Why I Believe

     Why I Believe is a fireside put on by the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission. 

     Ten to twelve recent converts to the church are asked to share their conversion story and why they believe the Church is true. It occurs on the second Sunday of every month and we especially invite non-members to come to feel the Spirit.

     It is truly a spiritual feast worth attending. People from all over the world who live here in the Bay Area have spoken at these firesides since we first arrived. We never miss even when we are exhausted because we come away so rejuvenated and motivated to go out and share and invite everyone to hear about the restoration of the Gospel.
Several of our new converts from the Oakland 9th ward have shared their testimonies. Paul Phonvongsa spoke in January and our latest new member Sekou Sowary spoke just this month (Feb.) only a week after his baptism. It is when you know those sharing their testimonies that you really feel a love for them, because you know what struggles they have had just to get to this point.
    The missionaries from the different zones provide a musical number. Sister Felt's favorites are the Tongan missionaries in our mission. They are so good and put their whole hearts into their music.
     After the meeting there are refreshments in the Visitor's Center so people will go and see the Christus and what the Church has to offer. We call the Visitors Center our secret weapon, especially at Christmas time because it is so beautiful there.

Mission Training Luncheons

     We were asked last August if we would assist in putting on the monthly Mission Leader Council luncheon. Sister Davenport is in charge and this takes a weight off of Sister Meredith, our mission president's wife. We love doing it because it gives us an opportunity to work with the Davenports and some of the staff from the mission office who come and deliver mail to the zone leaders for their missionaries. We also love it because we get to see so many missionaries that we have met while working in Housing delivering things and setting up apartments. Plus Sister Davenport has great recipes and she shares them so we can use them when we go home.

Preparation for Christmas luncheon Dec 2013 Sister Bailey, Sister Davenport, and Elder Bailey

Preparation for Christmas luncheon Dec 2013 Sister Felt, Sister Davenport, and Elder Bailey

Christmas luncheon Dec 2013. Special tablecloths for the event from the Dollar Store