One of the missionary activities we engage in on a regular basis is our Missionary Fireside program, held at the Mission Home in Louisville. We have an English-speaking fireside on the second Sunday of each month and a Spanish-speaking fireside on the fourth Sunday. Just this week we also started having firesides in Lexington, primarily in English with Spanish translation via headsets.
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Our first Spanish Fireside |
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Two new little friends who really love cookies! |
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Spanish Fireside |
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An English Fireside from the other end of the room |
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Breaking up after the English Fireside |
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English Fireside |
The Firesides average sixty to eighty people in attendance, a number which fit nicely into the main room of the Mission Home. The stipulation is that missionaries can only attend if they have an investigator or new member with them, and the same goes for the other members present, though many come just because they like the experience so much.
A convert presents the body of the meeting, telling their story of how they were introduced, taught, and ultimately converted to the Church and baptized. Afterward, anyone who would like to, members and missionaries may bear their testimony which goes on another 30-45 minutes. Even non-member investigators are welcome to tell of their faith. I have cookies and lemonade for everyone at the end, and people tend to stay and mingle for quite some time afterward. As it happens, some investigators are so moved by the testimonies that have been born, that they commit right then and there to be baptized, or at least to work toward it, so it is definitely worth our time to make the evening happen.
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Beginning another Spanish Fireside |
One especially memorable evening was when Brother Icleanu spoke about his conversion in Romania, being an eleven-year old boy at the time his family joined the church, one the first families in that country. His mother was one of those who translated the Book of Mormon into Romanian and he is now a translator/interpreter for General Conference. He had fantastic Power-Point presentation that he used as he was speaking to show photographs and other interesting objects relating to his story. He and his story are truly amazing and inspiring. He first spoke at an English fireside at the Mission Home in last August then again at our first fireside in Lexington which was attended by about a hundred people.
President Woodbury and I always bear our testimonies during the proceedings, translated during the Spanish fireside for President Woodbury, and mine, very slowly and simply in Spanish thanks to the help of our son, Danny, who served his mission in Bolivia. Its a time when the Spirit flows easily and faith in strengthened.
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