ARRIVING MISSIONARIES 4/14

 PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE FOR ALL PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT!

WELCOME NEW MISSIONARIES!

We have had a month full of arriving missionaries!


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Along with our usual transfer this week, we had a couple of additions to the mission who came to us from other missions around the world.

First, we got Elder Austin, who was reassigned from the Albania/Kosovo area due to some health issues and who is now well at home here in Phoenix AZ!  He came with a smile and knowing how to work hard.  He has been a great addition to this mission!









Next we were blessed to have Elder Kunz reassigned to our mission from Sierra Leone, Africa.

Again, a health issue precluded him from going to that mission so he came to us from the Ghana MTC ready to work hard as well.
We enjoyed outfitting him with a suit, since his assigned mission did not require one.
He is resilient and happy and we feel he was meant to be here with us in Phoenix as well!

 Our regular transfer had two flights involved since we had one Sister coming from the Mexico City MTC and the others from Salt Lake Airport.

Welcome to Elder Dawson, Elder Kirk, Elder James, Sister Louchez, Sister Baldwin, Sister Zelaya!  We are pictured here with our right hand helper, Sister King from our Mission Presidency!  She is official "Meet and Greet" for the international flights since we cannot be in two places at once!  We are seeing off departing missionaries the same time the Mexico flight comes in.

Welcome to another addition to our mission, Elder Manzano from Puebla Mexico.  He was brought to the Mission by his Bishop.
Coolest story ever...he was taught and baptized by our own Arizona Phoenix Missionaries in south Phoenix when that was part of our mission...and I was even at one of his new member lessons with Sister missionaries about a year ago!  His desire was to serve a mission and my counsel to him was to pray, read the scriptures and prepare to serve!   AND HERE HE IS!!!

 All of these amazing missionaries are instantly LOVED by our amazing office staff!  Here you see Sister Rodgers in her famous welcome dance!


Parents, Please know that your missionaries have support of 4 couples, 3 in the office each business day and our Mission Secretaries who come and go as needed...they all love and desire only the welfare of your missionary!  Let them help you as you need help with details of mission life!

 We take our new missionaries over to see the construction of the PHOENIX TEMPLE, coming along very nicely now with landscaping being completed.
We anticipate a fall open house and dedication.

 Each new missionary signs this Mission Flag.  It is a sweet reminder that we are all in this as one big mission family!

We take photos with each incoming missionary so you can see that we love your son or daughter...Elder Kirk seems WAY TOO TALL to be our son, but he is!!  (Thanks Mom and Dad Kirk for sharing him with us!)

We work together just like one big family all day long once we get to the Mission Home.  We cook, clean, train, share, talk etc.  It makes for a wonderful transition into mission life!  You can be very proud of your children, they were WONDERFUL HELPERS!!!

 And whether they come one at a time or in a group, we get them up at 6:30 to run or walk with us just like a normal mission day.

In our mission we all use iPads for planning, area books and teaching as well as ONLINE PROSELYTING.
Please do not contact your missionary over Facebook.  They are strictly using it for teaching or contacting purposes only.  It is not a messaging forum for family or friends.  Use weekly emails or call the office staff to help you with any other communications.  THANK YOU!

 We had some new missionaries who LOVE MUSIC!
We had Elders Kirkm Dawson and James sing a musical number for our morning devotional and it was AWESOME sung a capella!









Part of our morning devotional is to give each missionary a letter written by an outgoing or former APM missionary.  The letters give advice and share feelings about how to love the people and your mission experience.

It was sweet to have one Sister tell us her letter was from Hermana Holmes...who was one of our missionaries who taught Elder Manzano!!!  Small world?  Coincidence?  I don't believe so.

This group had such a STRONG SPIRIT about them.  They are focused and ready to serve with their heart, might, mind and strength!  We will nurture and teach doctrine and encourage them to BECOME who Heavenly Father needs them to be in this exciting time on the earth.
Did I say it would be easy?  No.  This will be the hardest thing they have each done ever in their lives.  But, it will give them the opportunity to be more deeply converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, more obedient (which means more happy) and to have more joy than they have ever experienced as they share what they KNOW with everyone they get the chance.  WELCOME TO THE BEST MISSION IN THE WORLD...the best mission in the world for each of them!  This is the work of the Lord.  His work is hastening and we need to try to keep up the best we can!  Join us as being the best member missionaries you can be in your part of the Lord's vinyard!  With Love, Sister Cheryl Taylor