Thursday, October 15, 2009

Looking back to the beginning

Kristi was in Provo working with Stadium of Fire when her mission call arrived in the mail at home in Mesa, AZ. She had Rachel open and read the call while on the cell with her as she sat with Al on her then- future sister-in-law Sherry's front porch.

Rach reading the call: Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission, ASL!

Sister Ellsworth and her sisters (minus Al) on the night she was set apart as a full-time missionary.
(Rachel, Noralin, Kristi, Emily)

Leaving from Sky Harbor airport on her way to report to the MTC.

‘Make no small plans: They have no magic to stir man’s souls.’ This is the vision I have for the South. I believe that one day the South will baptize more people into the church than all other English speaking missions in the world together. There are great hosts of marvelous Baptists, and members of the church of Christ, Methodists and Catholics who are honorable people, and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love him. As they see their church veering off to the right or to the left of these basic teachings, they will begin to search for the truth. And as pivotal teachers come into the church and have influence, we will see the time when we baptize hundreds and thousands, tens of thousands. In your day you will see a million members of the church in the South. There will be Temples plural in the Southern States. What a great call you have to serve with these marvelous people. ~Spencer W Kimball (1974)