Our new Branch!!!

I am so excited to post about our new church division, this is from an e-mail I sent to my family:

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to share our first week at our new branch with all of you... Yesterday was our first day in our new branch, there were about 12 families taken from our ward and combined with the Yonkers NY branch... we've known about it for about a year... it was simply amazing... we feel like we are truly in the mission field with a purpose and a goal.. to spread the gospel. There are so many new converts in Yonkers and they are usually very poor and no transportation and have a hard time coming to church; especially after the "baptism excitement" has subsided, so we were asked to concentrate on a couple of families/new converts to help them learn the gospel and strengthen their testimonies so that they can become self-sufficient in the gospel and learn to make it a priority in their lives.

Our church building is in a business area, with doctors offices and a gym, and a dunkin donuts near by.. and as we passed each of these businesses, there taped to the window... a plaine piece of white paper that simple said.... THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS... Visitors Welcome... it seemed odd and out of place, but once we stepped inside you never would have known we were in the middle of a busy business district. It was awesome.

We were told that they have had roughly 30-50 in Sacrament and with new families we filled every chair in the very small chapel, nearly 80 of us. Only 2 men passing the sacrament, the missionaries blessing it. (Yes, only 2 men, no YM, something we aren't used to seeing, it's usually like 8 YM, very sweet) The spirit was so strong and it just made me want to share the gospel even more.

These wonderful Brothers and Sisters, a lot of whom are new to the church were so friendly and excited and it was truly a day we will remember for a very long time. They don't have enough YW so we still meet with the other ward for activity days and YW during the week. Right now we only go for 2 hours... kinda nice, hopefully that won't last too much longer... I missed Sunday school yesterday. We do Sacrament and RS. The primary has maybe 20 kids... so small yet such a sweet spirit. No nursery so Ammon just stayed with me.... I may volunteer to hang out with the other 2 or 3 so that at least some of the parents can get something from the lessons next week :)

We are just so excited and as I sat there yesterday I had such a warm feeling of "this is why we moved to NY" this is it, we are needed and we will I'm sure learn more from these sweet brothers and sisters than we could ever share with or teach them. Something to look forward to for our entire family. Even our small "ward" in Northern California was "huge" compared to this branch... it is amazing how inspired this was of our local leaders... there are so many people who are longing to find the gospel our missionaries are very busy... baptisms almost weekly... it is absolutely incredible, they just need those with strong testimonies to help strengthen and teach these new members so that they aren't lost.... I think you should all move to NY and be in our branch :) I wish :) I know you each have just has much responsibility and excitement where you are as well... that is why I love the gospel, no matter where we move too, it's the same, the hymns are the same, the sacrament, the lessons, it is so comforting to know that we have the truth.... what a responsibility we all have!

I also wanted to say how much I enjoyed Pres. Hinckley's funeral, what a simple and sweet man who was truly a Giant among men. A prophet of God, just as Noah, Adam, and those we read about in the Bible. As I have reflected on his life and the many conference address he has given, I think the thing that I will remember most about our beloved prophet was how much he loved his wife...
I recall the first time he spoke after she had passed away and how heart broken he was and how much he missed her. The heart felt sorrow you could see in his face at the graveside services... what a sweet man, If every marriage had that kind of love, the world would be a much better place. I will miss him and his sweetness, and I know that he is with his dear wife and how happy they must be preparing for "forever".

I love you all and we miss you all.

XOXO,
Wendy and family