Another Bumper Crop

Fall is a time of harvest, and we have received

a big crop of new missionaries who are ready to 

harvest the fields that are white.  

Taco salad for 60 seems to stretch down a mile of tables.

Sister Malmberg is standing next to the almost 30 

pounds of taco meat she had prepared!

Getting acquainted.

Lots of new sisters... 

and elders.

There were so many missionaries we just 

tried to gather them into clumps for pictures!

Jackets off for lunch. 

Enjoying dinner together.

Gathered together for testimony meeting and the assigning 

of new companionships. 

Please meet the newest missionaries in the

California Riverside Mission.  

Elder Aland from Georgia.

Elder Eldridge from Utah.

Sister Greenhalgh from Utah. 

Sister Goodwine from Utah. 

Elder Goodrich from North Dakota. 

Elder Herald from Texas.

Elder Carrillo from Mexico. 

Sister Hernandez Sanchez from Tennessee. 

Elder Jensen from Utah. 

Elder Overman from Kansas.

Elder Ly from Utah. 

Elder Mueller from Ohio. 

Elder Phister from Wyoming. 

Elder Park from Idaho. 

Elder Osberg from Alberta. 

Elder Bailey from Tennessee.

Elder de Mare from Florida. 

Elder Yeaman from Washington.  

Elder Simpson from Utah.  

Sister Thomas from Georgia. 

Sister Wilde from Utah. 

Sister Woodyatt from Utah. 

Elder Dew from Utah. 

September Song

Our September song was 

"God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again"

as we bid farewell to so many elders and sisters

we have come to love so much.

Sister Emerson and Sister DaSilva visit before dinner. 

Turning in miracle stories and signing Pres. Mullen's scriptures. 

This happens about once a year... a perfect night

for outgoing dinner outside. 

Just before testimony meeting.

Elder Hale and Elder Hall visit after testimony meeting. 

After a good night's sleep (just kidding) everyone is 

kind of ready for breakfast:  French toast, 

sausage, orange juice and milk.

Elder Smith and Elder Hale sit close to the griddle... 

first dibs on the next slice.  Actually, not everyone fit

at the kitchen table so these elders offered to take the side seats.  

After one last prayer together it was time to load up the van...

and take one last picture together.  'Til we meet again.  

September MLC

There's a great camaraderie among members of 

Mission Leadership Council.  The elders and sisters

are devoted to their work, but since many of them were

leaving on this transfer, it seemed a nice time to show

not so much the work, but the heart behind this group.

Elder Sy and Elder Young training. 

As he was instructed to do in the MTC, 

Pres. Mullen teaches some aspect of the Doctrine of Christ

at every MLC, zone conference, and training. 

Instructing each other. 

After working, a few minutes to enjoy visiting together. 

Croquet Our Way

Most of this blog is devoted to the young elders and sisters.

We know our audience, it's Moms and Dads.

But just for fun, thought we'd toss in missionaries 

who are not quite so young, but still know how to have a good time

(after all the work is done, because this is one group 

who has earned a minute to relax).  

No one was quite sure what to wear to play croquet.

After all, we're usually in skirts, shirts and ties.  

We jokingly suggested knickers.  Elder Just took us up on that!

Croquet away!

After a couple of rounds of fun it was time for dinner. 

The weather was perfect for an outdoor dinner.  

Sister Malmberg, on the left, decorated the tables. 

A back to school theme for our September FHE.  

Crossfit!!

Once a quarter President Mullen sends out the challenge, 

a series of exercises for all comers to practice. 

On two Preparation Mondays the mission gathers

(half the missionaries each Monday)  to take on Crossfit. 

Sisters ready to go!

Sit-ups...

and squat thrusts are two of the exercises along with...

lots of running.

They'll feel it tomorrow.  For now everyone's all smiles!

Long May It Wave

August MLC began with business as usual.  But as we were

gathering for the council photo Elder Jones brought out his

new creation, a mission flag!   

When Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke to our mission in June 

he suggested that we should be known as the

Mission of the Undiscouraged.  Taking up that charge

Elder Jones designed a Title of Courage using neckties

that had been left in his apartment.  

(While Elder Jones' mother taught him to sew, he doesn't 

have a machine here so Sister Heaton attached the ties.)

That courageous "lion" at the bottom of the flag is 

actually the outline of the mission! 

 

We loved having our picture taken with the flag.  

The more things change the more they stay the same...

Hungry missionaries.  

Happy missionaries.  (Brownies to go with the pizza helps.)

Think what great flags we could make with those ties!

Perhaps they could each write "undiscouraged" on 

the back of their tie.

  

Do you think Sister Visick has an "undiscouraged" bow tie?

A couple more pictures to top off the day.