The long awaited Montgomery Chinese Branch 25th Anniversary Reunion had finally arrived. The main purpose of this reunion was to celebrate the great blessings and miracles in the Montgomery Chinese Branch over the past 25 years by remembering the people and events through carefully planned activities. The degree that this goal was achieved over and over again during the past 25 years and during the reunion weekend demonstrated the success of the reunion and manifestations of the blessings received over the 25 years. Indeed, the reunion itself was a tremendous miracle or set of miracles. So many details came to fruition at the last moment to produce the desired effects. So many people (over 300 in total) came to attend the reunion events and helped in carrying out the logistical efforts. So many little miracles happened during the reunion itself, reminding us that God continues to watch over this Branch.
A year before, the planning had already commenced. The actual work of planning originated within the Reunion Planning Committee. Special thanks and mention for all those who served on the committee:
Guillermo & Betty Azucena, Barbecue Picnic Committee
Vince Breglio, Reunion Committee
Fengdi Chen, Food Committee
Frank Chow, Reunion Committee
Kevin Mallory, Hospitality Committee, liaison to Twin Lakes Branch
Andrew Shen, Reunion Committee
Charlotte Shen, Social Event Committee
Tyler Thorsted, Advertising Committee
Ben Tsai, Fireside Committee
Da Zhao, Audio Visual Committee, liaison to Montgomery Branch
Bowei Zhu, Reunion Committee
Each committee contributed both in thoughts and efforts. Special thanks to those who are not currently in our branch, especially to our Utah alumni on the committee. Truly the success of this wonderful reunion was derived mainly through the brainstorming and efforts of the committee.
With three reunions behind us (10th, 15th, and 20th anniversary celebrations), this silver anniversary reunion was modeled after the previous reunions and featured seven distinct events:
Saturday, May 27, 2017, 11:30am to 3:30pm: Primary activity
Saturday, May 27, 2017, 11:30am: Mandarin sealing session
Saturday, May 27, 2017, 1pm: Mandarin endowment session
Saturday, May 27, 2017, 5pm: Social event at Stake Center
Sunday, May 28, 2017, 10:20am: Sunday meetings at Kentlands Chapel
Sunday, May 28, 2017, 5pm: Fireside at Kentlands Chapel
Monday, May 29, 2017, 11am: Picnic at Foulger-Pratt Farm
Each event was designed to help achieve the overall reunion goal, to bring members and alumni together, and to provide a forum for fun and spiritual uplift. Unique to this reunion was the Mandarin sealing session. The idea came from Brother Steve Hilton to allow Chinese members to participate in a sealing session in Mandarin. Immediately afterwards, the Mandarin endowment session accommodated over 50 participants with the assistance of Bowei Zhu and his wife Wei Yuan. During the temple sessions, the Primary activity carefully designed by Sister Abbey Zhao gave the children opportunities to learn about the temple and to have some fun, while waiting for their parents. Then to allow more opportunity for social interaction with members past and present, the Saturday night social in the stake center gave us just the right atmosphere and occasion. We enjoyed a nice potluck dinner and a cultural program. Although it was a lot of work to put the program together, it was well worth every minute. On Sunday, the Sacrament Meeting was mainly supported by branch alumni from out of town. They gave talks, translated, played the piano, conducted, and sang a musical number. Even though it went over time, the meeting was a one-of-a-kind with super talks from returned missionaries. The fireside on Sunday evening featured talks from the four attending past and present branch presidents. They recounted the history, miracles, and memorable events of the branch through their own perspectives. In addition, the musical numbers, slide show, and special video presentation were intended to remind everyone in attendance about the great blessings enjoyed in the branch over the last 25 years. Finally, the barbecue event at the Foulger-Pratt Farm was a smashing finale to the three days of reunion festivities. The farm was a perfect venue to enjoy the beautiful weather, a picnic environment, some dancing fun, and even some water splashing.
All in all, thousands of photos and many videos were taken, including one from a drone. Hundreds of members, past and present, along with families and friends attended the events and contributed to the family feeling of the reunion. All in all, it was like coming home and having family members coming home. It was amazing to see members from 25 years ago, such as President and Sister Breglio and the Choi's, missionaries who recently returned home, and all of the members and missionaries in between. Members enjoyed meeting the spouses of returned missionaries. The feeling of our branch family being reunited was unforgettable. 'Til the next reunion.
2 comments:
And here's a great testimony from a former missionary: Jack Shirts which he posted on Facebook on 6/6/17
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Last week I spent a few days in Washington DC and Maryland at the 25 Year Anniversary of the Montgomery Chinese Branch, where I served as a missionary 15 years ago.
Many thanks to my amazing and selfless wife, Natalie, who supported and encouraged me to attend while she stayed home with the rest of Team Shirts.
There are many locals I wish I could have seen (Jason, Sungti, Jennifer, Joshua), but I'm so glad to have spent a few days with people whom I love and admire and who helped me in my journey. Not a day passes that I don't think of someone or something from my mission.
Great to spend time with friends and brothers and sisters, including Thomas Chiu, Caleb Wertz, Adam Fugal, John Hosack Lim, Da Zhao, Pui Ching Poon, Benjamin Tsai, Josh Tsai, Betty Hsueh, Peifang Chen, and many others. And a big thank you to Patrick and Meili Shen for hosting me at their beautiful home! To my fellow missionaries who weren't able to return, please know you were greatly missed. Let's all go back for the 30 Year! 林維揚, Cf Benjamin Li, Taylor Hsieh, Daniel Hsieh, Alan Sheffield, Chad Muir, Logan Hales, Gary Lu, David Chen, Tyler Thorsted, April Gordon, Zach Metcalfe, Jeffrey Cahoon, and many more.
I wish I had words to describe my gratitude to the Lord for the blessings of serving in this branch and the great friends I've met through the years. Instead, I'll share the English version of the talk I gave in Sacrament Meeting at the branch, and also share a few pictures:
Dear brothers and sisters, I'm so grateful to be here with you today.
As was said, my name is Jack Shirts. I was a missionary here from 2000-2002. I have a beautiful wife and five energetic sons, ranging in age from 8 months to 8 years old. I'm grateful for my wife Natalie's support in allowing me to come to the branch anniversary, knowing she is working hard alone with our boys at home.
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. My family's Memorial Day tradition includes having a family reunion where we play at a large park in Salem, Utah and have a BBQ. But first, we all visit a few cemeteries where my ancestors' graves are located. There, we lay flowers and tell stories to remember them and their sacrifices. Many of my ancestors were Mormon Pioneers. I'm grateful for their sacrifices and the blessings of the gospel in my life because of what they gave. I'm equally grateful for the sacrifices of the pioneers in this branch. Your conversion and your miracles are every bit as important and I believe future generations will call your names blessed, just as I honor my pioneer ancestors.
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Continued on next comment (1/2)
Continued from previous comment by Jack Shirts which he posted on Facebook on 6/6/17 (2/2)
"I am eternally grateful for the blessing of serving as a missionary in this branch. It was here that I learned to speak Chinese, love Chinese food, love Chinese culture, and most of all, love my Chinese brothers and sisters. It was here that I started losing my hair... It was here that I deepened my faith, my conversion, and my love for the Savior. For these reasons, returning to the branch is not just special in a nostalgic way, but is also very sacred.
One special experience I had as a missionary was with Elder Lin in summer of 2001. During our nightly planning, we felt a very strong impression that the streets we'd chosen to tract the next day were exactly where the Lord wanted us to be. We knocked doors all day long in the hot sun with no one inviting us in or offering a glass of water. We knew if we were not teaching inside, we would have to stop tracking at 8:30. Well, at 8:27 we were rejected again. We turned to cross the street to the very last house on the list, when we noticed a little old woman standing in the doorway of this home. She called out to us, "hey, come over here, come over here." She invited us in and we taught her and her husband the Restored Gospel, including about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. A couple months later, this wonderful couple, Brother and Sister Shiu, were baptized. Both of them have since passed away, but they were able to receive their Temple blessings and were faithful to the end.
Brothers and Sisters, I love my Savior and his gospel. I'm grateful for the sacrament and the commitment we make to always remember him. He has also promised that he will not forget us.
1 Nephi 21
15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
All that he did and does is for us:
2 Nephi 26
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
He invites us to make sacred covenants with him that prepare us to return to his presence. I invite you to remember him by preparing for, receiving, and renewing Temple ordinances.
I testify that our Heavenly Fathers knows and loves us perfectly. He wants to welcome us home and he has not forgotten us. This is shown by giving us modern day prophets such as Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson. This is shown by giving us scriptures such as the Book of Mormon and the Holy Bible. I know these things are from God. And I'm so grateful for my testimony of the Savior. I testify that he lives. He came to earth, lived a perfect life, completed his infinite atonement for us and overcame sin and death. He will come again and we are preparing the earth for his return.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
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