ALOHA

Last week, our ward had a Hawaiian Luau. We had Kailua Pork, Spam and rice sushi, fruit, green salad, rolls and Volcano cake. It was a good time for all who attended. Here is a picture of four of our missionaries with Rodrico Garcia, who was, at that time, an investigator from Brazil. We also had a man who played the steel drum. Our activities director found him playing in the subway and asked if he would come and play for our ward party. She told him she could pay him, and he said "yes." I got a video of him but not a picture.

Ward members enjoyed doing the limbo. And, other ward members enjoyed eating the Volcano cake--white cake with white frosting and colored coconut, covered with chocolate. It was really very good. One of the sisters in the ward made the cakes--about 15 cakes.

Here is a group shot of some of the sisters in the ward. I brought my mumu from home and wore it. It was a great party.

We have a next door neighbor, whose name is Jay Steele. He is our friend and comes to visit us several times a week. He LOVES the New York Yankees. We told him we'd take him to a Yankees' game sometime, and this coming Saturday, we are going to a game. Jay is like a little child and is very excited to go. So are we.

Our two AP's keep us happy in the office. They are always so positive and work hard. I love these elders, Elder Fox and Elder Butler. Elder Fox (left) reminds me of Billy.

Dick and I stand with Rodrico Garcia before his baptism. He is really a nice young man (26 years) old. He is from Brazil and apparently has quite a story. I asked him if he'd write it down for me. He said he would.

All these elders came in the office today. They come in to get mail, candy and just visit.

Well, in my last post, I told you a story about Mark Levin who called President Monson. I thought I better set the record straight. He didn't call him. He must have called someone else. So, lest you tell everyone, please know that it wasn't a true story. Sorry I even posted it. I think Mark thought he talked to President Monson, but he didn't.

ALOHA for this week.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a zone, district, and trainers' conference. It lasted for three days. Elder Dalebout, Elder Schouten and President Smith taught during the three days. It was pretty intense. The two pictures below show the Schoutens and Smiths during lunch. Elders chat during lunch at the conference.

On Saturday, August 7th, Dick and I went up to the family history center, which is in the same building as the temple. We spent three hours training in family history. Afterwards, we walked 24 blocks to Times Square. On the way, we saw the Ed Sulivan Theater, which houses the David Letterman show.

We went to Times Square, where we saw LOTS of people and LOTS of huge electric signs. Dick and I felt uncomfortable there. As we were walking along, an LDS mother with two kids passed us and said: "Hello missionaries."

Sister Smith wanted to get a picture of the office staff. Front l-r: Elder Butler, Sister Smith, President Smith, Elder Fox. Back l-r: Elder Schouten, Sister Schouten, Dick and I.

We took the AP's out to eat at the Blue Moon for some Mexican food.

Elder Butler was kneeling by Sister Schouten, helping her with something. I thought it was such a great picture, so I took one. I said it looked like Elder Butler was proposing to Sister Schouten.

Elder Butler is a ham sometimes. And, Sister Schouten looks like she is thoroughly enjoying it.

When we were at the Family History Center at the Temple, we met Ron and Linda Inouye. Linda said that her son, Scott, was in the same singles Colonial Ward in Arlington that Billy had been in. She said her son kept telling her to look for the Dalebouts. So, we met, accidentally, at the temple. As we were talking to them, Dick remembered that he was their twin daughters' bishop up on campus. Those two girls both went on missions, one to Russia and one to Japan, while they were in his ward. Now, they are married and both have children. What a small world. The Inouyes live in Scarsdale and invited us to dinner with them at the Scarsdale Country Club right on the golf course. We really had a nice dinner and visit with them. As it turned out, Brother Ron Inouye is an attorney, and we needed his help for a housing problem that the mission had. The picture below shows the Inouyes and their son Dallan.

We were privileged to attend two baptisms last Saturday. The man in the middle is Mark Levin. He has been coming to church since we first came here. He had a question he needed answered, so he called President Monson and talked to his secretary. In less than an hour, President Monson called him back and talked to him over an hour. Mark was very impressed with President Monson's kindness. Mark is single and a retired police officer. Elder Wilkins baptized him (2nd from the left), and Elder Wu (left) helped teach him. President and Sister Smith are on the right.

Marietta Allen was also baptized. We didn't know her but she seems like a very nice lady.

Here we are with Elder Wu and Mark Levin.

We love these missionaries. Elder Lambert is on the left and Elder Montuy is on the right. They often visit the office to get their mail because they are in the Mission Office Zone. They are great missionaries, whom we have grown to love. Elder Lambert was transferred yesterday, so we won't see him as much.

Yesterday, eleven of our missionaries went to the temple because they were going home the next day. This is a picture of some missionaries whose apartments we inspect. Only one of them went home--fourth from the right, Elder Ames.

After we left the temple, Dick and I walked over to Central Park and hoped on a bicycle carriage, and a fellow from Turkey took us on a tour of Central Park. It was fun. I didn't get a picture of that, but I did get a picture of the beautiful fountain in the middle of the park.

As we came out of the park, we walked past the Donald Trump Hotel, where there was a lot of screeming and clapping. All we could see was a couple of black cars and mostly teenage kids surrounding it. If we would have gotten there five minutes before, we would have been able to see the Jonas Brothers. But, they were in the car by the time we got there. Oh well

All but one of the eleven missionaries left today to travel home. Elder Amison, from England, is not leaving until tomorrow night, so he traveled around with the APs. I love this picture of Elder Amison wearing a New York Yankees hat. He was very proud of it. He was also very helpful to me. He was able to help me put together a mission newletter template. I was amazed at his skill. I've been trying to figure microsoft publisher out for the past month, and he helped me so much. I told him he needed to stay an extra two days to help me with the newsletter. He's got a great accent.

It's hard to say goodbye to these great missionaries. You really get attached to them. But, bless them to move on with their lives.

Comings and Goings

This is what we see when we're driving almost anywhere around Scarsdale. It's so beautiful, and I am excited to see the fall colors.

These are three fun elders we have grown to love: r-l: Elder Garside, Elder McDaniel, and Elder dos Anjos (from Brazil). Notice the pink tie. Many of our elders wear pink ties.

A week and a half ago, Dick and I, the two AP's and Elder Schouten drove down to Queens to pick up three new cars for our mission. Elder Butler gives me the "thumbs up" on the car.

Elder Butler is such a nice young man. One of the sisters were supposed to drive this silver Toyota.

However, when he saw the bright red car, he said to me: "Don't you think Sister Babb would look good in that red car?" I said: "Yes." So he asked Elder Dalebout if that would be okay. Elder Dalebout said things were already in place for her to have the silver car. Elder Butler persisted and I encouraged. Elder Dalebout was able to change things so that Sister Babb could have the car. And, was she ever excited. I wish I had a picture of her getting the car. But, here is Elder Fox standing by the beautiful red car.


On July 27th, it was President Smith's birthday. He turned 60 years old. We really didn't know it was his birthday until he and his wife and their son came into the office and brought this yummy berry pie for all of us to celebrate his birthday. Sister Smith made one for us and one for them. Yum, yum, yum.




Here we are after we had eaten a piece. We were very happy. President Smith and family didn't stay around because they were off to see Lion King.



Last Saturday, Scarsdale had a sidewalk sale. Dick and I walked around and looked at all the stuff there was to buy. We got a hotdog and drinks and went to Chase Park to eat. This is the park where they have the band concerts.


This is a shot of the beautiful building in the center of town with merchants and customers on the sidewalks.


Sunday was a beautiful day. We drove up to Stamford, Connecticut, for the blessing of Bart Bradley's baby boy, Jackson. Dick was Bart's hometeacher when the Bradley boys lived at home in our ward. Brett, his twin brother and his daughter, flew up from Oklahoma, and Marian, his mother, flew in from Provo. It was fun to see them and to see the cute little baby. Their ward is in our mission and we have five of our elders serving in that ward.



A picture with us and the Bradleys.

Bart married Monica Washburn, who also lived on Grandview Hill. Here is a picture of her three sisters and Jessica's (left) husband (Clint Phillips) and her two other sisters. Britta (on the right)

was in the Grandview 22nd Ward Relief Society Presidency when I was in the stake Relief Society Presidency. Clint and all the girls know Billy.

Here is a picture of Curt Johnson and his wife, Melanie (Whitaker) Johnson and their two children, Lucy (hiding) and Owen. Curt and Melanie went to school with Matt.

Here is a picture of those who stood in the circle when the baby was blessed. L-R: Dick, Clint,

Brett Bradley, Bart Bradley holding Jackson, Brother Washburn, Curt Johnson.

On Monday, Dick had to give two training lessons to the leadership missionaries, one on prayer and the other on The Book of Mormon. He did a very good job.

Here is a great picture of one of our elders at the training meeting. His name is Elder Stone, and he is such a nice elder. He is 6' 9" and is going to play basketball for Utah State when he returns home. I feel rather short. He was a good sport and let me take a picture with him. That day, Elder Stone and four other elders traveling down from Connecticut were involved in a car accident. They side-swiped a utility truck because someone cut them off. So they had to leave their car in Scarsdale to get fixed and take another car back. You should have seen five large elders in a little Toyota Corolla. I'm glad none of them was hurt.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the Manhattan Temple for a session. We take the train to Grand Central Station, then take a shuttle to the subway and take the subway to the temple.
This is a picture of Grand Central Station. Believe me, there are tons of people who come into that station. It's like Victoria Station in London.

After we went to the temple, we went across the street to Lincoln Center and had a wonderful tour. Lincoln Center houses the Metropolitan Opera, three other theaters, an art center, and the Juliard School of Music. It is a small campus in itself. The building at the back houses the Metropolitan Opera.




Here is a chandelier that I photographed in the lobby of the Metropolitan Opera Building. It was really quite beautiful.


We are having good experiences and enjoying ourselves.