Hello Family and Friends from Dave and Mary Black at the Washington DC North Mission. Greetings from the nation's capitol in this post holiday season. We hope these words and pictures catch you up a bit on what is going on with us.
Our Christmas tree was a little smaller than usual, but it brought the Christmas spirit just the same.
The Washington Temple and Visitors Center are beautiful at Christmastime. They have a major concert there every night during December at the 500 seat auditorium. The crowds are enormous.
Here Mary is having a good time with some of the missionaries acting as ushers in the parking lot
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Brent (Mary's brother) and Diane Wood went with us to the Visitor's Center after Christmas |
I deal with a lot of missionary auto accidents so lots of the pictures on my phone are of automobile damage. Here are a few.
Ben treated me to a Washington Wizards basketball game in downtown DC for my birthday. I found this couple with their wedding party and photographer celebrating at the top of the subway station outside the Verizon Center Arena. It was cold out there. Strange but fun.
We visited the White House during December through a friend who is a telephone operator there.
It was decorated beautifully
Here are some portraits in the White House that you may recognize.
They were building reviewing stands in front of the White House getting ready for the inaguration. Since Romney lost, I guess we won't be invited. Darn!
This is looking out the White House window at the Washington Monument and the South Lawn where the president's helicopter lands.
On Christmas Eve we went to the national zoo with Ben, Sarah, Amelia, Elsa, and Oliver.
Saw some neat animals.
And Great People
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Ben, Sarah, Elsa, Oliver, and Amelia Black at the Zoo |
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Elsa and Amelia on Christmas Eve in new pajamas at their home in Alexandria, Virginia. |
On New Year's day we went with Ben and Sarah to a neat park in Germantown, then back to the apartment for treats and games. Kids did not want to leave.
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Amelia |
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Ben and Sarah |
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Elsa |
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Oliver |
We are now over half way through with our mission. It has been a great experience thus far. In the last 2 months, our mission has had two visits from general authorities, one from apostle Cook who dedicated the new chapel in downtown Washington DC, and Elder Allen Packer of the First Quorum of Seventy. Both had extensive meetings with the all the missionaries in the mission of which we were a part.
As most of you know, we work in the mission office along with the mission secretary, mission finance officer, and assistants to the mission president. The mission president and his wife (the Matsumori's from Murray, Utah) have an office there and are there frequently, but mostly work out of the mission home, which is a few miles away.
Mary continues to handle all the referrals for the mission and all the mission mail. She also assists the mission president's wife with medical issues for all the missionaries, and coordinating all the social activities for the senior missionaries. She does a great job and has brought her considerable organizational skills to the job.
I work with mission vehicles, which consists of a 53 vehicle fleet. I make all the vehicle assignments to missionaries, make sure oil changes occur on time, keep drivers licenses current, sell vehicles, receive and commission new vehicles, manage vehicle repairs, process accidents, manage vehicle reports, registrations, inspections, and in general keep the fleet in operation. It is a time consuming job which keeps me me pretty busy.
We have enjoyed our time here and are happy with the opportunities to serve and associate with great people. There have been a few challenges, such as Mary's gall bladder surgery. But we seem to weather the challenges well and feel greatly blessed with what is going on, and the experiences we have had. One of the best things is associating with all the missionaries. They are wonderful people and do a great work. We know most all of the missionaries in the mission, having contact with them on a daily basis. We also have contact with some of the new converts and it is wonderful to see the positive influence the gospel is in their lives.
We believe with all our hearts in the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are thrilled to be in his service as full-time missionaries.
We wish the best to all of you. May the Lord bless you in all your righteous desires, efforts, and activities.
Love,
Dave and Mary
