With E/S Beagley leaving for home on the 28th, President Anderson asked us to change our ward assignment from Pines – where the Evans also go – to the Fort Lauderdale ward. We are sorry to leave our many friends in the Pines ward but we are also excited to be part of the great missionary work that is going on in the Fort Lauderdale Ward.
There are 4 companionships serving there and as Bishop Brown said as he announced that there would be a baptismal service after the block, “Of course there is a baptism service every week.”
For our first week there, the Assistants asked us to pick up one of their investigators. On the way there it poured rain – I said to Mary it was because the heavens are sad that the Beagleys are leaving the mission. In fact they were the main speakers so five of the couples showed up to give them support.
The ward membership is an amazing mix of cultures and languages. The Gospel Principle class was packed – it basically filled 75% of the Relief Society room. There must have been at 20 new members there. Perhaps the greatest thing about the class was how almost everyone participated. The stories they told about how they came into the Church were very inspiring. Â All in all it was a wonderful experience.
After the block there were two baptisms. We were not able to stay for them because the investigator needed to get home. Also the Beagleys asked us to give a young family of four a ride home. This was a special family for them and you could tell by the way they said goodbye. The Beagleys are going to be missed and we just hope we can be as successful in getting to know the people as they did.
I did take pictures of the two sisters who were being baptized. I asked one of them how the missionaries met her and she mentioned that they had blessed her home – Harvesting scores again.
  
  
Elder Rellaford had the privilege of performing one of the baptisms – his companion, Elder Conger, keeps his suit on. These two sisters entered in through the gate. Elder Rellaford a little more relaxed.
 
 
Fort Lauderdale chapel one of the oldest in Southern Florida and the trees that shade the parking lot are beautiful. When we got home I took a couple of pictures of our entry area – our door is on the left. This is the only late bloom on a very large plant but it lights up the area.