New York New York North Mission Alumni

I was serving in the Bronx with Sister Garcia and our roommates were Spanish Sisters Winters and her greenie Benetiz. Our pad was a hole, but one week it reaked more than usual. After it got really bad, we all went into the hall, to clear our noses, and then came back in to sniff it out. We had all been assigned a different corner to search. Winters found it. Right there underneath our coffee table was a dead mouse. He had been there for so long that he was decaying and you could see his ribs. Garcia and Benetiz cleaned him off, he was stuck to the floor. I was so grossed out, I went and climbed into my bed and hid until we were mouse free!

One of the greatest blessings of the mission came in my first month in the South Bronx February 1994. Elder Wallwork and I taught and baptized two very prepared teenage guys, John Mariano 16 and Kevin Martinez 15. It was an incredible first month to see them except the gospel and get baptized. But the real joy came later as I watched them progress in the gospel. It was so amazing, just 5 months after his baptism, to see John speak in Stake Conference in Manhattan. It was here that I thought I felt the real joy that comes from helping someone come to Christ and see them change their life. At the end of my mission, I returned to the Bronx for a week doing splits with the zone. I was so excited to see John and when he walked into the chapel, I hardly recognized him. The best way I can describe it is there was a glow about him. Again I thought felt the joy that comes from missionary work. I said good-bye to John and returned home from my mission. While attending BYU, I taught at the MTC. One evening, I was sitting on a bench outside before my evening class was to start. I was just watching all the Elders and Sisters walk back from dinner and pondering about life. Well I saw this Elder from a distance coming towards me and I thought to myself that he looked like John. As he got closer, I thought, I became even more amazed at the resemblance. I did not make the connection until he saw me and smiled at me and then it hit me. I immediately ran up and grabbed him by the shoulders and still in shock asked him what he was doing in the MTC. Beginning to grin and showing me his name-tag, he informed me that he was a missionary. What a reunion that was! As I went to my class, my district questioned what was wrong and I about burst into tears as I related the experience. This is the joy the Lord has promised for those who help bring people to Him. John served a mission to the Idaho, Pocatello Mission, Spanish speaking. What a blessing to have served a mission!

While serving in the Wakefield area of the Bronx from June -December 1995 with Elder Lane Ciminski and Elder Joseph Jensen, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach a sweet sister, Lucille McNeill. Most of the discussions were taught by Elder Jensen and me, and we spent many hours in her home attempting to help fuel her fire for the gospel. After her baptism in October 1995 we began teaching her four children: Ralph, Thomas, Brenda, and Garfield. My last Sunday in the mission which was Christmas Eve 1995, I was able to baptize her two youngest, Brenda and Garfield. This family had a great impact on me during the final months of my mission. I attempted to keep contact with them once I returned home, but no longer know where they are, if they are still active or what. Before I left New York, Sis. McNeill gave me a Christmas present with the instruction that I was not to open it until I got home. When I returned back to my family I took time to open the gift and inside was a beautiful hand-knitted afghan. She enclosed a note which was very sentimental and instructed that the afghan was supposed to be given to my first born child and then passed on from generation to generation. I have only one plea, if anyone knows this family still and knows where they are, please contact me as soon as possible. I want to tell Lucille that I am a father now, and that her gift will be a blessing in our family for years to come.

When I was serving in queens the Elders gave Elder Winder a haircut and it was really,really bad Elder Tevaga called us to get one of the Spanish Sisters(she was a beautician)to fix it. So they came over to wait for her. she got home really late and they call for stats. Winder was getting his hair cut and the Elder getting #'s from ask if we'd seem them. I said sure they're right here! they ask to talk to Tevaga,he got on looked really sheepish, hung up the phone said"Winder we have to go now" they left in a hurry....I wonder what was said on the phone Tevaga would never tell.....

I just wanted to thank all the missionaries who had served in Yonkers between August 1991 to August 1995. Elder Napoli and Elder Kleopherd found my mother and I while tracking 20 Secor Place. I was Baptized by Elder Shumway and confirmed by Elder Burt 12-25-91. My life has been truly blessed. Had it not been for the Lord,the members of the Scarsdale Ward,and the missionaries I would have never seen my mom baptized,nor would I have grown so much from serving a mission in Anaheim,California and chances are I would not have married Scott Madrid who also served in the NY,NY North Mission. So many blessings have come into my life and they all began with two elders who unselfishly accepted to serve the Lord. I would love to go into detail,but since is the 1st mission story being submitted, I just want to say to those who had entered into our home...thank you for sharing your life,laughter and love for the gospel. Your influence and example has touched my life and in part has helped become a better person. I know there were times of discouragement on the mission. But please know the Lord needed you all for a wise purpose in each of His children's lives. And one day He may let it be known to you how your simple words,service of love and hours of prayers truly did make a difference in someone's life as it did mine.

My Name is Glen Grant. I was in the ESM from 70-72. I am a musician, and teach music in the public schools in Boise, Idaho. I sing and play guitar. I was placed in my first area, Yardley, PA, and told to communicate with Elder Loren Southworth, a banjo picker extrordinaire. We were given a packet of music written by another missionary there in NYC, and told to arrange it for our instrumentation, and vocal abilities. We gleefully followed the Pres. requests! Getting to play guitars and banjos on our missions? WOW. We put the tunes together with our narration, and had a great 25 minute program that explained some of the early history of the church, from the coming forth of the B of M to the pioneer quest to the SL Valley. Little did we know that we would become pretty well known in Church circles, as well as service clubs, schools and the major county fairs throughout the mission. Bermuda was part of the ESM. We were invited to go there and sing, but we needed the cost of airline tickets one-way. Just after receiving the invitation we were asked to perform for a grandstand show at the New Brunswick Fair. We did two shows there. After we were finished singing, a gentleman from the fair-board handed us an envelope and thanked us. Later, on the way back to Manhattan, we opened the envelope. It contained a check for a few dollars less than the cost of our Bermuda tickets. We were able, with the Pres. permission, to use the funds for our trip. Heaven sent? You bet! We ended up performing that program, along with some of the then current music, nearly 300 times in eighteen months, throughout the mission. It would be interesting to know if any of the long time ESM residents remember the Singing Elders, Glen Grant, and Loren Southworth. It was definitely a call from the Lord when He sent Elder Southworth and I to NYC and the Eastern States Mission.

My son, Jeffrey Black, just received his mission call to the New York New York North Mission yesterday, March 17th, and we are ALL so thrilled for him and he is beyond excited!!! This really isn't a story for you, I just wanted to share our happy news. I've got an interesting story about this, but I'll have to compose it first then I'll be happy to send it to you. We're just floating on air around here!!!