April 2013 Mission Experience

 Elder and Sister Pyne having lunch in the atrium of the beautiful Nelson-Atkin Art Museum in Kansas City, MO.

 A perspective of the classic arches in the atrium of the Nelson-Atkin Art Museum.  The architectural design of the building is as impressive as the art, which includes works from Rembrant, Monet, Rodin, and an impressive ancient Egyptian collection that dates to 2400 years BC.

 Sister Ewell, Sister Pyne, Sister Richardson, Elder Pyne, Sister Rogers, Sister Brenchley, Sister Stobbe, and Elder Brenchley.

 Sister Pyne and Sister Simmons.  Sister Simmons was the wife of the Mission President in Eugene, Oregon during the time I served as bishop of the Eugene 1st Ward.  President and Sister Simmons lived in our ward.  We often see people we know coming to visit the Independence Visitor's Center of Historic Liberty Jail.

 Elder Pyne at the Three Witness Monument in Richmond, MO.  This monument honors the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, whose testimonies are included in the front of the book, along with eight other eye witnesses.

 A monument to honor Alexander Doniphan, a friend of the early Latter-day Saints, located on the west side of the Public Square in downtown historic Richmond, MO.

 Elder Pyne standing next to artillary used in World War I.  The National World War I Museum is a very educational museum located in downtown Kansas City, MO, near the Crown Center Plaza.

 Sister Sant and Sister Zito at the visitor center after an exhausting day.

 Sister Minall on the day she completed her mission.  Sister Minall is not your ordinary LDS sister missionary.  She grew up in New York City, can sing a fine imitation of Gladys Knight, is an expert boxer, and is returning home to London, England.

 Outside the newly dedicated Kansas City Temple, after serving a session in the temple.  We try to go to the temple once a month.

 With Sister Gines, a wonderful young sister missionary from Tabiona, Utah, who served at the Independence Visitor's Center for a couple of months while awaiting to serve in Nauvoo, Illinois.

 Some of the Senior Missionaries on a Saturday morning walking tour of the Country Club Plaza district of downtown Kansas City, MO.

 The Country Club Plaza district is an upscale retail section of town planned and developed in the 1920's with Spanish architectural design, fountains, sculptures, towers, and courtyards.  A fun place to walk, windowshop, and eat at fine dining establishments.

Elder and Sister Pyne standing in front of one of the many fountains in the Country Club Plaza district.

March 2013 in Missouri

 Going to lunch at the Salty Iguana restaurant in Independence.  From left to right, Sister Wilson (Bellevue, Washington), Sister Gines (Tabiona, Utah), Sister Aldous (Beaverton, Oregon), Sister Atkin (Logan, Utah), and the Pyne's.

 Some of the Senior Sister Missionaries displaying their awards from the "VCBB Bake-Off".  VCBB stands for "Visitor Center Bad Bananas".  These women took over-ripened bananas from the Visitor Center kitchen and prepared various baked items.

 Eight of the Sister Missionaries with Sister Pyne.

 A photo of the Sister Missionaries on transfer morning.  Many of these missionaries are being assigned to new areas of service within the mission, departing the mission to other international missions upon receiving their travel visas, or returning home after completing their 18-month mission.

 The senior missionaries who serve at the visitor center being photographed by the paparazzi!

Superb leaders of the sister missionaries -- from left to right, Sister Sant (Virginia), Sister Atkin (Utah), Sister Lewis (Utah), and Sister Hansen (California).  Sister Hansen is returning home to San Diego.  We will miss her!!

 The Pyne's with Sister Hansen.

 The Pyne's with Sister Grange, who is being transferred to a full-proselyting assignment.  Sister Hansen is from the great state of Washington and is studying nursing at BYU, along with several other sister missionaries who are serving in the Missouri Independence Mission.

 A photo of the general landscape of the Woodlawn Cemetary located just north of our apartment, where we often take walks.

 The tombstone of General Samuel Lucas, a military general who played a role in forcing the early Latter-day Saints from Missouri.

The tombstone of Samuel Weston, a community and business leader in the city of Independence, who profited from Independence being the starting point for many frontier trails to the west, including the Santa Fe, Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails.  Samuel Weston owned a blacksmith and wagon-making business.  He was also one of the community leaders who allowed the persecution of Mormons during the early 1830's. 

Two Months of Service in Missouri

Elder and Sister Pyne in front of the Historic Liberty Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was unjustly incarcerated from December 1, 1838 to April 6, 1839 during the time the Latter-day Saints were being persecuted in Missouri.  We serve in the Historic Liberty Jail two days a week and in the Independence Visitor's Center four days a week.

 The Brenchley's and the Pyne's visiting the Harry Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri.

 Out of our apartment window to the north we overlook the Woodlawn Cemetary in Independence, MO.  It is a large cemetary with tombstones dating back to the early 1800s.  We take walks through the cemetary on nice days, so we spend some of our time each week among the dead.

 The is the apartment building where we live.  Our apartment is the third-floor apartment on the upper left (north).  The apartment is a comfortable two-bedroom apartment.  The other five apartments in this building are also occupied by senior couples serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We have developed friendships with each of the couples and enjoy socializing with them on occasion.  Most of the other couples are in their late 60s or early 70s, so we feel like the youngsters of the group. Our Ford Explorer is parked to the right of the building.

Looking northeast from the balcony of our third-floor apartment.

Independence, MO and Liberty, MO have a number of grand old homes dating to the mid to late 1800s.  Some are renovated nicely and many have fallen into disrepair.

This is the home where Bess Truman, wife of President Harry Truman, lived during her childhood.  It is a few blocks from our apartment.

 A home on the Bingham-Waggoner Estate close to the Independence Visitor's Center where we serve.

 The Vail Mansion in the northern part of Independence, MO.

 An interesting historic home close to the Historic Liberty Jail in Liberty, MO, where we serve two days a week.

 The Independence Stake Center where we attend church each Sunday.  We attend church and then work at the Independence Visitor's Center from 4:30-9:00 pm each Sunday evening.

The building where the reconstructed Historic Liberty Jail is located.  The reconstructed jail is located in the rotunda at the right of this photo.

 

 The entrance to the Liberty Jail, where Joseph Smith and five others where imprisoned for over four months during the severe winter of 1838-1839.  The prisoners suffered miserable conditions, horrible food, and dark surroundings, but under these conditions Joseph Smith received some amazingly profound and sublime revelations.  For that reason, Historic Liberty Jail is often referred to as a "Temple Prison".

 A reconstructed cut-out of the jail, displaying how the jail was constructed, with two feet of rough-hewn limestone, a foot of loose rock, and another foot of timber as the exterior walls.  The prisoners occupied the dungeon-like cellar of the jail, sleeping on cold stone floors with only loose straw as a bed.

 This photo is taken as looking through the bars of small window openings that provided minimal light and ventilation for the prisoners.  Through the jail, you can see the painting of Christ on the far side of the photo.  This interesting photo perspective seems symbolic of how the Prophet Joseph Smith was drawn closer to Christ through the refining fire of his jail experience.

 During a break from guests visiting the Historic Liberty Jail on Valentine's Day.  Sister Spivey (on the left from Georgia) and Sister Sibbet (on the right from Hawaii) are foring a heart.

Mel and Michelle attempting to similarly form a heart on Valentine's Day, with a bust of the Savior in the background.

 The foyer of the main floor of the Independence Visitor's Center where we serve four days a week.  The Christus is in the background.

 A spire of the Community of Christ Temple, located directly north of the Independence Visitor's Center.  This photo is taken through the front window of the Visitor's Center, through which we are usually looking as we await the next guests to the Visitor's Center.  The Community of Christ church is an early break-off from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Recently there are as many young women deciding to go on missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as young men.  They live in companionships and teach the gospel two-by-two.  We have twenty sister missionaries serving in the visitor centers in Independepence, MO and Liberty, MO.  This is Sister Ewell from Utah and Sister Call from California.  The following photos are a sampling of other sister missionaries who serve in the Missouri Independence Mission.

 Sister HoChing from Samoa and Sister Hyer from Utah.

 Sister Singh from Fiji and Sister Grange from Vancouver, Washington.

Sister Gines from Utah and Sister Wilson from Bellevue, Washington.

Sister Sant from Virginia and Sister Bailey from Colorado.

Sister Hawkins from Spokane, Washington, with the Pyne's.

Elder and Sister Godfrey from St. George, Utah, Sister Ogletree from Texas, and the Pyne's. The Godfrey's live in the apartment across from us.  Sister Ogletree is a twin.  Her twin sister is serving a mission in South America.  Brandon Ogletree, a linebacker on the BYU football team, is her brother.

The Pyne's with Sister Call from San Diego, California.  Sister Call is a second grade teacher.

 The Pyne's with Sister Wilson from Sponkane, Washington, outside the office where we oversee the Independence Visitor's Center.  Sister Wilson is an accomplished violinist with a beautiful voice.

 The Pyne's with Sister Ewell from Utah.  Sister Ewell is a family history expert.

 The Pyne's with Sister Stobbe from Provo, Utah.  Sister Stobbe and all the sister missionaries come to the senior couples for advise and counsel as they deal with various teaching situations and other challenges at the Visitor Center and in their assigned areas.

The Harry S. Truman home in Independence, Missouri.  He lived here before his Presidency and returned here after serving as President of the United States in the mid 1940's.

 The Missouri landscape along the drive to Liberty, MO, which we take two days a week to serve at the Historic Liberty Jail.

Another scene from the Missouri Landscape as we drive to Liberty, MO.

An old winery building that has fallen into disrepair in recent years, also along the drive to Liberty, MO.