Leadership Meeting - December 23, 2011

At the beginning of each transfer, the zone leaders, district leaders and visitors center trainers gather for a leadership meeting.  The assistants and President Matsumori do some training.  The newly called zone leaders and district leaders are trained on their responsibilities.

President Matsumori has the missionaries try some paper folding with their eyes closed. (I think that's Elder Lee who is peeking.)

The rest of the leaders fold with closed eyes as well. 

The main purpose, however, is for the leaders to set goals for the upcoming transfer.  There are six zones and only four pictures - the other two zones were deep in discussion by the time I got to their rooms. So I let them continue doing their work.  Sorry...moms.

Left to right:  Elder Kerby, Elder Kiel, Elder Greiner, Elder Pearson, Elder Lee and Sister Hazen.

Left to right: Elder Brown, Elder Croft, Elder Danner, Elder Anderson, Elder Opeda and  Sister DeAgostini.

Left to right: Elder Martin, Elder Shurtleff, Elder Webb, Elder Nowlin, Sister Gordon, Sister Marcy.

Left to right: Elder Lambert, Elder Fawcett, Elder Hurd, Elder Stallings, Elder Grant, Elder Kennedy, Elder Pierucci. 

At this meeting, like other gatherings, packages are delivered so the zone leaders can take them to the missionaries in their area.  However, unlike other gatherings, this one was just a few days before Christmas. So the zone leaders vehicles were loaded down like Santa's sleigh.

This is just three day's worth of packages delivered to the mission home. More packages were delivered at the Christmas conference on December 20th. And still other packages are still being delivered as the office receives them.

Transfer week - December 20, 2011 Departures

OK, it gets harder each transfer to say good-bye to the missionaries. Sister Humbert and Sister VanTassell were in the first group of missionaries to arrive after we came. Now they are headed home.  We have a real sense of loss.

The good thing is that the missionaries are going home to families who are excited to see them.

Elder McGarry is joined by his mother who has come out to pick him up.

The missionaries gather to say goodbye to those who will leave.  Left to right facing the camera:  Elder Mullins, Elder Furugen, Elder Hsiung, Elder Hutchison and Elder Brown.

This is a posterity picture...a photograph of trainers and those who they trained.  You'll have to ask the missionaries all of the relationships.  Left to right:  Elder Valdetano,  Elder White,  Elder Bates (leaving this transfer),   Elder Gleed, Elder Croft, Elder Sterr (arriving this transfer).

What a difference a transfer makes.  Elder Bodily, Elder Salanoa, Elder Nielson and Elder Gumbi at the beginning of their second transfer say it's great to not be the youngest ones in the mission any longer.

So here are the missionaries getting ready to leave.

Front row left to right: Sister Humbert, Sister Matsumori, President Matsumori, Sister VanTassell.  Second row left to right: Elder Gibb, Elder Teuscher, Elder Thomas, Elder Janmohamed, Elder Robinson, Elder Gorringe, Elder Edwards, Elder Stewart, Elder McGarry, Elder Bates and Elder Karlinsey.

Before the missionaries climb on the plane, we feed them lunch.

Everyone is intent on eating - and not on the camera.

Sister Humbert, Sister VanTassell and Elder Edwards make their burritos before joining the group.

The missionaries fly out of different airports or go with their parents.

Elder Robinson and Elder Janmohamed with President Matsumori

Missionaries start to gather after checking in. 

One last picture at the airport before boarding. Left to right:  Elder Gibb, Elder Stewart, Elder Teuscher, Elder Edwards, Elder Bates, Elder Janmohamed, Elder Karlinsey (kneeling), Elder Robinson and Elder Gorringe.

Transfer week - December 19, 2011 New Arrivals

The newest group of missionaries arrived on a beautiful day.  It is difficult to believe that it is near the end of December when we have 50+ degree days and sunshine.  However, the missionaries coming from warmer climates (like Hawaii and Guam) still feel cold.

It took four vehicles to transport all of the missionaries and their luggage.

Even from the back it is easy to identify our tallest and shortest arriving missionaries:  Elder Gremillion and Sister Fehlman.

The first stop is the Washington DC temple.  Everyone looks relatively awake even after being awake all night.

Front row left to right: Sister Fehlman, Mesa, AZ;  President Matsumori, Sister Matsumori, Sister Lawrence, Guam.
Back row left to right: Elder Morris, Ramah, NM; Elder Ah Puck, Hauula, Hawaii; Elder Julander, Mesa, AZ; Elder Epperson, West Valley, UT;  Elder Schow, Riverton, UT; Elder Gremillion, Roy, UT; Elder Sterr, Providence, UT; Elder Meserole, Washington, IA; Elder Lott, Pleasant View, UT; Elder Storr, Wayan, ID; Elder Galuvao, Anaheim, CA. 

Next stop:  IHOP for breakfast.

Clockwise around the table from the left:  Elder Epperson, Elder Schow, Elder Julander, Elder Sterr.

With tasty breakfast left to right:  Elder Meserole and Elder Morris.

The four on this table left to right: Elder Ah Puck, Elder Gremillion, Elder Lott, Elder Wright.

Clockwise around two table:  Sister Fehlman, Elder Storr, Elder Galuvao, Elder Hatch, Elder Teuscher and Sister Lawrence.

We gather in the mission home for several trainings through the rest of the day and evening. This is prior to one of the meetings.

Left to right: Elder Galuvao, Elder Ah Puck, Elder Gremillion, Elder Meserole, Elder Epperson and Elder Hatch.

Left to right: Elder Lott, Elder Morris, Elder Storr, Elder Schow and Elder Galuvao (again).

Left to right:  Elder Sterr, Elder Bleak (senior missionary in charge of the vehicles) and Elder Julander.

Left to right: Elder Julander with Sister Lawrence and Sister Fehlman.

Please believe me - we do feed the missionaries healthy food, but I can never remember to take photos then.  So here we are at the end of the evening eating pie.

Left to right:  Elder Lott, Elder Morris, Elder Julander, Elder Sterr, and Elder Meserole.

Elder and Sister Bleak help get the pie ready to serve. Sister Lawrence joins them. 

And we take time for ping pong.  Those seated are out of the game momentarily.  I have discovered it's easier to get their photos while they are still than while they are running around the ping pong table.

Elder Julander and Elder Ah Puck.

Elder Galuvao and Elder Hatch

Left to right:  Elder Meserole, Sister Lawrence, Elder Epperson, Elder Morris and Elder Storr.

Left to right: Elder Hatch, Elder Teuscher, Elder Morris, Elder Sterr, Sister Fehlman and Elder Ah Puck

The following day the newly arrived missionaries get to meet their new companions.  One group lines up on one side of the room, the other group lines up on the other side of the room and then President Matsumori announces who the new companionships are.  They come to the middle to greet one another.  You can often tell by looking at the faces in the photo whether it's a new arrival or a trainer.

Left to right:  Elder Hatch (assistant preparing to demonstrate how to properly greet your new companion), Elder Gremillion, Elder Epperson, Elder Schow, Elder Ah Puck, Elder Meserole, Elder Morris, Elder Galuvao, Sister Fehlman, Sister Lawrence, Elder Julander, Elder Lott, Elder Storr, Elder Sterr.

Left to right:  Elder Fawcett, Elder Croft, Elder Shinost, Sister Ertelt, Sister Lewis, Elder Shigeta, Elder Tomlinson, Elder Dillon, Elder Koyle, Elder Kennedy, Elder Nowlin, Elder Wells, Elder Pound and Elder Wright (assistant also preparing how to greet his new companion).

Elder Wright and Elder Hatch demonstrate a handshake and a hug as a possible way to greet one another. 

Sister Lewis and Sister Lawrence go straight for the hug.

Some of the companions have been announced. Others still await their fate.

Elder Shigeta meets Elder Meserole.

Elder Nowlin and Elder Lott try the handshake.

Trainers still wait to find out who their new companion will be:  Elder Fawcett, Elder Dillon, Elder Koyle, Elder Kennedy and Elder Wells.

All of the missionaries are now with their new companions and ready to be trained and then go to the temple together.

Christmas Conference - December 12, 2011

This year the Christmas Conference was held on December 12.  With Christmas falling on Sunday, we felt it was more appropriate for the  missionaries to stay in their areas for their church services on that day.

We began the conference by taking a mission wide photograph.  We're able to get all 170 of us in one picture thanks to a generous member, Brian Johnson. He photographs the group in sections and then digitally stitches the photograph together.

The photographer  needed "models" to check the lighting for the rows.  From front to back: Elder Mullins,  President Matsumori (looking solemn), Elder McKay, Elder Standing, Elder Rozsa.

We also had a program that included messages from President and Sister Matsumori, some gift exchanges, a movie and a musical number from the sisters who will perform on Christmas Eve at the VC.

The senior missionaries sit in the front with the sisters behind.  

The talented singing group performing "Candlelight" -  Left to right: Sister Ertelt, Sister Withers, Sister DeAgostini, Sister Cadenhead, Sister Miller,  Sister Lewis, Sister Joost, Sister Moore and Sister Marcy.

We then gathered at the Washington Stake Center, about a quarter of a block away, for the rest of the festivities which included food!

Ten 20 pound turkeys cooked by Brother Ray Pratt and Brother Jeff Pratt.

The turkeys are carved by the couples who serve as missionaries with the Family History Department and who work in the National Archives - left to right:  Elder Kowallis, Elder Dickey, Sister Kowallis, Brother Pratt (the chef), Elder Hillstead, Sister Hillstead, Brother Jeff Pratt (assistant chef), and Sister Dickey. 

Sister Liddiard and Elder Benke tackle the wish bone.

Elder Teuscher and President Matsumori also do battle over another wishbone while Elder Wright and Brother Pratt look on.

Before the meal is served.

As always, the seniors and the sisters were served first.  This year Sister Matsumori had the elders play a game to determine the order their tables would be served.  An example of the kind of questions they had to answer:  Which two names are the most common in our mission.  (No, Elder Hurd.  It is not Elder and Sister, though that was a good try.)   The answer:  Olsen and Miller.  There are four of each:  Elder and  Sister Olsen at the VC, Elder Nathan Olsen serving in the English program and Elder Andrew Olson serving in the  Spanish program.  Elder and Sister Miller who are leadership missionaries and Sister Kristan Miller in the Spanish program and Sister Lyndi Miller who serves in the English program.

Contestants left to right: Elder Stewart, Elder Hurd, Elder Gorringe,  Elder Nisson, Elder Martin, Elder Gumbi, Elder 

Half of the cultural hall - there are this many missionaries on the other half as well.

Some of the many hands who helped:  The archive couples who carved the turkey, the Pratts who cooked the turkey,  the Thorntons who provided the salad, dressing, mashed potatoes, etc. 

The couples line up and Sister Matsumori starts to explain the game for the elders.

In this game, not only did the winning table get to line up first, the last table had to provide a musical number using the bells to accompanying them singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

The non-winning table left to right: Elder Seely, Elder Kiel, Elder Gumbi, Elder Clapier, Elder Croft, Elder White, Elder Larson, Elder Salazar.

When the sisters finished eating, they came up and tried the bells as well. Left to right: Sister Welch, Sister Perez, Sister Holt, Sister Hazen, Sister Wong, Sister Gordon, Sister Withers.

Santa made an appearance at the party, too.

Elder Teuscher and Elder Wright receive candy canes from Santa aka Elder Bleak.

Here are assorted pictures of missionaries seated at their tables. Aren't they great???

Those facing the camera clockwise around the table starting at the left: Elder Kiel, Elder Seely, Elder Watts, Elder Standing, Elder Robinson, Elder Janmohamed. Across the table:  Elder Thomas, Elder Pearson, Elder Kerby, Elder Greiner, Elder McClane, Elder Cottrell, Elder Kuddes.  

Not sure why this table looks unhappy as they won the game and got to eat first. But those facing the camera clockwise around the table:  Elder Krugman, Elder Watson, Elder Carver, Elder Nowlin. Across the table:  Elder Martin, Elder Walker, Elder Williams. 

Closest to camera left to right: Elder Opeda, Elder Grant. Next row: Elder Furugen, Elder Wang.  Third row:  Elder Probst, Elder Pierucci.  Next row:  Elder Pound and Elder Wells.  Yes, I can identify the others, but I'm not sure how to let you know which ones I'm looking at. There are parts of faces of Elder Karlinsey, Elder Johnson etc. 

OK - those facing the camera clockwise from the left:  Elder Vanaa, Elder Gleed, Elder Edwards, Elder Hatch, Elder Shurtleff, Elder Bigelow, Elder Stewart, Elder Rozsa and Elder Palmer. 

Those facing the camera, clockwise around the table starting at the left:  Sister Harper, Sister Brown, Sister Knorr, President Lorenzana, Sister Lorenzana, Sister Murdock. Across the table:  Sister Bushman, Elder Bushman, Elder Noel, Sister Noel, Sister Crowley, Elder Crowley.

Facing the camera clockwise around the table:  Elder Gorringe, Elder Mataele (enjoying his cake), Elder Kennedy. Across the table: Elder Rodriguez, Elder Lowry, Elder Dillon, Elder Fawcett.

Facing the camera clockwise around the table:  Elder Thomas, Elder Pearson, Elder Kerby, Elder Greiner. Across the table:  Elder Watts (in the back), Elder Bodily, Elder Standing, Elder Robinson, Elder Janmohamed.

Clockwise around the table from the left: Sister Moore, Sister Avelar, Sister Perez, (Sister Jones, standing), Sister DeAgostini, Sister Miller, Sister Chan.  Across the table:  Sister Wege, Sister Joost, Sister Ertelt, Sister Gordon, Sister Bleazard, Sister VanTassell. 

More sisters clockwise around the table:  Sister Liddiard, Sister Marcy, Sister Quintanilla, Sister Cadenhead, Sister Hazen, Sister Finlay. Across the table: Sister Withers, Sister Allen, Sister Holt, Sister Bechaver, Sister Humbert, Sister Lewis.

Every time missionaries gather, they find ways to group together to take a picture.  Here are some that we took this day.

Professional carvers and wonderful missionary couples:  Sister and  Elder Dickey, Sister and Elder Hillstead, Elder and Sister Kowallis.

This group is mostly the Spanish speaking group. And then we end up with some French speakers and English Elders as well.  

This is the red and black group:  Sister Matsumori, Sister Harper, Sister Bleak and Sister Brown.

Elder Stallings in the back looks at the Spanish elders left to right:  Elder Edwards, Elder Salazar, Elder Gleed, Elder Lee, Elder Croft, Elder Clapier and Elder Croft.

The Asian group:   Left to right:  Elder Pon, Elder Furugen, Elder Anderson, President Matsumori, Sister Won, Sister Matsumori, Sister Chan, Elder Opeda, Elder Shigeta, Elder Hsiung, Elder Wang and  Elder Croft.

  Elder Kiel, Elder Howard, Elder Gumbi 

Island missionaries who know how to do the Haka left to right:  Elder Vanaa, Elder Anderson, Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Teriirere, Elder Salanoa. 

When you put together a party for 170, it means getting up early and having a lot of help.

Sister Matsumori and Sister Dougall's footwear of choice at 6 AM.

Brother Ray Pratt and son Brother Jeff Pratt start the grill at 6 am.

Elder Gleed, Elder Edwards, Elder Standing,  Elder Searle, Elder Teriirere and Sister Crowley make sure the tables are decorated.

Elder Kerby, Elder Cottrell, Elder Greiner, Elder Edwards (again??) and Elder McClane decorate the tables.

The finished product.