as a facilitator for Self Reliance classes. He is a member of the bishopric who is tech savvy, loves his ward and wants to see these new converts strengthen and grow. 

We are pleased to see so much movement in this important aspect of our mission. Just this week we have had meetings, calls, and texts, from people telling us that they want to be a part of Self Reliance in their stakes. We have been urging members of our SR council to do all that they can to start courses in January. Three of the stakes whose leaders assured us that they either didn't need a Specialist, or that there was just no one available to take on the responsibility, now have people in place and classes ready to go. We see the Lord's hand in this work and we are so grateful to be available.

We are officially into December, so our Advent string went up with cards to turn over each day until Christmas. This year we are seeing 24 of the names of Christ with an explanation for each of them. It has been very enlightening, so far.

But I think it came out pretty good.

Olivia gets a kick out of the fact that
I can't tell if something is straight or
centered.

The view from the Whitestone Bridge on our way
home from The Bronx.

We wish you all the best of the holiday season. May the music, anticipation, and joy of Christmas fill your hearts and souls. We love and miss you.