Losses and Gains

 Like you, we have been shocked and sickened by the events in the Middle East. NYC has large populations of Jewish and Muslim people who seem to coexist quite well. But in an area with such a large  population, there are extremists we never see. When Hamas called for a day of rage on Friday, NYC was a little tense. Police had their vacations and days off canceled and patrolled sensitive areas, making a showing of force to discourage any such action.

We drove through this area

Friday evening, but it was too

dark to get pictures of the flashing
police car lights.

We had to go back Saturday and got these pictures
in a very Jewish area of Brooklyn. Police cars and
even ambulances by subway stops and synagogues
everywhere.

We pray for the defeat of such hate and for the innocent lives lost and in many cases, brutally violated, as well. President Nelson's April conference talk, "Peacemakers Needed," certainly seems prescient at this point.

Otherwise, we enjoyed a productive and instructive week. We went to the New York City Museum on Monday with Elder and Sister Barnes. The first floor and lower level were about the history of the city and were quite interesting. The upper floors were more of the music scenes, the counter culture and other nonsense, in my seldom humble opinion.

A depiction of an area in Manhattan called
Five Points where five streets converge. A mix
of cultures and classes - "Free Blacks" and slaves,
upper class and lower, pigs and dogs, prim ladies
and prostitutes.

Today it's prim and paved.

Cassie Louise Lightfoot remembering
the magic of her 8-year old self enjoying
the rooftop with her family. If there's a
quilt, we must have a picture of it.

DeWitt Clinton's statue. He was a popular
politician of his day - a senator, governor,
candidate for the presidency against Madison.
He is most remembered as the Mayor of NYC
who expanded the grid system of the city and
brought the Erie Canal to the state.

This week was transfers week, so we saw a couple of our elders moved out. In district council meeting the district leader, Elder Padilla, decided that instead of role plays, we would have a testimony meeting. He even assigned the order for which each elder would take the microphone. He assigned us to be last. It was an excellent choice on his part. Elder Padilla was transferred out to serve as a Zone Leader in Brooklyn. He is a dynamic missionary from Puerto Rico whose English and Spanish are equally fluent. He is a natural leader. 

From top left: Elder Farmer is a quiet, dynamic
missionary who moved to Inwood in Manhattan,
Elder Reynolds just finished his first transfer. Bottom
left Elder Winters, Elder Padilla, and Elder Kendrick.

With Elder Padilla leaving, Elder Winters will
continue training Elder Reynolds.

This transfer we carried luggage to the meeting for a Brooklyn sister and took three elders' luggage to two apartments in Brooklyn. We also went with three other senior couples to Donovan's Pub for lunch. We have always had other things to do in the past, but made time now because it would be the last time for Elder and Sister Hunsaker, who have become good friends, and,  like half the Church, I am convinced, are related to Olivia. 

Hunsakers in front. Baers and Humphries behind.

Elders Hamilton and Misifoa re-opening an area
in Brooklyn.

Elder Padilla transferred back to his first area as a missionary, Brooklyn 5th Ward. this time as a Zone Leader. He is holding a Book of Mormon, having just asked an employee in the clinic behind him if she would like to attend church.

Elders Padilla and Trujillo, new Zone
Leaders in Brooklyn.

Saturday evening and Sunday morning we were in the Woodside Stake conference sessions. We were very pleased to see that the Astoria Ward has a new ward mission leader who spoke about the efforts the ward is making to support the full-time missionaries and the new converts. Historically, that kind of attention was lacking in that unit. 

I wanted to get the statistics on the right side of
this slide. 800 languages spoken in Queens, and
a lot of immigrants. 

Elder David Kinard was the presiding authority. We had met him before at the Westchester Stake conference six months ago, but he still remembered us and made a point of talking to us briefly. His message in the evening session was about all the challenges faced by leaders in wards, branches and stakes. He concluded with the admonition given him when Elder Holland set him apart as a stake president, "Don't lose the joy!"

Elder David Kinard

In the Sunday session he spoke about the hardest commandment, which is related to the second great commandment. He said the hardest commandment was to forgive - everyone -70 X 7- even if they are still determined to be unkind to you. You do not have to take abuse, or be a doormat, but you have to forgive. Why is it critical? Because it's hypocritical not to, given how we want to be forgiven by God and we continue to violate his trust one way or another. Not forgiving can pollute succeeding generations (think Hamas and Israel). Further, not forgiving retards our spiritual growth.

There were several other excellent speakers. Two were in Spanish, so I tried to listen for the few words I know and did pick up on the stake president's quoting President Nelson to "think Celestial."

This woman spoke about her experience
having joined the Church just a year ago.

Members of the Astoria Ward who are going to 
deeply miss Sister Hunsaker.

The rest of Sunday was busy, as well with three more meetings, all on Zoom. We were asked to participate in a Fairfield Stake devotional. It was not well attended, but I think those who did attend were leaders in their wards, for the most part, so the message will likely get out.

We have a standing correlation meeting with representatives from all the stakes every third Sunday. This time all but one was represented. It went especially well as the excitement for Lynbrook Stake's video devotional is getting close. The version in English is complete. Spanish will be done this week, and the Chinese version this week, also we hope. We sent out the English version to every stake representative, so they have an idea of what it is like. 

We ended the day with our Sunday evening mission devotional with President and Sister Holmes. After the typical agenda was concluded, President Holmes showed two pictures of his father, who has become quite feeble. Pres. Holmes' sister talked their father into shuffling with his walker across Temple Square, where he had once served as the mission president over the missionaries who serve there. As they walked, they met a sister missionary and found that she had served for her "out-bound"  experience in the NYNYC Mission. She told him how much Pres. Holmes loved him and that the mission prays for him. They continued on and met another missionary who also served here, who basically repeated the same message. No dry eyes last evening.

Some random pictures from the week:

The guy up the tree was trying to find
a way to tie a rope so that section he
intends to cut off didn't fall onto
something expensive. Lots of other
guys shouting suggestions
in Mandarin (I assume).

A very common sight on the subways.
This woman has her little girls tied in
so both her hands are free. She had just
sold me some Peanut M&Ms.

That's it for another week. A week of high spiritual insights and lots of work. Nothing is worse than being idle. We are happy to be in this amazing area and working with some dedicated people. We hope your coming week is filled with joy. "Don't lose the joy!"