Central America Area
Training center well-usedGUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
The Guatemala City Missionary Training Center, which was recently dedicated, (see Feb. 12 Church News) is in full service with its second class of missionaries. About 41 attended the first class, and another 57 are being trained at the center now.
The missionaries come from all the countries in Central America and from the Dominican Republic, according to training center spokesmen. Larger groups of 60, 70 and 80 are expected to come when school has finished for the year in October, November and December. About 60 percent of the missionaries are from Guatemala.
Brazil Area
Elderly remembered
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
During a recent service project, youth from the Caxingui Institute of the Sao Paulo Brazil Stake brightened the lives of the elderly who live in a nearby care center.
Almost 100 youth held a special collection day in their neighborhood and gathered food, hygiene products and clothing. Then they traveled to the Ondina Lobo home in the Santo Amaro district of Sao Paulo, where they spent a day cutting hair, giving baths, repairing wheel chairs and distributing the items they had collected.
Afterwards, they organized a dance for the seniors.
"How nice it is to be young when you have respect for your elders," said one of the youth.
Africa Area First youth conference held
ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
More than 300 youth in the Ivory Coast Abidjan Mission recently attended the first-ever mission youth conference, said Pres. Robert L. Mercer.
At the conference, youth were instructed in such subjects as self-improvement through employment, appearance and conduct, good health, and marriage preparation. Government experts in health also presented information on maintaining health. After the conference, the youth enjoyed a dinner of rice, chicken in peanut sauce, and fresh fruit.
Philippines/Micronesia Area
Stake missionaries trained
MALOLOS, PHILIPPINES
Nineteen stake missionaries of the Malolos Philippines Stake recently attended a seven-Saturday missionary training course to help them master the new member discussions.
The training session was held by stake mission president, Mar Fernando, and full-time missionaries assisted. Workshops and a testimony meeting added to the training. The new member lessons are those given to newly baptized converts.
"This has been a most memorable experience for me," said stake missionary Noel Natividad. "I have learned a lot about missionary work and it was highly spiritual."
North America Central Area
Multi-use chapel painted
COLLBRAN, COLO.
The LDS Collbran Branch and the Collbran Congregational Church meet harmoniously in the Congregational Church's 100-year-old chapel.
When the branch was organized in this community near Grand Junction, the branch had no building in which to meet, so arrangements were made to meet in the other congregation's buildings.
A service project completed by the Grand Junction Colorado Stake youth contributed to the friendship between congregations. Some 68 youth and 21 adults journeyed to Collbran and painted the building. The Rev. Lynn Gaylor, pastor of the Congregational Church, and Bill Perry and Jim Miller of the Collbran Branch, organized the activity.
In the service project, the youth spent a day painting the historic building. The gleaming white walls of the building and the harmony that has resulted have helped the youth feel very pleased with their efforts, said Dorothy L. Roper, regional director of public affairs.
North America Southwest Area
Family strength promoted
WINSLOW, ARIZ.
Since the first of the year, this northcentral Arizona community's City Council has proclaimed each Monday night as "family night," and requested that all Mondays be held free of activities so families can be together.
Heading the effort was a Methodist minister, the Rev. Billy Martin, a member of the local ministerial alliance. He encouraged the effort so that families could improve communication together and develop family bonding.
He said the effort was not to promote the Church's family home evening, but to take advantage of a program that has been shown to be successful.
North America Northeast Area
Scouts to be featured
RICHMOND, VA.
Scout Troop 867 of the Tuckahow Ward, Richmond Virginia Stake, will be featured on the cover of the May-July issue of Scouting magazine for Scout leaders. The Scouts recently took part in a high-adventure camping experience, for which they were required to earn their own money through various fund-raising projects. After the Scouts set up their camp, a reporter and photographer from the magazine arrived via hydroplane and stayed several days with the boys to record their experiences.
The camp involved canoeing, portaging, camping and striking camp.
The boys were often asked to return to their canoes for another photographic session, and they always seemed to have enough energy to do so, said Suzanne Dandoy, stake director of public affairs.
North America West Area
Sisters provide soup
LOS ALTOS, CALIF.
Since September 1992, Relief Society sisters of the Los Altos Ward have taken in a pot of soup and some cookies each week to a local Ronald McDonald House, where families stay who have children in the Lucille Salter Packard Children's Hospital.
The sisters began doing this when they heard that Ronald McDonald officials were looking for an organization that would bring in hot soup for the families staying there.
The ward Relief Society presidency said their service has been appreciated by both the staff of the Ronald McDonald House and the families, and has been a wonderful experience for those participating.
Utah South Area
Children build temple model
DELTA, UTAH
Primary children in the Delta Utah West Stake took part in the recent sugar cube creation of a model of the Manti Temple that is currently being displayed in the temple lobby.
Under the direction of stake Primary Pres. Sandy Losee, each child in the stake had an opportunity to place a cube during the yearlong project. About 700 children participated. The model was taken from ward to ward, and even 70 miles into the west desert to the Callao Branch.
The temple is comprised of 9,000 sugar cubes, 50 pounds of icing and weighs more than 200 pounds. During the construction, the children were taught about the construction of the Manti Temple and the importance of temple ordinances in their lives. The project was concluded with a recent Primary activity day about the project.
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