Welcome to the Mission!!

We welcomed 13 new missionaries this week from five different countries and next Tuesday we will get another new missionary from Brazil! Here they are with their companions. The new missionaries are on the left and their trainers are on the right. We wish them all the very best!

Otra Despedida--Our First 18-year-old American Elders!

It is that time again! Changes! And with every change comes a farewell and a welcome. We were so sad to see this group go home! Every group that leaves takes a part of our hearts with them. But as always we look forward to hearing about the great things they are doing at home.

This is a unique group in many ways. First off this group contained our first group of 18-year-old American elders. It also included missionaries from six different countries. One of the sisters broke her ankle during her mission and had to return home for three months so her mission was extended. And one of the elders provided one of our two worst days in the mission when his heart stopped beating for 5 minutes during surgery for appendicitis. He was revived but had some complications that took a few weeks to overcome.

And we love and will miss them all!

Final Transfer

Elder Collier--did not fill out the information sheet

Elder Baker Nuñez--Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Elder Alfonso Pacheco--Mexico, Mexico

Hermana Katherine Gónzalez--Bogotá, Colombia

Hermana Lizbeth Zárate--Monterrey, Mexico

Elder Dante Hernández--Chilpancingo, Mexico

Elder Carlos Domínguez--Chihuahua, Mexico

Elder Ty Olsen--Gilbert, Arizona

Elder Rodrigo Rodriguez--Guatemala, Guatemala

Elder Dalton Yorgason--Gilbert, Arizona

Elder Aldo Araya--Heredia, Costa Rica

Elder Colton Western--Rancho Cucamonga, California

Elder Joshua Arters--Sun Valley, Idaho

Week Three of Zone Conferences!

We finished this round of zone conferences with conferences in Tepic, Santiago Ixquintla and Puerto Vallarta. We were so impressed with the missionaries and their dedicated service! Here are some pictures from our time with them. As you can see, not all zones are created equal (size wize).

And here are the winners of the scripture chase! Good job! (And believe me the competition was pretty tough!)

As always we also celebrated birthdays for the first quarter of the year. Happy Birthday to all of you!

And a few random pictures . . . We are equal opportunity exercisers. All the zones got to do it!

 Two more of our fantastic sister training leaders teaching.

 Zone conferences always include a variety of activities, and a lot of practices!

 A little tie action.

 Group work.

 And a test!!

 I especially love this picture. The elder on the left is one of our current missionaries and the elder on the right is a former missionary. He spent the day with us and we loved having him there!

Next up--in a week--is changes and then we start interviews!

Zone Conferences Week 2

We met with these three zones this past week in zone conferences. For details on the conference you can scroll down to the previous post. 

Here are pictures from our week!

We had a great time with each zone and got to celebrate a lot of birthdays this round!

As always we had a scripture chase. This conference it was on the scriptures in the long lesson for lesson 2. Everyone did awesome, but only one person can be champion. Here are the champions from each zone. Congratulations to them all!


I have prizes for the winners but forgot to pack them this day. Poor Elder D only received M&M's. But I have his prize at home and will give it to him the very next time I see him!

And now just some random pictures from the three days. First, a little bit of group work!

 And of course there are always practices!

 And mail!

 And of some push ups!

 More group work--different zone.

 Along with Elder O's "thinker" pose.:-)

 Trying to get them out the door after the conference and back to work!~

 On Friday we were also treated to a visit from the area doctor and his wife who is a nurse! So thankful to have them serving a mission now in Mexico! And so fun to meet them! (The voice on the other end of the phone:-)

 So what do the assistants do when everyone else takes a break?

 The meals are usually provided by local Relief Society sisters, but today we ate Subway.

 The thoughtful part of the day.

 Two sister training leaders teaching their part.

 Obviously everyone has different levels of paying attention.:-)

 I loved seeing this at church today! At the conference it was suggested the missionaries have a service calendar for people who need the missionaries to help them can sign up. Two days later I saw this! I love it when the missionaries are immediately obedient!!

 Loved this picture. Mail break in the middle of sweeping! Or is that just multi-tasking?

This coming week--the north side of the mission!