Gratitude and Joy (November 26, 2014)

It’s appropriate during this Thanksgiving week that in our blog, Big Apple Blessings, we tell others of the great joy and blessings we've had while serving our mission in New York City.  We've been here four months now and continue to feel the great love of the people here – so much so that we've asked the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if we could extend our mission term for another six months (until the end of 2015).  We haven’t yet heard a decision on that request.

The classes we teach continue to do well.  In each class we teach, we have wonderfully uplifting discussions about the gospel of Jesus Christ, living prophets upon the earth to guide us today, and how Christ would like us to conduct our lives in very practical ways.  One topic that we've discussed several times is “how should we care for the poor and needy?”  With so many homeless and those who beg on the street and trains, we constantly ask ourselves “what should we do?” and “when is it appropriate to give assistance?”  Although we haven’t yet answered all of these questions satisfactorily, as we read the scriptures it’s apparent that we need to “impart of (y)our substance to the poor… to their relief both spiritually and temporally.” Mosiah 4:26

Mormon Temple and Church Building (white) and Our Apartment Building (behind and left)

When we’re not in class, preparing or otherwise serving, we fill our time with fun activities.  One trip was to Coney Island in October.  Although we didn't break the record of eating 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes, we did enjoy sharing one hot dog in about 3 minutes at the famous Nathan’s original location.

Elder and Sister Melonakos at Coney Island (the original Nathan's Hot Dog location)

We watched this video today that the Church just published to focus our attention on the greatest gift we've all received, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Click here to watch 3-minute video "He is the Gift"

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season of love, joy, and faith… 

Two Months in City (October 3, 2014)

We have lived in New York City for over two months now.  We are amazingly blessed with the friendships we’re developing with YSAs (young single adults), other missionaries, and with a myriad of people we meet at church, at activities, and on the street.

We have grown the size of our Tuesday and Wednesday gospel study classes to over 30 in total.  We learn so much from the comments and interaction with these students.  We provide snacks every week and everyone enjoys hanging around after class eating and getting to know each other better.

Our Thursday evening Pathway study group also has 30 students enrolled.  This is a really diverse group of cultures and ages – seven countries are represented in our class, and the age range is from 18 to 60.  We are so pleased with this group’s desire to excel in both their academic studies and their understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sister Melonakos with Pathway Class

Being involved in other weekly activities with our YSAs is very fulfilling.  In large or small groups, or one on one with them, we’ve participated in service activities, Sunday “Waffle Nights” at their apartments, performances at the Metropolitan Opera, and Julliard recitals. We feel grateful we’ve been able to lend a listening ear, give a caring hug, or have them hang out at our apartment when they need comfort or encouragement. These YSAs are very dear to us.

We spent a weekend with 600 YSAs in a regional conference at the church next door.  Our responsibilities included making countless wraps for a lunch (Dave doesn’t ever want to see another wrap in his life), setting up/cleaning up, serving food, and helping coordinate a service project.  We identified an app (AXSmap) to rate New York City restaurants for their wheelchair accessibility.  YSAs then fanned out around Manhattan, rated establishments, and helped create the data base.

There is such a variety in the things we do. Some highlights: we attended (at the request of some other senior missionaries involved in a UN project) a United Nations conference session on water-related risks (typhoons, etc.).  Some of our children visited over Labor Day weekend (Eric, Steven, Janet, Elise), and we all went to the US Open (Tennis).  This week we volunteered ushering and helping with promo at the NYC 42^nd St and Times Square theater screening of the new film “Meet the Mormons.”

Elder & Sister Melonakos at UN Building for a Conference

Big Apple Blessings (August 20, 2014)

We have been in New York City for three weeks now, and we absolutely love it here.  Our 450-square-foot apartment is in an ideal part of Manhattan, and we’re so grateful to be living in this location.

The view from our window (Temple with Angel Moroni in the center)

We focus on teaching Institute classes and working with young single adults (YSA); we attend the smallest of three YSA Wards on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We really enjoy serving these young adults as they are working, schooling, or pursuing dreams of acting or dancing.  Each Sunday we invite several YSAs back to the apartment for a home-cooked meal--this gives us all a chance to get to know each other better.

On the roof of our apartment building with some YSAs after one of those Sunday meals

We’re also very involved with the Pathway program (BYU-Idaho's one-year on-line program to help prepare students for college study). We administer ESL tests, help organize class locations, and lead class "gatherings" every Thursday night.

Another blessing is we get to work the early-morning shift every Thursday in the Manhattan temple (a 75-step door-to-door walk).   For all other places we go (since we don’t have a car on our mission) the monthly Metro pass gives us unlimited subway and bus rides.  We have found this to be a great and easy way to get around.

Of course, we also love exploring the city in our free time.  We've seen three plays already (King Lear in Central Park and two Broadway plays--Newsies and Once); we take almost-daily walks in Central Park (one block away). We even attended a philharmonic concert, at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, as part of an LDS Public Affairs-sponsored dinner with diplomats and Consul Generals (Elder Melonakos was seated with the Consul General from Indonesia; Sister Melonakos sat with the ambassadors from Poland). 

At the southern entrance to Central Park (at Columbus Circle) -- the Book is way better than the play, check it out!

Well, we need to get going and take the subway to 14th Street to teach Institute tonight...Please pray for us and the people we’re working with, and know that we pray for you! We're so grateful for the teachings, example, and saving grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. God loves us all!

Click here to watch the video: Rescued by Christ

Hugs and prayers,

Elder and Sister Melonakos

P.S. Our address is:

60 West 66th Street, Apt 10J

NY, NY  10023