The Westerly, Rhode Island Branch

Back in March it was announced that we would be splitting and rearranging some wards in our stake. Part of the rearranging included a brand new branch in Westerly, RI which our family would be a part of. We didn't get approval on a building to meet in, so a few weeks later we found ourselves in the beautiful water-front home of our branch president, and it has been our branch meetinghouse ever since.

The first Sunday was awesome! There were only about 50 of us, and here we are meeting in a home! I think we all assumed that it would be very different - even a little weird. But the Spirit there was so strong and sweet - very familiar.

And here we are on that first Sunday! I think we're probably the first congregation with a dog in attendance - ha ha! (She's a very well behaved dog)

There are usually about 45-50 in sacrament meeting - 18 kids in the primary and 4 youth. With so few of us, we definitely do our fair share of teaching and speaking. Aaron is in the branch presidency and I'm in the Relief Society presidency.

The wooded drive to church and the view of the water (this isn't unique here in New England though)

The view from sacrament meeting (usually there are more sailboats out)

Our church "parking lot" and the Parker's Rolls-Royce.

Since being in this branch we feel even more strongly that the Lord had a hand in bringing us here. The Westerly Branch has been on the horizon for a long time, they just needed more people to get it started.