Flag Football Phoenix Zone- Jan 2012

PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE FOR ALL 70 PHOTOS OF THIS ACTIVITY.

Scott downloaded these photos and I thought he blogged it but did not, so it is really late in coming.  This is from Mid January and has 70 great photos of the Phoenix Zone Flag Football Activity.

Our son Braden getting ready to pass.

Hope you enjoy these pictures as much as Braden enjoyed playing football with your sons! 

Elder Bouwhuis Returns!

We had another returned missionary, Landon Bouwhuis stop by with his parents and his friend Michal.  It was so good to see Landon again.  He looked sharp and is very successfully adapting to not being on a mission but still living the Gospel.

We love meeting the parents of our missionaries...it helps us understand why they are so amazing.  THANKS FRIENDS for stopping by, it makes us so happy to share time with you!

TRANSFERS 2/12

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We began the transfer day with both the Trainer/Trainee Meeting and a Leadership Meeting.
Our new missionaries met their trainers and got to know each other.  After these meetings, the new missionaries are led into the transfer meeting as we sing CALLED TO SERVE.

The Spirit was very strong at these meetings today.

Our missionaries love and live the Book of Mormon.  They are obedient and happy!


And OH HOW THEY CAN SING!

Elder Shelton has a cool Indian War Stick that has been passed down from missionary to missionary in the mission.



It was a great meeting, and eventually all transfers were announced and new companions got ready to head 'em up and move 'em out!





The sight of all that luggage in the parking lot is truly amazing!  It is a real process!

We had a fantastic FARMERS MARKET today.  This is all free food donated to the mission!  We had grapefruit and oranges from the Mission Home, and produce from our faithful donars and part-time service missionaries!  It blesses the lives of our missionaries so much!

NEW MISSIONARIES Feb. 2012

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We welcomed another wonderful group of missionaries that were MEANT TO BE here in the Arizona Phoenix Mission! 

They came excited and ready to learn and work and grow.  They are SHARP!

We took our traditional photo up on the level they enter the airport on...then down the escalator where they are always about ready to lock up our luggage because we are so slow getting down to pick it up off the carousel!  Too many departing missionaries wanting to talk to them.


We first went to the Mission Office where we met the great office couples and learned what they do to serve the missionaries and heard their conversion stories to the church.

Then we went to the beautiful Mission  Home and got pictures outside with our flag...

...and in the back with our orange trees!

 We had an al-fresco lunch after some training by the Assistants.

 Then we wrote letters home, signed our temple quilt blocks...

 ...signed the Mission Flag...

,,,and took NAPS!  Now we are ready to listen to President and Sister Taylor for more instruction in the evening!

 When they woke up, we all cooked together while President did interviews...breakfast casseroles and dinner prep!  And they are great cooks!!

 Everyone took turns picking grapefruit to take to transfer meeting,  It was a lot of fun!  And we picked some oranges to eat as well!

We ate dinner outside just using the space heater.  Such a friendly group.

 The next morning we were all up bright and early to walk or run together before eating our delicious breakfast!

After breakfast we had a morning devotional and the new missionaries got a letter written from a departing missionary.




WELCOME MISSIONARIES!  You are in the #1 MISSION FOR YOU!!!

Departing Missionaries Feb. 2012

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 We started a new tradition with this group by taking them to the new PHOENIX TEMPLE SITE before dinner!  The Winchells did a great job with the tour for us and it was a great thing for them to see where the new temple will be operating in about 18-22 months.

The time has come all too soon to say goodbye to another faithful group of our missionaries!

It gets more and more tender as we have had so many interactions with this group of missionaries over the past almost 8 months of our mission.



The missionaries had a lot of fun with a little bunny that we rescued from a neighbor cat.  SO CUTE!

They also had fun with their "silly" picture...

 ...and a pretty cool "just for fun" picture!

So many smiling faces!

 We had our traditional Latin Pulled Pork Salads for dinner and lots of fun just visiting!










We had a wonderful testimony meeting, some question and answer time on whatever they wanted to talk about, and then a FHE about goals for the future.

And the usual game of DON'T EAT PETE!!!  Terrifyingly fun!!

OH HOW WE WILL MISS YOU!!!  BUT OH HOW WE WILL ANTICIPATE WONDERFUL RELATIONS OVER THE YEARS!


WE LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!

Richie/Kenny/Maureen

 We are having to learn an entire new vocabulary...




Missionary FIRST NAMES!
When we hear from Richie and Kenny it just seems strange...but we are ready to get used to it!


We LOVE having our missionaries come back to see us when they are in town!  Makes our day!

 For Braden it is a family reunion of his BROTHERS & SISTERS!











When we see Maureen in jeans, it is just so fun!

The scripture where Alma meets his brethren who have all been serving missions for many years and they rejoice that they are all still BRETHREN & SISTERS IN CHRIST means so much more to us as we see our good returned missionaries looking sharp and acting sharp and supporting their friends who are still serving
IT WARMS OUR HEARTS!

May we always joy in serving our Savior and always be glad to see one another and be worthy to stand in Holy Places together.  Our enduring to the end together is just beginning and we are so grateful for the journey!
WE LOVE OUR RETURNED MISSIONARIES SO VERY MUCH!!!

ZONE CONFERENCE- Phx. N/ Deer Valley-Glendale N.

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We met for our last zone conference of the quarter today.  It was with the Phoenix N and Glendale N/Deer Valley Zones.

President Martin came to speak to our missionaries and did a wonderful object lesson about balance.

Sister Taylor got to teach her health lesson and practical life skill demonstration and we got really good participation from the missionaries.  They grow so much on their missions!

Both of our Assistants did a great job on their discussions and skills training as well.  With all of the wonderful teaching of President Taylor added in, it was a day full of learning.

 Our missionaries are very good at practicing the principles they learn.  They split into companionships to practice teach.

 At lunch we had another wonderful time to share with both the Williams from the office and with President and Sister Hall, a couple from Glendale who are recently called to serve in California as a Mission President and Wife.  They will be shadowing us at several events this spring as they prepare to begin their 3 year service July 1.  They will be WONDERFUL!  They jumped right in and participated and have fun personalities to go along with their strong testimonies.

 We sang our songs to the wonderful sisters that prepared and served us lunch.  This was a particularly musical group!







We also heard departing testimonies from both Elder Wren and Tamiliau who will depart next week.

Our afternoon
started with a musical number by Sisters Swallow and Chord.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  As were their shoes...they bought matching shoes, different colors but the same size so they can share!  We take COMPANIONSHIP very seriously in this mission!



Elders McBride and Marble get ready to sign the boards after hammering their nail.






President's Companionship activity with the 2x4s was awesome!  Each zone had fun hammering and writing names.

IT WAS A GREAT DAY WITH THESE ZONES!