So we just enjoyed the english district convention this weekend and a special foreigners meeting on monday. Here are few of the highlights.
Sunday we had a high of 680 people! The entire convention was tainted with a little sadness though since everybody had in the back of their minds the closing of the branch. This made a lot of people including those on stage a little emotional not knowing whether they would be seeing eachother again in the future.
Brother Ian gave the concluding talk on Sunday and the audiance errupted with an applause so loud and so long that the attendant was too emotional to introduce the concluding song, after a minute or so he composed himself and said "wow, I almost lost it there" and then with a shakey voice introduced the last song. We're not sure how many of the many wonderfull speakers will still be here next year since alot of them came from the branch.
Monday was wonderfull. We were soooo excited to meet more of the friends and find out where in the country they were serving. There was a half hour intermission with coffee and cookies that alowed even more association. Ken Brian talked at first about the branch closing October 31st and how a few will remain behind until it is actually sold. The talk really focused on the importance of accepting the changes that are being made.
Brother Brian and his wife were interviewed. They have been serving in Nicaragua for over 40 years and shared how it was when they first started off. They came in the 70's and bought a school bus. They removed everything out of it in order to make room for their belongings such as refrigerator and stove. They would drive it all the way back to canada for visits home during the year, needless to say they dont do that anymore.
A special pioneer couple were next interviewed. He told us about his friend who was serving in a foreign country and the wide muddy rivers they had to cross with the monkeys overhead and the long hours of service on foot in the jungle air all to get to his bible studies, the brother then said "this is what really motivated me to come" and the audiance laughed I'm sure thinking of many of their own bible studies.
My two favorite talks were simply titled, "Be positive!" and "Tired but not exhausted."
Although the program was only 2 hours the branch kindly had a hot meal prepared for everybody in attendance (nearly 400) with the higlight of a giant moist pieces of chocolate cake....mmm it was good and everybody was super excited. The majority stayed long after lunch was over just visiting and meeting one another. It was truly a memorable and encouraging occasion.
We're good and ready now, excited to go back into the field.
Thanks for your encouraging emails. kirk and kelly
Sunday we had a high of 680 people! The entire convention was tainted with a little sadness though since everybody had in the back of their minds the closing of the branch. This made a lot of people including those on stage a little emotional not knowing whether they would be seeing eachother again in the future.
Brother Ian gave the concluding talk on Sunday and the audiance errupted with an applause so loud and so long that the attendant was too emotional to introduce the concluding song, after a minute or so he composed himself and said "wow, I almost lost it there" and then with a shakey voice introduced the last song. We're not sure how many of the many wonderfull speakers will still be here next year since alot of them came from the branch.
Monday was wonderfull. We were soooo excited to meet more of the friends and find out where in the country they were serving. There was a half hour intermission with coffee and cookies that alowed even more association. Ken Brian talked at first about the branch closing October 31st and how a few will remain behind until it is actually sold. The talk really focused on the importance of accepting the changes that are being made.
Brother Brian and his wife were interviewed. They have been serving in Nicaragua for over 40 years and shared how it was when they first started off. They came in the 70's and bought a school bus. They removed everything out of it in order to make room for their belongings such as refrigerator and stove. They would drive it all the way back to canada for visits home during the year, needless to say they dont do that anymore.
A special pioneer couple were next interviewed. He told us about his friend who was serving in a foreign country and the wide muddy rivers they had to cross with the monkeys overhead and the long hours of service on foot in the jungle air all to get to his bible studies, the brother then said "this is what really motivated me to come" and the audiance laughed I'm sure thinking of many of their own bible studies.
My two favorite talks were simply titled, "Be positive!" and "Tired but not exhausted."
Although the program was only 2 hours the branch kindly had a hot meal prepared for everybody in attendance (nearly 400) with the higlight of a giant moist pieces of chocolate cake....mmm it was good and everybody was super excited. The majority stayed long after lunch was over just visiting and meeting one another. It was truly a memorable and encouraging occasion.
We're good and ready now, excited to go back into the field.
Thanks for your encouraging emails. kirk and kelly
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