A NEW YEAR....A NEW CHALLENGE

Transfers

Elder McOmber turns over the 'Keys of the Assistants' to Elder Hallows in preparation for his departure.

The ones we lost...Elder Peteru (Australia), Elder Briggs (Utah), Elder Carroll (Wisconsin/Arizona), Elder Israelson (Utah), Elder McOmber (Idaho), Elder Gee (England.

Each of them made a wonderful contribution to this mission...we're so thankful to have known them. We're excited to see what great things they'll accomplish as they move ahead.

The weather here was so bad, their flight was delayed a day.

In January, we were pleased to welcome back Elder Wangsgard who had been home for a while for medical reasons. We're so happy they sent him back to EBM...he had a reputation as a great missionary.


Zone Conference

This past week, we've had our first Zone Conferences for 2010. The leadership of the Mission shared a vision for the coming year of maintaining the high rate of baptisms we've had (720 in 2009), but improving on keeping them as active members of the Church. This will take a lot of diligence and hard work...we have about 25% fewer missionaries now than were in the mission at the beginning of 2009. But we know they can do it. It is wonderful to work with such choice young men and women.

Elder Callister and Elder Zito training the Lichfield Zone.

Elder D'Ottavio and Elder Richter doing training with the Cardiff Zone.

Elders Blackwood and Westwood of the Coventry Zone...

Elder Stevenson and Jette had a unique approach in teaching their Zone. Elder Olson and Elder Duke have 'angels around them'. (Elder Stevenson remarked, "You should have seen the strange looks we got in 'Claire's' yesterday!")

President does a role play with Sister Kawakami and Sister Kochet.

Zone Leaders of Leicester...Elder Davidson and Elder Perry (far right) with Elders Atchley and Haslem.

Shortly after Zone Conferences, we welcomed two new missionaries. They are Elder Bray from England, and Elder Krywult from Austria.

INTERVIEWS

For the past few weeks, we've been visiting the eight zones so that President Ogden could conduct interviews. Elder Hallows and Elder Wark (our new Assistant) used a wonderful object lesson in showing the importance of making the first time at church a positive experience for our investigators. They gave each companionship an egg (which represented someone they had invited to church), and asked how the visitors might enjoy it if they were just 'dropped in'. (They demonstrated this by dropping an egg into a trash can which represented the church.) Then they gave the missionaries a few supplies consisting of small amounts of paper, plastic cups, and tape (these things represented a ride, someone to greet them and sit with them, an introduction to the Bishop, etc)....and let them see if their visitor was 'cushioned' enough to enjoy the experience! Creative ideas were flowing...

Unfortunately, so were alot of egg yolks!!!

Transfers, Thanksgiving, Mission Tour, Interviews, Parties, Christmas...and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

BUSY, BUSY MONTH!!!

First...TRANSFERS...

Our departing missionaries...

Sister Russell (Nevada), Elder Baham (Utah), Elder Skidmore (Idaho), Elder Booth (England), Elder Kolste (Utah), Elder Bohn (Arizona), Elder Rawlings (Utah), Elder Berg (Utah), and Elder Tincher (Utah) left us. We love them and miss them already!
Our new missionaries are Elder Whillans (England), Elder Benthin (Denmark), Sister Morgan (Wales), and Elder O'Brien (England). They're already hard at work, teaching, and even baptizing.

The day after Transfers was Thanksgiving...

with our wonderful couple missionaries...the Longs (office), Karrens (CES), and Cables (CES)...

...the Fells (Church History missionaries) and the Byers (proselyting missionaries).

Wonderful, dedicated, self-sacrificing people!!!

The second week in December, we were privileged to have Elder Texeira (a member of our Area Presidency) come for a mission tour. His instruction to us and to our missionaries was so wonderful, and very helpful. I know all of the missionaries loved being instructed and uplifted by him.

The next week, we had another small group of new missionaries come in. This intermediate transfer was due to the holidays. We received a new couple, the Crandall's from Mesa, and three other missionaries. Elder Cadwallater from California, Sister Nemec from Croatia, and Elder Luu from Washington.

Elder Luu , Elder Cadwallader, Sister Nemec, and the Crandalls from Mesa, Arizona!!!

Any spare minute I've had this month has been spent on planning a Christmas celebration for our missionaries. It was a lot of fun...I hope it helped to make being away from home a littler easier for them.

First...MISSION JEOPARDY with Elder McOmber and Elder Hallows...

Then...a YUMMY DINNER...

...A TALENT SHOW...

Elder Clancy as Emcee

(I had some pipe chimes made so we could continue our family's Christmas Eve tradition.)

What fun and talented young men and women! We finished the evening with a presentation of the Nativity in song and scripture. It was a wonderful time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ENGLAND BIRMINGHAM MISSION!!!!!!!

FUTBOL

This past week, we had our semi-annual football/soccer games.

Our five northern zones played in Leamington Spa, and our three southern zones played in Cardiff---in the shadow of the Cardiff Castle. Since we were in Wales the day before doing interviews, we stayed there and watched the Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and Cheltenham Zones play each other. We've decided that next time, we'll do them on different days, so we can see all of the teams (Zones) play. It was a lot of fun...but it was so cold, I felt like a block of ice by the time it was over.

CHELTENHAM ZONE

CARDIFF ZONE

(The loser from the previous tournament wears pink!)

MERTHYR TYDFIL (The Victor!!!)

The Sisters of Cheltenham, Cardiff, and Merthyr Tydfil

In the North end of the mission, the following teams competed:

NOTTINGHAM ZONE

BIRMINGHAM ZONE

LEICESTER ZONE

(Leicester won the 'fashion award'!)

Sadly, no one took a picture of the Coventry or Lichfield Zones all together...and Lichfield was the WINNER!!!
We heard that Elder Pearce (in the tutu) was a big part of the reason that Lichfield won the tournament in the North...apparently they lost last year!

A few pictures of the Coventry players...

This is such a funny picture, because it looks like an Elder has his arm around Sister King. But if you look closely, you can see Sister McGarvey between she and the Elder...Sis. McGarvey has the plain grey hat...the Elder next to her has a patterned hat.

I spent the whole day trying to keep warm!!!

It was a fun day...the missionaries loved a chance to compete in a totally non-competetive way!

(We're not supposed to be competetive in the Mission!!!)

P.S. Elder Wilkins mom emailed me this picture of the WINNING TEAM--Lichfield Zone!!!

FALL

It's so nice to live in a place that actually has seasons. (Well, I'm not sure they have summer...but I don't mind sacrificing that particular season!) We've really been enjoying the changing colors and cool, clear days.

We spent the last week in Zone Conferences. After we went to Cardiff to meet with the Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, and Cheltenham Zones, we drove way out to the coast to spend a night in Aberwythswyth. We were speaking to the M.T. Stake Youth Conference. I'd never been to that part of Wales before...its very beautiful.

At Zone Conferences, the Assistants did a great object lesson for the missionaries.

President Ogden may have the keys to the mission...he may steer it...

..but the missionaries determine how "fast" it will go...

We need everyone!


Aberwythswyth, Wales

Two weeks ago, our Wylde Green Ward had a Talent Show as a ward/missionary activity. The Missionaries in the Lichfield Zone provided about half of the musical numbers. We have so many talented missionaries in this mission. It was so much fun to see them perform the beautiful hymns of our church.

OCTOBER TRANSFERS

The TRANSFER of the KEYS...

(Elder Brower to Elder McOmber)

The TRANSFER-ing OUT of our six departing missionaries...

(Pres. and Sis. Ogden, Elders Forbes, Davis, Brower, Rose, and Walker...and Sis. Bannister)

The TRANSFER-ing IN of our seven new missionaries...

Pres. Ogden, Elder Duke (Arkansas), Elder Cyron (Germany), Elder Magpanty (Phillipines and Germany), Sister Bioleome (Africa and Germany), Elder Andersson (Finland), Elder Wang (China), Elder Leung (China), and Sister Ogden.

We always say goodbye to our departing missionaries with a little bit of sadness (well, maybe more than a little bit). We're so proud of them...and happy for their families to have them back...but we will miss them. They're a great group. They've accomplished so much, and have been worthy examples to the younger missionaries.

We're excited to welcome our new missionaries. They're enthusiastic and excited, and all are off to a good start. As you can see, we have a very International group this time!!! Its wonderful!

I have to show off my "girls"...all fifteen of them in the same place.

Sister missionaries from Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Holland, Italy, Scotland, Australia, Austria, Africa, Germany, and the Ukraine.

They are AMAZING women!!!