ZONE CONFERENCE AT GADFIELD ELM

For our Zone Conference this transfer, we divided the missionaries in half, and took them on two separate days to Gadfield Elm Chapel--- by way of Benbow Farm and Pond, and Beacon Hill (or British Camp). It was a fun change of pace...I think the missionaries really enjoyed it. Some had been there before, for others it was their first opportunity to be in these places of significance in the history of our church.

Above are the missionaries from the Birmingham, Cheltenham, Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil Zones. Below are the missionaries from the Lichfield, Coventry, Leicester, and Nottingham Zones. They are standing in front of the Gadfield Elm Chapel, which was a chapel of the United Brethren in the 1830's. They turned it over to the LDS church when all of them had converted. Its the oldest chapel owned by church.

We hiked to the top of Beacon's Hill...some at a little faster pace than others! The view is incredible. This is where an historic meeting took place between Wilford Woodruff, Brigham Young, and Joseph Fielding.

Our assistants did a very interesting object lesson, and may I say, we women were all very proud of Sister Stillman.

We recognized birthdays, clean flats, strangest ailments. Discussed personable accountability. Learned more about the early Welsh and English saints who made the growth of the church possible, both here and in the United States. Ate a picnic lunch, and did lots of socializing and picture taking. It was a full and wonderful day!!!

VISITORS

We had a fun week last week with some special visitors. Bree came to spend a month with us, and one of our Sister missionaries who went home to Sweden a few weeks ago, came back with her parents and sister to visit.

Our missionary is the 2nd from the left...her name is Hanna Blomberg. We enjoyed her parents and her sister, Emily, so much. Fun, delightful people.

Sis. Blomberg (Hanna), Bree, and Emily

Two missionaries who needed to go home mid-transfer to get into school also came to the Mission Home for a farewell dinner...Sister Mitte from Germany, and Elder Dal Pozzo from Italy. We loved having a little time with them before they left. They were both wonderful missionaries!

TRANSFERS---ROUND TWO

This week was our second 'Transfers' experience. A little bigger and a little more involved than last time....this time there were 17 departing missionaries (last time there were 12), and 11 missionaries arriving (last time there were 6). Lots of excitement, lots of fun, lots of cooking for me, lots of prayer, interviews, and contemplation for President Ogden, and lots and lots of organization and just plain old hard work for our office couple, the Longs, and our Assistants, Elder Brower and Elder McOmber.

Our missionaries who have completed their 2 year service, and headed for home, are:

Sister Blomberg (Sweden), Sister Mitte (Germany), Sister Morris (California), Sister Cunha ( California)

Elder Sahlin (Sweden), Elder Larsen (Idaho), Elder Schilling (Germany), Elder Riggs (Utah), Elder Young (Nevada) , Elder Toolson (California), Elder Dixon (Arizona), Elder Batty (England), Elder Kunz (Idaho), Elder Napier (England), Elder Bodily (Utah), Elder Bearnson (Utah)

They are such a wonderful group of missionaries...we're really going to miss them. We know they all have such great potential, and should go on to many wonderful acheivements and adventures. We love them all, wish them much happiness, and thank them for their dedicated service.

Our new missionaries.....

...Sister Layton (Anchorage, Alaska), Elder Anderson (Grace, Idaho), Elder Breuer (Bremen, Germany), Elder Shrubb (Devonshire, England), Elder Pederson (St. George, Utah), Elder Brokatzky (Germany), Elder Mower (South Jordan, Utah), Elder Marks (Amarillo, Texas), Elder Stein (Ludswigburg, Germany), Elder Schmidt (Dresden, East Germany), Sister Strein (Ft. Collins, Colorado)Standing on "the wall" being welcomed by all of our missionaries who came in for Transfers.

After the grand welcome, cars, bikes, phones, flats, and companions are sorted out. Then they are ready to head out in the field. Some only travel a few miles to their areas, some an hour or two, and some go all the way down to Wales. But by that evening, they will all be having their first experience finding people to teach, or actually teaching people who are already investigating the church.

All of them... those arriving and those departing.... amaze us with their faith, dedication, and especially with their willingness to sacrifice this time in their lives to share the Gospel with the people of England and Wales.