Sasha visits Seminary classes
outside of the United States

(Note: You may click on most pictures to enlarge them.)

West Point, New York

Seminary Sasha began his journey in September 2002 with Sister Sherilee Alford and the seven members of her Seminary class at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The U.S. Military Academy, located in the beautiful Hudson River Valley just 50 miles north of New York City, was authorized by President Thomas Jefferson in March 1802.

The West Point Branch consists of Military Academy cadets, faculty, and staff and a few families from the neighboring village of Highland Falls. This is one of the largest Seminary classes that the West Point Branch has ever had.  The picture above was taken at "Trophy Point" that overlooks a bend in the Hudson River (which creates the "West Point" in the river).

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Beijing, China

Seminary Sasha's first stop outside of the United States was in Beijing, China!

The girls from Sister Debby Dickens' English-speaking Seminary class in Beijing pose in front of the Great Wall of China. 

The boys from Sister Dicken's Seminary class pose with Seminary Sasha in front of a portion of the Great Wall which is over 2,000 years old.

The Great Wall stretches 4,500 miles -- from the Gobi Desert in the west to the mountains of Korea in the east.

Seminary Sasha is more than happy to quench his thirst with two of the members of Sister Dickens' Seminary class. 

The capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, boasts Tianamen Square, the Forbidden City and is near the famous Great Wall of China.

   

Seminary Sasha bids you farewell from China! 

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Lochwinnoch, Scotland

Seminary students from Sister Gilmour's class in Scotland pose at the entrance to Stirling Castle. You can see the day was somewhat "soft" as they say in Ireland or "dreech" as they say here in Scotland.

The Scottish flag is the cross of St. Andrew; it is also known as the Saltire. It is said to be one of the oldest national flags of any country (dating back to at least the 12th century).

There is evidence that a royal castle has been located here since the 12th century, and two of the important battles in Scottish history took place near Stirling Castle -- Stirling Bridge in 1297 and Bannockburn in 1314.

Bishopton (shown above) is the site of the first baptisms in Scotland. The scene probably looks much as it did then. The town in the background is Greenock, from which many Scots left for a life in the new world.

Sasha and the majority of the Seminary class stand in front of the statue of Robert The Bruce, King of the Scots.

The birthplace of William Wallace ("Braveheart") is actually within their ward boundaries.

Two Seminary students are standing in front of the Falkirk Wheel which is the only rotating boatlift in the world. The Wheel can carry eight or more boats at a time; a trip takes about 15 minutes. When originally completed in 1773, the Forth and Clyde Canal was the first sea-to-sea ship canal in the world (linking the East and West coasts of Scotland with navigable waterways).

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Manchester, England

In the Manchester South Ward, Manchester England Stake we have both an early morning and home study Seminary class. Sister Sue Ordnal teaches the home study class, and Sister Wendy Robinson teaches the early morning class. The home study class (which meets Thursday evenings) at church is pictured above -- Katherine, Kristina (holding Sasha), and Melissa. Catherine is absent.

The early morning class meets at Sister Robinson's house at 6:15 a.m. The students in the picture are (from top left): Cacia, Rachel, Laura (with Sasha), Abi, Marianne and the boys are Cliffton and Dan. Two additional students, Alex and Kirsty, are missing in the picture.

This plaque, which was erected in 1987 as part of the 150-year anniversary of the gospel coming to Britain, honors the first members of the church baptized in Great Britain. The text on the plaque reads:

     Near this spot on 30 July 1837, the first British converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were baptised by immersion in the River Ribble. Elder Heber C. Kimball, one of the Tweleve Apostles of the Church, baptised six men and three women: George D. Watt, first and then Charles Miller, Thomas Walmesley, Ann Elizabeth Walmesley, Miles Hodgson, Henry Billsbury, Mary Ann Brown, Ann Dawson and George Wate. 
     The Prophet Joseph Smith had sent Apostles Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, with Willard Richards, Joseph Fielding, John Goodson, Isaac Russell and John Snider from America to the British Isles. They travelled first to Preston where the Rev. James Fielding, Elder Fielding's brother, permitted them to preach in the Independent chapel on Vauxhall Road. The first converts came from his congregation. Further use of the chapel being denied, they preached in the Market Square near the Obelisk, then met for nearly three years in the "Cockpit" or Temperence Hall near Stoneygate.
     The Preston branch of the Church was established with 28 members on 6 August 1837 at the home of Ann Dawson at 21 Pole Street. Regularly-scheduled meetings are still held in Preston, the oldest continuous Latter-day Saint congregation in the world.
     In the following two decades, more than 75,000 people joined the Church in Britain. Many of them emigrated to the United States to join the main body of the Church in Illinois and later, in Utah. Those who stayed constituted the nucleus of the Church as it expanded throughout the British Isles.

The River Ribble, pictured above, shows the area where it is believed the first baptisms in Britain were performed. Alex, Sister Ordnal's son, is holding Sasha.

The CES Coordinator pictured above with Sasha is Brother Warrick Kear. He is the director at the local Institute of Religion.

The Preston Temple is about 8 miles south of the area where the first baptisms were performed. This temple was dedicated in 1998 and was the 52nd temple of the church. 

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Pozzuoli, Italy

Seminary Sasha traveled to the beautiful Mediterranean city of Pozzuoli (near Naples), Italy to visit Sister Joanna Allred and her Seminary class. Sasha is shown in front of the church sign at our chapel building in Pozzuoli.

This picture shows Samantha (16, holding Sasha), Heather (15), Rebekah (15), Christina (14), and Sister Allred. We are the first early morning seminary class in Naples! We belong to a combined Italian/English branch and there are about 80 people who attend our branch. We are in Naples due to our father's military assignments with NATO or the U.S. Navy. Heather and Rebekah have lived all over the world, and this is Samantha's and Chris' first time outside Canada. We meet at Sister Allred's house at 6:15 in the morning and then catch the bus for school (a 45-minute ride). We love to Scripture Chase and have most of the Seminary scriptures memorized.

The apostle Paul preached in Pozzuoli (then called Puteoli--look in Acts 28:13). This is a monument to him near the place where he probably preached.  (The title of the sign reads: "A Paolo di Tarso.")

The picture on the left shows Samantha and Christina (sisters from Canada) with Sasha at the port of Pozzuoli. The picture on the right shows Rebekah and Heather holding Sasha.

Our seminary class is sitting outside one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in Italy. It is currently used as a setting for outdoor concerts.

This is the view from our Seminary room in Sister Allred's house where we hold Early Morning Seminary.

Left to right (above): Samantha, Chris, Heather, and Rebekah (with Sasha in the middle) are shown at our quarterly Seminary auction where students spend their hard-earned Seminary bucks!

This picture was taken in front of our chapel. Our branch meets in a converted restaurant overlooking the Bay of Pozzuoli. There are three levels of balconies facing the ocean, and this one is the balcony outside the Relief Society and Priesthood rooms. While teaching lessons, this is what we see (minus the girls, of course). We enjoyed having Seminary Sasha visit with us!

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Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Seminary Sasha traveled next to visit Sister Deidre Ah Wong's Seminary class in beautiful New Zealand.

Tyne, Luke and Sasha are dwarfed by the statues of kings which flank the river in one of the scenes from the movie The Fellowship of the Ring. The director of The Lord of the Rings is from Wellington, New Zealand, and many scenes were filmed in the area. The World Premier of Part 3 (The Return of the King) will be held here later this year.

The students are (from left) Tyne, Vasa, Luke (holding Sasha) Daniel, Sui and Lidston. Sasha is shown frolicking in the sunshine on the shore of the beautiful Wellington Harbour. In the distant background is the city itself. Wellington is New Zealand's capital city.

Rebecca and Theo are brother and sister. They are shown posing with Sasha in front of one of our class notice boards.

"Natives" -- this word could refer to the scenery or to the youth shown in the picture! Tyne, Luke, Rebecca and Theo are showing Sasha some typical native bush. New Zealand is widely known for being very "green."

Sasha got to visit the seat of New Zealand's government while he was here. On the lawn outside our Parliament buildings are Seminary students Sui, Daniel, Vasa, Luke, Sasha, Lidston and Tyne.

Geoffrey is giving Sasha personal coaching in the fine art of kicking a penalty goal in the game of rugby. Rugby is New Zealand's biggest sport, and our All Black team is considered one of the best rugby teams in the world. Rugby is the sport from which American football was born.

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Brisbane, Australia

Seminary Sasha traveled next from New Zealand to Brisbane, Australia. Sister Muros' Seminary class, the combined Logan and Eight Mile Plains Wards, are pleased to host Sasha's Australian visit.

A scenic view of Brisbane city and the Brisbane River in Queenland, Australia.

Seminary Sasha is pleased to see that he is properly dressed in the correct school uniform colors. These Seminary students go straight from Seminary to school. They are from the Eight Mile Plains and Logan Wards.

Sasha is shown in an Australia gum tree. Gum trees are a favorite food for the koala bears who live in Australia.

Two koala bears are resting in a tree over Seminary Sasha's right shoulder at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre. After these injured koalas recover, they will be returned to the Australian bush.

Seminary Sasha poses with the Rochedale Ward Seminary class and their teacher, Sister Doig.

Sister Glen, one of the Seminary teachers in Brisbane, is shown holding Sasha with Brisbane in the background.

Sister Amos' Eight Mile Plains Ward Seminary Class post with Sasha in front of their "Scripture Trail" record of their Seminary work this year.

Stacey and Anita, shown above with Seminary Sasha, are good friends and sisters.

Sasha is across the street from the Brisbane Temple. The building shown in the background is a new small chapel that has been built next door to the Brisbane Temple.

Seminary Sasha is hanging on the side of a bus stop notice across the street from the Brisbane Temple.

Sister Glass' Seminary class from the Rochedale Ward poses with Seminary Sasha at the beginning of another Seminary day.

Before climbing back into his mail envelope for another trip, Seminary Sasha takes a few minutes to read the Book of Mormon during family scripture reading with Samuel Glen, one of the Seminary students in Brisbane.

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Seminary Sasha has visited Seminary classes
outside of the United States!