THE "NEWBEES", ELDER & SISTER ALDRIDGE ARE BECOMING ENTRENCHED

PICTURES BELOW - 

Well, we have completed one week here ... and it has been interesting and eventful. We are trying so hard to "get our arms around" everything we need to understand and do ... that is going to take some time. Right now, it is ALL "firsts" :-).

The weather this week has been gorgeous.  A couple of days ago it was 83 degrees, the hottest since we have arrived, but most days are in the low 70's. It rained on Wednesday for a little while. We are sorry most of you are having a HEAT WAVE.  You can be sorry for us when it is snowing here and VERY COLD.

When we go out, especially shopping, when we get to the check-out people look and look at our missionary badges.  They of course can't figure out what they say (French name-tags), but they sure stare.  It is amazing how everyone sees the badges. Doesn't matter what color we have on, they always notice it. That is a good thing. We have had a few conversations with people as a result.

Monday of this week, we were still getting settled.  In our dining room area there is a bookcase that was full of books, pamphlets, CD's etc.  On the bottom shelf was lots of old Ensigns, New Era's and Friends just kind of thrown in together.  There were also lots of old Christmas cards.  Obviously this book case had not be organized or even gone through in a very long time.  It took a big part of the day to try to organize everything by language.  We have brochures and Books of Mormon in  English, French, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean, Chinese and a few others. 

On Tuesday night we went to our first Missionary Correlation Meeting.  Our ward mission leader and all of the missionaries assigned to our ward were in attendance, as well as us. It was a useful, informative meeting. We are still feeling our way, trying to get all of the tools available to us lined up.

Wednesday morning we had our first District Meeting, it was held in Yarmouth, about 30 minutes from So. Portland.  We were told that the Zone Leaders would also be attending this District Meeting. We decided since it was our first meeting we would bring donuts.  We had been told by one of the sister missionaries that a donut shop called, "The Holy Donut", was good, so we decided to get donuts from there.  We went to the donut shop and were shocked to find that 2 dozen donuts were $49.19.  Pretty Pricey.  The missionaries were all in shock when we walked in with two boxes of donuts from "The Holy Donut".  They say all they can do is dream about them, because of the cost.  Kind of interesting how alike the two Portland's are.  There is so much similarity between Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon. Some intriguing people in both places.

Thursday afternoon we had our first meeting with an African person and the missionaries at our home.  His name is Janvier and he is from Burundi. We picked him up from his place and brought him to our apartment. In transit back and forth we found out very interesting information about his background.  He is 52 years old.  He has been in the United States for 10 months, and has been a member of the Church for about a month. He was a physician in Burundi. He worked in the Emergency room of a hospital.  In his words, the hospital was a favorite among the people in Burundi. The Burundi President had served two terms, the legal limit in their country.  He decided he wanted to serve a 3rd term. Many of the Burundi people didn't like that idea and started demonstrating against it.  The President had the police start shooting those demonstrators. Many were killed outright, but those that were shot and only injured went to the Emergency room were Janvier worked.  He took care of them and their wounds.  Later, the police came and questioned Janvier, and asked him for a list of all of the people he had treated with gunshot wounds.  They not only wanted their names but their addresses as well.  Janvier said he wouldn't give them the list because the police would just have gone and killed them.  He had to go into hiding. He was hunted by the police.  He was able to come here, we aren't sure how yet.  Many of the people that were being hunted went into neighboring countries to escape and are living in refugee camps.  Janvier really believes that the Lord had a hand in his coming here.

He said that "aids" has run rampant through his country.  There are many children and young teens that are orphans because both of their parents have died from aids.  I asked him what the general life span was for someone in his country and he said out of about 50 young people,  8 or 10 would not even see the age of 50 years.

We are amazingly blessed to live in this country.  We need to be filled with gratitude for our fortunate circumstances.  Although we certainly have our challenges and problems, it is nothing like in so many other countries.

We have spent an enormous amount of time the last couple of days  trying to map out our journey to inspect missionary apartments and cars for 3 zones ... another of our responsibilities.  It looks like it will take us 6 days every 6 weeks. We will be seeing lots of Maine and even a fair amount of New Hampshire.  One of the funniest street names that we will be visiting is called, "Around the Pond", and that street is in the town of Norway, Maine. Things are very different here.

Today, Sunday, we picked up 3 (2 just recently baptized) people from Africa for church, and then we made another return run to pick up another couple (investigators). They are all very nice, and very well educated. Some speak English quite well. 

During Sunday School, I was asked by the Bishop to go with him to interview one of the new converts to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and to be ordained a Priest. That was a very precious experience. His name is Christiano, and he is so excited about receiving the priesthood. After church, another recent convert, Janvier, was interviewed by the bishop to receive the Aaronic Priesthood. He speaks relatively good English. They both will be ordained next Sunday. We again had to make two trips from the church to take some of the Africans home. We have really developed a good relationship with one of the couples who are investigating. We don't know a whole lot about them yet. But, for some reason, based on their dress and demeanor, they seem to have a better financial support foundation than many of the others (if not all). She was a clothes designer back in Burundi and also accessorized. She also is a Psychologist. Their names are Constant and Prisca. He speaks English very well ... Prisca, not so much, but coming along. Constant was a translator in Burundi and Kenya. He had quite a bit of association with English speaking people, in one of those two countries. 

A few times we have been told, by people from Africa, that one difficulty they deal with in learning English, is our American accent.

We will be having Constant and Prisca over to our house during this week, with the missionaries. When we first asked them about coming over, via text, during the week, they were delighted, and still are when we talked to them about it after church today. We pray that they will continue to gravitate to the gospel. It has so much to better their eternal lives. And, they have many personal characteristics and abilities that could be a great blessing in enabling and taking a leadership role amongst the membership group of Africans here.

We are doing well. We are excited to be able to serve this mission and pray the Lord will guide us to do and say the things He wants. We want to remind each of you, that we love the Lord.  We want to share this precious Gospel with others.  We know we are here serving in this place because this is where the Lord wants us to be. We have NO DOUBTS about this.

 

Our humble abode ... we live on the bottom level.

Glen Coombs - Baptized 6/18/16

Christiano - Baptized 6/18/16. Had the opportunity to give the closing
prayer in English and French at their baptism.

Our Portland Ward building

The famous Portland Headlight. Two miles from our house.

A view of Portland, on my morning walk.

My walking trail.

OUR TRAVEL TO ... AND OUR ARRIVAL AT OUR MISSION DESTINATION

Hello Family and Friends,

We just wanted to give you an update about us. We pray that you are all doing well, even with the challenges we all have to deal with as part of earth life.

As we mentioned before, the week at the MTC was indeed incredible. The weekend after completing the MTC we spent getting together with family in the Salt Lake Valley. Saturday we went  to the Aldridge family reunion. Dan's brother and sister-in-law, LeGrand and Charlene, were in charge of it and their children helped a lot.  It was wonderful to interact with extended family. 

We left bright and early from the MTC on Monday morning, the 13th of June. We were on the road by 6:30.  We find it fascinating to drive across the country and enjoy the countryside. Monday night we stayed in Sidney, Nebraska. It seems to be a pretty depressed area.  Tuesday night we stayed in Coralville, Iowa.  We ate dinner at a Jimmie John's Sandwich shop.  They have a drive-thru, and while we were eating a little boy on a bicycle drove across the drive-thru area.  Dad waved at him and in a couple of minutes he came through the front door.  He was alone.  He asked the clerk at the counter for a drink of water.  He kept hanging around and smiling at us.  We struck up a conversation. We found out his name was Boston and he was 5 years old.  He has two brothers 9 and 10 and a baby sister that doesn't live at their house, she lives with his Mom somewhere else. He and his brothers live with their Dad.  He has a babysitter named Brandi.  We asked if his Dad knew where he was and he was very vague, and it seemed like he made a habit of wandering around on his own. I thought of Dallin and even of Cooper, how scary.  I asked him if he had eaten dinner and he said no.  I asked him if he had had lunch and he said no. Dad asked if he had lunch the day before and he said he had. We asked if he was hungry and he enthusiastically said yes.  We found out what kind of sandwich he would like. He had roast beef with lettuce and tomato. It was an 8 inch sandwich and he quickly ate about 7 inches of it along with some chips.  The female clerk asked him about his parents and when she found out he was alone she called the police.  The policeman came, loaded his bicycle into the car and asked Boston to show him where he lived.  It was a very sad experience. I thought a lot about Boston, and it was a reminder of all the children across the world that are hungry and uncared for.  We are all truly blessed.  Things aren't always easy in our lives, but we have so much to be grateful for.

Wednesday night we stayed in Mentor, Ohio. We were only about 25 miles from Cleveland.  The scenery is getting much more green and so so many trees. Nat would have loved the sight. We have had a couple of pretty bad thunder storms and heavy rain, but  feel grateful that it didn't last too long.

Thursday we were able to go to the Church site for the Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.  It was an incredible place. The church has restored two homes on the property that is in Harmony, Pennsylvania.  This is where Emma's parents lived. Emma's father was very well respected in the area and was quite well to do.  He never did like Joseph too much, but he invited Joseph and Emma down to stay with them.  There was another house on his property that other Emma's older brother had lived in, but was available for Joseph and Emma to move into.  It was here, in this home that about 70% of the Book of Mormon was translated.  Oliver Cowdery had come to meet Joseph and became his scribe.  It was across the road from Joseph and Emma's home that Joseph and Oliver were given the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist and then they baptized each other.  The church also owns the area down the road that leads to the Susquennah River where the baptizing took place.  It is an incredible place.  The spirit is so strong there.  They show a film that isn't shown anywhere else about this process.  This is also where Joseph and Emma buried their first born child, a son.  Joseph and Emma are truly amazing people.  Not only was Joseph the Prophet of the Restoration with all that entails, but when you realize all of the problems, challenges and heartache they endured during their earth life experience, I admire them even more.  We can all do whatever the Lord has in mind for us to do. We must build our faith, seek to feel the Spirit and strive everyday to put our will on the altar.  The sister missionaries serving there are so great, they have so much knowledge and their testimonies strong. They are such valuable assets in this great work.

Thursday night we spent the night in Vestal/Binghamton, New York.  On Friday morning we drove to the New Hampshire Mission office. We met two couples that work in the office and picked up some supplies.  We were also able to meet the AP's as they came into the office while we were there (one is from France, but going home 6/21).  The office was pretty much a BIG MESS.  They are going to be moving the office into a Church building, just like we did in the Roseville mission while we were serving there.

We arrived in Portland, Maine at about 5:00 PM.  We went to the apartment that we would be moving into the next day.  We met Elder and Sister Adams, the couple we are replacing. They showed us the apartment and answered many questions.  They showed us where the church house is, just up the street from where we live.  They showed us where they grocery shop and we even went up to the famous landmark, "The Portland Head Light". They were very nice and very helpful in familiarizing us with the area and some to the responsibilities they had that we would need to follow through in also doing.

On Saturday morning we attended a baptism at 10:00.  Two men in their 50's were being baptized.  One man was from Angola, Africa.  While he was in Angola he pretty much had the missionary lessons over the phone with sister missionaries in Salt Lake city.  When he moved to Portland, ME, he walked over the bridge to South Portland, ME to find the church house.  He told the missionaries he wanted to be baptized.  He speaks Portuguese as his first language, then French next and a little English.  The second man being baptized has been having lessons and dealing with the missionaries for 5 years. He was a former Methodist minister. It was a great baptism.  We were able to meet a few people from the ward. They asked Dan to give the closing prayer. Since he had one baptizee that spoke French and the other one spoke English, he gave the prayer in both languages. According to his wife :-), he did a very good job and Christian, the man from Angola, was very appreciative.

Sunday morning we had Church at 9:00.  We both certainly had butterflies.  We met and greeted many people.  While Dan was still talking to people, Barbara went into the chapel and sat by a lady she was sure was from Africa. Her name was Beatrice and she is from Rwanda. She was very nice and worked hard to speak English.  She is taking classes to learn English and also classes to get a job.  The ward had no deacons to pass the sacrament and no priests to bless the sacrament.  We don't know if there are any in the ward and were just not there today or what.  The Bishop was conducting and announced that he would like us to come up and bear our testimonies.  Barbara reflected that she hadn't  been called out of the congregation to bear testimony, not knowing beforehand, for about 55 years.  It was an experience ... but a wonderful one. Barbara is well received here and people from Africa and others of local origin have already expressed their love for her (not a surprise to her husband :-).  

Following Sacrament meeting. we attended the Gospel Essentials in French.  The lesson was all about the Sacrament.  Barbara couldn't understand most of the words, but was able to follow somewhat in English from the manual. According to Barbara, Dan did a great job of interjecting comments (also, according to his wife).  The African people seem to be so appreciative of Dan and his ability to communicate with them.  We were both surprised at the level of education of the people from Africa.  They speak well and look sharp.  Yes, as foretold, they are quite well educated people. We are anxious to get better acquainted.  The missionary that is the most fluent in French goes home on Wednesday morning. The other two French speaking elders are very nervous to take over that responsibility.

We are getting settled into our home, here in Portland, ME, which is in a lovely, well established neighborhood, about 2 miles from the famous "Portland Head Light" (see pictures below). It is a beautiful area (see some pictures below). It is kind of fun building our new "nest" together. But, so much to do and we are so tired and "hurting", especially very late Saturday night. We live in a 2 bedroom home with a relatively small kitchen a dining room (where we have to eat all meals) and a quite large living room that adjoins the dining room (which we could use for meetings in our home overflow seating). We are on the main floor of this building, that was probably, originally a large home that has been made into 3 separate apartments, one on each level. The home also has a basement. That is where we have a nice washer and dryer. What more could one ask. Though quite dated, it is wonderful. So grateful.

     IN FRONT OF THE NEW AARONIC PRIESTHOOD HISTORICAL RESTORATION SITE

  JOSEPH AND EMMA'S HOME & PROPERTY THAT THEY WERE BUYING, CLOSE TO HER                             PARENT'S HOME (HALES) IN HARMONY, PENNSYLVANIA

                        EMMA'S PARENTS HOME (HALES) - HARMONY, PENNSYLVANIA

      THE GRAVE-SITE, AND RESTORED HEADSTONE, FOR JOSEPH AND EMMA'S FIRST                                                                          CHILD (A SON)

SITE WHERE THE RESURRECTED "JOHN THE BAPTIST" RESTORED THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD UPON JOSEPH SMITH AND OLIVER COWDERY

THE SITE, ON THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER, WHERE JOSEPH SMITH BAPTIZED OLIVER COWDERY, AND OLIVER COWDERY BAPTIZED JOSEPH SMITH

Love you all.

GOOD-BYE MTC ... PORTLAND, ME, HERE WE COME

We have had an amazingly wonderful experience at the MTC this week. It is truly an inspiring place.  We have loved the teaching, the teachers and the other missionaries. Today was a bittersweet day. Several of the senior missionary couples left for their mission fields. We will leave on Monday morning, by 6:30 a.m.

We enjoyed visiting with all of the missionaries we talked to, young and old. 

We want to share a major, helpful teaching we received from a video given by Elder Bednar. It started out by asking if any of us had ever wondered if a prompting we felt was just us, from our own mind, or if it was from the Holy Ghost? If any of you are like us, you have had this conversation with yourself dozens of times.  Elder Bednar said, "Quit worrying about it".  Press forward, with steadfastness in Christ. Keep the covenants you have made, obey the commandments.  In other words be a "good boy or girl" (his words, with a smile on his face).  Anything that is good, comes from God. As you look back over time, you will see that what you did as you moved forward was indeed from the Holy Ghost.  We aren't going to receive that knowledge like a bolt of lightning, it will be a thought or an impression to do something or to say something, or to not do or say something. 

So often we don't know the total why or what, but that doesn't matter. We just keep moving our feet forward following through with the thought/prompting. This teaching  was SO meaningful to me, and I could see how it worked when we were preparing for the teaching to the "inactive senior couple." It was an amazing experience.  I think that I will have more confidence in my thoughts and feelings moving forward, and hope you all will as well.

We had a senior couple talk to all of the Senior missionaries this morning. They have been on about 10 couple missions and they were awesome.  They gave us so many practical ideas about how to get involved in the community, the neighborhood and even one on one. We are inspired to look outside the box, when we get to Maine, and strive to bring as many people as possible closer to Christ.  That is our goal as missionaries.  Everyone would be better off as they draw closer to Christ.

Our training here at the MTC is officially over.  We are tired but filled to the brim with so many wonderful things.  It is a week we will never forget, and we pray as we move forward that it will inspire us to be better missionaries and truly seek for the one.

Yesterday, late afternoon, we hurriedly left the MTC after our last class and we went to the new Provo City Temple.  We were able to attend a session.  It is a beautiful temple. Lots of woodwork and staircases.  It reminded to quite a lot of the Nauvoo Temple.  It was wonderful to be in the temple.  

We love and miss you all so very much. Know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

A WEEK AT THE MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER (MTC)

We just wanted to give you an update on how things are going and how and what we are doing.  103 Senior missionaries started a week of orientation, Monday, June 6th. It is an amazing experience to be here with all of the young missionaries, 1200 of them, as well as all the senior couples. How strengthening it is to feel of the spirit of this place as well as the spirits of all of the missionaries. It certainly does our hearts good to see such wonderful young adults ... such good examples to the world.

  

We have had some wonderful sessions in the past few days.  On last Sunday evening we had a devotional with Sheri Dew being the speaker.  She was very insightful in talking about handling our own questions about the Gospel as well as questions others might have.  She talked about how we need to be willing to "wrestle" with the Lord.  To take the time and effort to study, pray and seek counsel from a good source, The Lord. After we have done our part we need to pray and ask the Lord to answer our questions, to help us gain the understanding needed to help us in our quest for answers.  Having questions isn't a bad thing, it means we want to learn, grow and understand more fully.  It is what we do with our questions that can get us into serious trouble.  Dad/Dan actually listened to the devotional through a head set with a man translating the talk into French.  He understood almost every thing.

Last Monday evening we had an amazing experience.  We had the opportunity to view a video talk by Apostle David A. Bednar, that he gave at the MTC 2 1/2 years ago. He talked about the character of Christ. He taught that even when the Savior was faced with situations where he was hurting terribly physically, was very hungry after fasting for 40 days, or was contemplating the coming ordeal in the Garden of Gethsemane and the cross, He always focused outwardly. Each of us as the "natural man" focus inwardly ... e.g., What do We want, how do We feel.  Whatever we want, we want it NOW.  

He taught that testimony will never be enough to keep us active in the Church, we MUST become truly converted. If we are truly converted, we will never fall away.  Conversion is continually being true to what I know. It is continually turning away from the "natural man", continually focusing outward as the Savior always did. That is the process we must go through to become like our Savior, and to become truly converted.  We cannot do this alone, but as we faithfully strive, Christ and the atonement make up all the difference.

Then tonight, Tuesday, we had another Devotional.  It was a special devotional, one that was broadcast to all of the other MTC's in the world. Our speaker was Elder Bednar.  His talk centered on how the scriptures are filled with stories of how Heavenly Father and Jesus know us, one by one, by name. He told many personal stories about his travels and his life where he has been put into situations to meet the needs of the one. 

We are so grateful for each of you and all you are.  How blessed we are to live here on earth during these latter-days.  There is much evil and many challenges, but it is also the fullness of times. We have prophets, apostles, seers and revelators to guide us, to remind us of what we should be doing and focusing on. 

We are now officially living and acting in the capacity of "Elder and Sister Aldridge"

Tonight, joined by our children and grandchildren who live locally, we met with President David C. Olsen, President of the Roseville California Stake, to be set-apart as full-time missionaries in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each of us received a beautiful and inspiring blessing ... each with special promises, conveyed by the Spirit, that we will need to fulfill our callings. We are grateful for this opportunity and so look forward to becoming fully engaged in the work the Lord would like for us to carryout in the New Hampshire Manchester Mission ... whatever that may turn out to be.