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.
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| 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.
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| The senior missionaries sit in the front with the sisters behind. |
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| 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!
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| Ten 20 pound turkeys cooked by Brother Ray Pratt and Brother Jeff Pratt. |
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| 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. |
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| Sister Liddiard and Elder Benke tackle the wish bone. |
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| Elder Teuscher and President Matsumori also do battle over another wishbone while Elder Wright and Brother Pratt look on. |
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| 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.
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| Contestants left to right: Elder Stewart, Elder Hurd, Elder Gorringe, Elder Nisson, Elder Martin, Elder Gumbi, Elder |
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| Half of the cultural hall - there are this many missionaries on the other half as well. |
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| 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. |
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| 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."
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| The non-winning table left to right: Elder Seely, Elder Kiel, Elder Gumbi, Elder Clapier, Elder Croft, Elder White, Elder Larson, Elder Salazar. |
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| 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.
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| 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???
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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| Professional carvers and wonderful missionary couples: Sister and Elder Dickey, Sister and Elder Hillstead, Elder and Sister Kowallis. |
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| This group is mostly the Spanish speaking group. And then we end up with some French speakers and English Elders as well. |
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| This is the red and black group: Sister Matsumori, Sister Harper, Sister Bleak and Sister Brown. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| Elder Kiel, Elder Howard, Elder Gumbi |
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| 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.
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| Sister Matsumori and Sister Dougall's footwear of choice at 6 AM. |
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| Brother Ray Pratt and son Brother Jeff Pratt start the grill at 6 am. |
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| Elder Gleed, Elder Edwards, Elder Standing, Elder Searle, Elder Teriirere and Sister Crowley make sure the tables are decorated. |
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| Elder Kerby, Elder Cottrell, Elder Greiner, Elder Edwards (again??) and Elder McClane decorate the tables. |
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| The finished product. |
