Baptism of Joanna Fugal

On July 22, a baptismal service was held for the first of the Fugal children, Joanna.  President Huang conducted the meeting, with Sophy Fugal leading the  music and Josh Tsai playing the piano.  The opening song was "Baptism."  After Sara Huang gave the talk on baptism, Adam Fugal baptized Joanna and gave the talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then he conferred the gift of the Holy Ghost upon her and confirmed her a member of the church.  Sister Abbey  Zhao welcomed Joanna to the Primary, and President Huang welcomed Joanna to the branch as our newest member.  The closing song was a new Primary song entitled "Miracles."  Congratulations to Joanna on this big step and also to her family!

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Official Branch Presidency Message Regarding Reunion

親爱的教友和親友們，

我們的廿五週年纪念團圓在大家的見证下完满结束。數百名参加者，（包括舊教友，新教友，是他们的家人和朋友）一同参加一連三天的慶祝活動。就像家人一樣的團聚。和廿五年前的好友見面實在令人難忘！願主同在直到再相会!我們把數千多張相片放到分会的網頁，請到網站查看：

http://montgomerybranch.blogspot.com/

你也可以看所有傳教士在我們的分會服務

https://www.flickr.com/photos/150610904@N02/sets/72157681472545533


分會會長團

Dear members and friends of our Montgomery Branch,

As we conclude the festivities of our Branch's 25th reunion, we have witness a tremendous amount of miracles. Hundreds of members, past and present, along with families and friends attended the events and contributed to the family feeling of the reunion. It was like coming home and seeing family members again. It was amazing to see members from 25 years ago at this reunion. All in all, the feeling of our branch family being reunited was unforgettable. Until the next reunion, may the Lord continue to watch over everyone and bless our lives with the gospel. Thousands of photos and many videos were taken. They can be viewed from our blog,

http://montgomerybranch.blogspot.com/

You can see all the missionaries that have served in our branch,

https://www.flickr.com/photos/150610904@N02/sets/72157681472545533

Branch Presidency

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MCB 25th Anniversary Reunion Epilogue

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.

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MCB 25th Anniversary Reunion Barbecue Picnic

The grand conclusion of the Branch reunion was held at the Foulger-Pratt Farm on Memorial Day.    It was somewhat nostalgic, since the last Branch activity was held at the farm more than five years ago.  Guillermo and Betty Azucena, who served as the chairs for the barbecue picnic committee, planned the menu and coordinated the food.  They grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken as the main dishes, while the attendees brought food to share.  Ray & Joyce Pratt and their sons, Bill & Jeff, were there to help with the grills and the setup.  Outside the barn, the children, young and old, enjoyed a water slide down the hill on the side of the barn, played with water balloons, and engaged in tug of war contests.

Inside the barn, Andrew Shen emceed a branch history trivia contest.  Three contestants, Betty Azucena, Fengdi Chen, and Charlotte Shen, were chosen to participate.  After the emcee asked a question, the three contestants were first given the opportunity to answer the question.  If a contestant answered the question correctly, one point was rewarded.  If not, the audience was given a chance.  Whoever answered it correctly first received a special reunion label bookmark.  After 15 questions, the contestant with the most points received a grand prize of a picture frame with the reunion flyer.  The winner was Sister Charlotte Shen for answering the most questions.

After the trivia contest, Sister Susan Breglio led willing participants in the Macarena dance, which she and President Breglio and the youth at that time demonstrated at a past branch activity.  Next, Sister Li-Fang Tsai led everyone in the chicken dance, which was featured in the wedding reception for Sister Carol Scott.  Then Sister Tsai also led all in the YMCA dance.  This was followed by the Limbo dance.  Vince Breglio and Ben Tsai held up the PVC tube which acted as the Limbo stick.  The stick was gradually lowered until the final participant was left walking.  This was so popular, that several rounds were initiated.

Finally, group photos were taken outside with the lawn chairs.  The final group photo included over 100 attendees.  In addition, a drone dazzled the audience by taking a video of the group and the farm.

Thanks to Meg & Brent Pratt, Ray & Joyce Pratt, Bill Pratt, and Jeffrey Pratt for their support and willingness to let us use their farm, for clearing the grass, cleaning up the farm, and providing the grills for our use.

The farm barbecue picnic was a fitting conclusion to a weekend long celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Montgomery Chinese Branch.  It is difficult to imagine that it has been 25 years since the organization of the Branch in 1992.  These years, the Branch has been blessed with over 130 full-time missionaries, 200 converts, and over 400 members in total have passed through our Branch.

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MCB 25th Anniversary Reunion Fireside

The purpose of the reunion was to remember the great blessings the Lord has provided for the Branch and all of its members, now and then.  To that end, the Sunday evening fireside provided an intimate setting for the past branch presidents and the current branch president to lead us into memory lane and share with us their remembrances and testimony.

To start the fireside, the current and sixth branch president, President Charles Huang, shared his conversion and decision to attend the branch with his family.  He said, "This branch is a blessed, special place in God’s plan. We have wonderful brothers and sisters willing to serve. We have a supportive stake leadership. We have a beautiful temple so close to us. We are blessed to use the language we are familiar with to learn and share the gospel. I am so proud of being part of the branch."  Da Zhao prepared a special slideshow of missionaries and converts, set to music.

Next, Patrick Shen, the fifth branch president, discussed the concept of pioneers in the church and in the Branch.  "Like the pioneers of the early days, the members of the Montgomery Branch also embarked on an important journey. We are part of something very important to in the restoration of the Gospel in the latter days as we fulfill the Lord’s commandment in Mark 16:15 to, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'  I am blessed to be part of this branch, and to work alongside all of you for building of the Lord’s Kingdom."

It was a pleasure to listen to the October 1980 General Conference talk by Sister Mary Foulger entitled, "Motherhood and the Family."  In the 6-minute talk, she outlined her advice to mothers and encouraged them to be the best mothers possible.

Then, Benjamin Tsai, the fourth branch president, shared how his family found the Branch 24 years ago.  He expressed his gratitude for the examples, miracles, missionaries, and branch presidents in the Branch in the past 25 years.  He paid special tribute to Brother and Sister Foulger.  " I testify that this is the work of God and not of man. If we serve God with all our heart, if we endure to the end, we will be blessed with a greater understanding of His work. May God bless the Chinese people that they have many opportunities to receive his gospel and participate in his ordinances in their own language."

Accompanied by Joshua Tsai on the piano and Caleb Wertz on the guitar, a combined group of present and past missionaries (Elder Anderson, Thomas Chiu, Adam Fugal, John Lim, Elder Shih, Jack Shirts, Caleb Wertz, Adele Connor Young) sang the special missionary song "We Are All Missionaries," sung at every reunion since 2002.  This swinging song features 2 verses from a Chinese song entitled "We Are All Good Friends," adapted especially to the subject of missionary work in Chinese.

Finally, Vince Breglio, the first branch president spoke.  He shared the experience of the branch was organized and how he was called to be the first branch president.  He recounted the contributions of this Branch to the world in providing faithful members and leaders to other parts of the US and into the whole world.  Using the analogy of the frog who refused an invitation to explore the new world above the well, he said that members and missionaries of this branch left their comfortable surroundings to help build up the kingdom in the Branch.  He asked his wife, Susan, to share a few words.  She shared her love of working with the youth of the Branch and testified that "Children give us gifts that cannot counted. Though it be small, it is most often everything they have."  Vince, taking back the microphone, then listed many "firsts" that occurred in the early days of the branch.  He concluded by saying that "The Gospel is filling the world and I am convinced that members of this Branch will be a large part of taking the fullness of the Gospel to China."

The branch choir, led by Li-Fang Tsai and accompanied by Richard Huang, sang "Old Irish Blessing" and "God Be With You."  The audience joined in singing the last verse of "God Be With You."

After the benediction, a group photo was taken, and all enjoyed the Branch birthday cake.  The fireside was translated by the team of Jack Shirts and Thomas Chiu.  Over 60 people attended the fireside.  President Clayton Foulger and his wife, Marla, along with Brent & Meg Pratt, were special guests at the fireside, representing the Foulger & Pratt families.

The fireside was a feast of historical facts and spiritual testimonies of the miracle of the Montgomery Branch.  Each branch president, as with each member, possessed and shared tonight a story of how they came to the Branch, how they served the Branch, and how they were benefitted by the Branch.  The history of the Branch is in reality a total sum of the histories of each member and leader in the Branch.  The impacts, past & present & future, are difficult to visualize and can only be ascertained by a long term assessment of the all blessings and miracles, past & future, for every member in every locale, wherever they may be.  The fireside was just a peek into this assessment and helped us to realized and understand a little portion of the influence of our beloved missionaries, leaders, and members.

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