ANNOUNCEMENT

BRAZILIAN MISSIONÁRIA
ANNOUNCEMENT

     After consulting with Sister Geri Bangerter it has been decided to simplify our reunions by combining our efforts with the April, Brazil Mission Reunion.  As you may know the Brazil Reunion is held typically on the Thursday prior to general conference in the early evening.  It will continue to be held in the Alpine Stake Center near the Bangerter farm.  Kim Russell has all the sister contact information and will notify us of the details.  It will also be published in the Brasulista.
     In April there were more sisters that attended the reunion than has been typical.  We hope that you will all make an effort to continue to gather in Alpine to greet Sister Bangerter, renew friendships, catch up on news of Brazil and meet Brazilian guests that join with us each year. 

We thank you for your interest and support these many years and
look forward to continuing our friendships in April.

If you have questions please call or write to:
Maureen Daines Hodgen, 801-292-6182, plumbob@utahweb.com
Phyllis Merrell Miller, 801-295-8426, pmmiller@q.com
Mary Etta Watson Parkinson, 801-566-7563, mewparkinson@comcast.net

Spring 2011 Reunion

A delightful time among 60+ "re-emerging" friends.  How's that to describe our friendships that began 50ish years ago.  The big surprise for me was to figure out why a young woman (younger than me) looked so familiar.  She was  Eliana the infant daughter of our Santos branch president Saul Messias de Oliveira.  Now she and her husband Roberto Oliveira are about to embark on their mission to lead the Cabo Verde Mission.  Its enough to boggle one's already troubled mind.

So nice to reconnect with many and to hear from the recently returned.  Kim Russell conducted the meeting.  Cory Bangerter outlined the program and shared news.  Paulo was briefly in and out.   A few of the highlights:

• The new biography of William Grant Bangerter should be published in a year.  
• Robert Newman reported on their area medical advisor mission.  Their efforts successfully reduced from 15% to 3% the missionaries that return home for physical/mental health issues.  
• Nolan Steadman reported on their service with PEF.  60% of the church leadership in Brazil have benefited from PEF.  12,000 participants in Brazil.  30% of all PEF participants live in Brazil.   They will be returning for another go around.
• Daryl Hobson reported on their presidency in Cabo Verde.  Creole version of Portuguese is the language outside of school and I suppose, formal business.   Lots of progress there.
• Roberto Oliveira, new president of Cabo Verde Mission in July and his wife, Eliana, spoke of their anticipation of service and some of their personal lives leading to this calling.
• Sister Julie B. Beck spoke of her recent visits to The Congo and Mozambique which is now as Brazil was when she was baptized as a child in Sao Paulo.  That is a message few general officers are able to share. 
• Sister Geri Bangerter spoke on the pioneering they witnessed in Brazil.  This is just a sample--
• Sixteen U.S. sisters arriving over a short period of time prompting the calling of Brazilian sisters. 
• Building missionaries, the first Brazilian young men serving.
• Brazil MTC, first in their home to help one young man get ready to serve as well as have an LDS family setting experience, then their garage at Rua Itapeva 378.  
• $20,000 donors for PEF solicitied.  
• “Enjoy It”, Sister Bangerter's adjustment to life in Brazil and an inspiring assist to the rest of us.
• The beginning of the end of hepatitis.

With that brief summary of the evening here are a few photos to whet your appetite to join us next year in Alpine.  (Thanks to Kim and Marlene.)

Introductions from all in attendance.

Ross Andra speaks and . . .

the rest of us enjoy and . . .

anticipating more to come.

Greetings.                          

  

Sister Geri Bangerter and Rose Neeleman.

Foreground: The Scaddens and Roberto Oliveira. 

Background:  Chuck Carlston and Sam Morrison.

 

Eliana Oliveira and Sister Julie B. Beck

Sister Bangerter, Rose Neeleman and Kay Hamblin.

Refreshments headlined by Guarana which has become increasingly difficult to find.  

Kim is very, very good in rooting out the supply up and down the valley.

Spouses enjoy too.  Ramon Beck and Sister Carter.  Coxinhas e empadinhas.

Marlene Russell, Sister Bangerter and Carl Jensen.

Remember the "dart board"?  That's it on screen.  If you'd like your spiral-bound copy, contact Sister Bangerter.

Ann Hobson and Mac Bills.

More conversations, some more animated than others.

Glen Humphreys and Lola Gygi Timmins.

A Brazil PEF reunion--The Russells and the Cobras.

Thanks to all for a wonderful time.  

Saudades de todos os otros.

 For the sister missionaries, reserve the Saturday, 17th September for our annual gathering.  Program, location and other details will be announced in August.  See you then . . . .

2011 Brazil Misson Reunion

Queridos irmãos:

Once again a reminder of our reunion coming up this coming week before conference:

- Thurdsay, March 31st
- 6pm-8:30pm
- Alpine Stake Center, 98 E Canyon Crest Dr, Alpine, Utah

This will be our first meeting together since the passing of our beloved President Bangerter.  We hope to be able to continue meeting on a periodic basic for a long time.

In Thursday's meeting, we will be able to catch up on many items of interest; some Brazilian members will be speaking to us, as well as some of our own recently returned missionaries.

Also, over some fun Brazilian snacks and guaranã, we will have a good chance to visit once more with each other and with Sister Bangerter.  There will also be fun photos of us in our young missionary years to reminisce over. (See attached photos as examples!)

Since our last E-mail, several people have been working on updating our group's database of addresses and E-mails.  (We currently have over 530 names listed.)  Many have been found through their efforts, but we still have over half of our Elders and Sisters who we have not been able to contact due to discontinued E-mail addresses, invalid home addresses, and phone numbers no longer in service.  We will have these lists at the reunion and solicit your help in locating as many as we can.  Those we have been able to contact have expressed much appreciation that we have located them and made contact after many years.  There have had several uplifting experiences as we have found and conversed with some of our 'lost' friends.

Be sure to keep in touch with our website at ... therussells.net/brazil .  Also, announcements of our reunions are always listed in the Deseret News prior to conference(s). 

See you all there this Thursday.

Kim Russell

Conversation with Julie and her daughters

Conversations: Episode 15 - Programs - Mormon Channel


Episode 15:  Sister Julie B. Beck and her daughters Gerilyn and Heidi
Listen to Episode 15http://radio.lds.org/eng/programs/conversations-episode-15
 
Sister Julie B. Beck has served as the Church’s General Relief Society President since March 31, 2007. The Relief Society is the worldwide organization of the Church specifically for women. Sister Beck is joined in this interview by her two daughters, Gerilyn and Heidi, who add an unusual dimension to the discussion that only close family members could provide. Host Sheri Dew guides the discussion through some excellent advice on raising a family and living a happy life, coupled with some unique insight into the Beck family home life. Learn some of the early influences that shaped Sister Beck’s life, as well as some insight into the worldwide Relief Society organization today.   Join us for this heartwarming and inspiring discussion!  
 

Sister Julie B. Beck in the Mormon Channel Studio with her daughters Gerilyn and Heidi

2010 Reunion

We had a delightful time together this afternoon.  Sister Geri Bangerter shared her observations of their many years in Brazil and the pioneering experiences of those years.  Her thoughts prompted others to share experiences of the development of the Church in Brazil since our days of missionary service. 
 

It has been the inspired responses to the needs of the people that have prompted the great things that have made the difference.

Back row:  Arlene Albach Tolson, Thelma Black Soares, Mary Etta Watson Parkinson, Maureen Daines Hodgen, Cleonice Carvalho Hermansen,
Glenda Bangerter Apple, Phyllis Merrell Miller, Fran Huerkens Terry, Marilyn Stanley Humpherey, Geraldine Burningham Olsen.
Front row:  LeeAnn Bangerter Lorenzon, Bev Sanders, Betha Langston Holyoak, Geraldine Hamblin Bangerter, Sarah Daines, Jackie Gatenby Thomas, Karla Allred Christensen.

 

 

Family photos from Elder Bangerter's funeral.

I am assuming that all who might read this posting have received Kim Russell's e-mail forwarding Sister Bangerter's message of appreciation and family photos from the funeral of Elder Bangerter.  If you haven't, please post a comment here and I'll forward them to you. 

Church News--Elder Bangerter

This article was sent to us by Kim Russell--
Additional photos will be posted on his web site later on.  (www.therussells.net/brazil/)

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/59255/Elder-William-Grant-Bangerter-A-light-to-all-those-that-knew-him.html

Elder William Grant Bangerter: A light to all those that knew him

By Marianne Holman

Published: Sunday, April 25, 2010

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Friends and family filled the American Fork Tabernacle on Saturday, April 24, for funeral services to honor the life of Elder William Grant Bangerter, an emeritus member of the Seventy.
Representing the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve, spoke of the great service Elder Bangerter gave throughout his life.
"We rejoice with you in his life of devoted service," Elder Scott read from a letter from the First Presidency. "Elder Bangerter's life was a model of diligence and hard work. His example of conviction as a husband and father and stalwart servant of the Lord influenced the lives of loved ones and all with whom he came in contact."
Elder Scott also spoke of the comfort of the plan of salvation and the importance of the sealing ordinances performed in the temple.
"I rejoice in the day we’ll have the privilege of being with him again eternally," he said. "That will happen, absolutely."
All ten of Elder Bangerter’s living children were a part of the funeral services, participating in talks, prayers and musical numbers. Speakers during the funeral service included two of his sons, Cory Bangerter and Howard Bangerter, and his daughter, Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.
Each of the speakers said Elder Bangerter’s life was full of service and missionary work.
"His love for the Savior was manifested with his devotion to His cause, never failing, ever ready to go and do what was asked of him by his master," said Brother Cory Bangerter.
Sister Beck spoke of a recent conversation she had with her father in which he asked her what her mission in life is. He asked what his purpose was and why individuals are here on earth. She then recalled her father’s answers — responding very powerfully to his own questions.
"We are here to develop ourselves and build the kingdom of God," she recalled him saying. "A high level of employment is an interesting thing. But serving as a bishop and leaders is something very special. … I was not sent on earth to be a farmer or a carpenter, I was sent to serve and respond where I was sent and be carried around the world in the Lord’s service."
Brother Howard K. Bangerter spoke of the missionary service his father accomplished both as a young missionary and as a mission president years later. As a young missionary the number of convert baptisms weren’t high, but the lessons he learned were great, he said.
"While these faithful missionaries didn’t baptize thousands, they developed unwavering testimonies for the gospel," he said.
Returning years later as a mission president to Brazil, Elder Bangerter saw the growth of the Church in great numbers. While he was there, he focused not only on the growth of the Church, but also the integration of the new members. Just as important as the convert baptisms were his missionaries, Brother Howard Bangerter said.
"He was their friend and they knew he loved them and all else flowed from that," he said. "He saw in every new missionary the nugget of a powerful leader that was just green and raw and untapped."
Using a concept from a talk his father gave in general conference in 1977, Brother Howard Bangerter spoke of the many footprints his father left behind, focusing on the lessons that can be learned as individual’s look to his father’s example.
"Each of us, from the Primary chorister to the bishop, or in whatever calling we may be serving can seek, number one, to learn the will of the Lord through personal revelation, and number two, to move forward with faith and use our influence to bring to pass the Lord’s will. In doing so, may we become sanctified."
Elder Bangerter served as a General Authority from 1975 – 89. During that time he served as an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve apostles, a member of the Seventy and a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
"William Grant Bangerter was a light to all those who knew him, and his good works for many who did not know him," said Michael W. Crossley, bishop of the Alpine 5th Ward. "The greatest work that Elder Bangerter did was raise up a righteous posterity."
A graveside service was held after the conclusion of the funeral at the Elysian Memorial Gardens in Murray, Utah.