OTHER VIEWS

While President Ogden does interviews with each individual missionary, the Assistants to the President and I enjoy spending time with the other missionaries.  They receive training, share ideas, socialize, and EAT!!!

We've just finished interviews for this transfer.  I love the opportunity of getting to know all of the missionaries better.

THE LAST MONTH OF OUR FIRST YEAR

For our interview meetings this transfer,

Elder Jette and Elder Stevenson demonstrated for the missionaries the GOOD (and not so good!), the BETTER, and the BEST way to conduct
themselves at dinner appointments.

They are always interesting, informative...and amusing!

The Elders in the Nottingham 

Zone wanted pictures of their 
Districts.  All cameras were 
set on auto, and ready to 
GO...                                                   

The picture to the left is the Derby District, and the one below is the Lincoln District... 

These Elders are not only diligent and hard working... but they're a lot of fun as well! 

TRANSFERS

On June 16th we had Transfers.  We said goodbye to 9 Elders, and 2 Sisters.  We had a wonderful meeting with them their last night here.  Heard beautiful testimonies, and regretfully said goodbye. What a great group!!!

Elder Hickman (Arizona), Elder McKay (Utah), Elder Hutchinson (Idaho), Elder Olsen (Utah), Elder Newbury (Utah), Elder Wood (Utah), Elder Atchley (Iowa), Elder Mackay (Utah), Elder Pearce (UK), Sister Kawakami (Utah), Sister Costagliola (Italy).

OUR GREENIES

This time of year (summer), we

seem to get large groups in...and they're mainly from the U.S.  I guess that has to do with the University schedule in the States. 

Elder Jenkins (Idaho), Elder Lowry (Canada), Elder Baxter (Louisiana), Elder Christiansen (Utah), Elder Walton (California), Elder Clark (Idaho), Elder Garroway (Scotland), Elder Tonga (New Zealand), Elder Pavan (Canada), Elder Von Brughan (South Africa), Elder Morrissey (Idaho), Elder Hanks (Utah), Elder Siegel (Utah), Elder Wright (Arizona), and Elder Yaskell (Alaska).

We've already seen great things from these Elders!!!

FRACTURED TRANSFERS...

Due toVisas expiring early, and volcanos spewing forth...our transfer schedule was quite complicated this past month.

Elder Patterson (from Vancouver Island) had to leave a week ahead of his group.  Once in a while, we have a situation where a Visa expires a little too

early. 

We enjoyed spending an evening with him before he left...a wonderful young man!

The following week, the rest of the group got ready

for their departure.  We had our traditional dinner

in the Mission Home, followed by a wonderful

Fireside Testimony Meeting.   

This is the largest group we've ever had leave at the same time.  The first row:  Elder Covington (Orem, Utah), Elder Wright (Boise, Idaho), Elder Williams (Las Vegas, Nevada), Sister Martinec (Las Vegas, Nevada), Sister Winn (Ephraim, Utah), Elder Largesse (Las Vegas, Nevada), Elder Jagoda (Oroville, Calif.), Elder Busch (Peoria, Arizona), Elder Anderson (Tulsa, Oklahoma)  Second Row:  Elder Jameson (Payson, Utah), Elder Haslem (Neola, Utah), Elder White (Logan, Utah), Elder Blackwood (Reading, England), Elder Hill (Idaho Falls, Idaho), Elder Chamberlain (Lehi, Utah), Elder Spence (Oak City, Utah), Elder Ott (West Valley City, Utah), Elder Wilkins (Colorado and Utah), Elder Brooksby (Glenville, N.Y.)  What a wonderful group!  As you can imagine, losing so many missionaries at one time caused a huge change in our mission.  We miss them, but we're excited for all of the wonderful experiences they have in store for them 'as they move forward'.  (President Ogden's catch phrase!)

These are the three new missionaries who were able to get to the Preston MTC (and on to us) on schedule...Elder Mathie, Sister McKelvie, and Sister Babbage.  It was easy for the Sisters, since they are both from England.  Elder Mathie flew here all the way from New Zealand.  We still haven't figured out how he managed to get here on time amidst cancelled flights, and airports being shut down!  They were supposed to be part of a group of 13 new missionaries coming to our mission.

Elder Anderson, one of our departing missionaries, was actually supposed to leave in June.  He, too, had Visa issues.  He left sometime in the middle of all of this...I'm so confused now, I really can't remember exactly when...

The next week, we received the rest of the greenies (well almost...Sister Lauritzen injured her knee in the Provo MTC...hopefully, we'll see her next transfer!)  When these missionaries were unable to fly to the UK, they entered the MTC in Provo where they received their training.  But this set them back a week.

Sister Clark from California arrived first.  She had actually entered the MTC ahead of the rest, and was sent to work in Colorado Springs until her Visa came through.  She was there a whole week!  She was scheduled to arrive at the same time as the other eight, but unfortunately, their flight was delayed for several hours.

Finally, a group of travel weary Elders-and one Sister-arrived at the Birmingham Airport.

We were so happy to welcome them all to the England Birmingham Mission.

Elder Dahl (Gilbert, Az.-- nephew of our friends, John and Mylie Dahl), Elder Card (Lehi, Utah), Elder Reed (Clearfield, Utah), Elder Powell (Gunnison, Utah), Elder Leyba (Blackfoot, Idaho), Elder Brown (Alberta, Canada), Elder Ruesch (St. George, Utah), and Sister Pope (Logan, Utah).

So, now...all of our trainers have their babies.  Everyone is back to work, and our greenies have experienced their first Zone Conference. 

                                                              

I don't know how long the Assistants will be able to keep coming up with new ways to immortalize the "passing of the keys"...every transfer they come up with something!

(Elder Blackwood and Elder Jette)

President Ogden

Post by Todd Ogden -

What a great trip to England! Thanks to all the missionaries for setting an amazing example for my kids. I just wanted to post this one picture from British Camp. What a beautiful country.

SEASONS

SPRING...

Our tree is covered with blossoms, and beautiful flowers are blooming everywhere...

And best of all...

The new baby lambs...

******************************************************

On a sadder note...

The Byers are leaving us... ...heading home to Oregon. Wonderful people, who...like our other Senior couples...use this SEASON of their lives to make such an important contribution! We will miss them so much...

*****************************************************

And the SEASON for MISSION FOOTBALL is here again...

The three southern zones played in Cardiff...

Sisters of the Cheltenham and Merthyr Zones...

CHELTENHAM

Zone

In PINK because they lost last time...

(There may be a reason for this!!! )

(What sport are we playing?)


CARDIFF
Zone
AND...the WINNER for the South end of the Mission...

MERTHYR TYDFIL


Meanwhile, on a field up in COVENTRY...

another tournament is taking place.

A group of missionaries from the UK...

A picture of all of our German missionaries who serve in the Northern half of the Mission...

(only Elder Magpantay and Elder Heller were missing...)

The Sisters of Coventry, Lichfield, Birmingham, and Leicester...

LEICESTER
Zone

LICHFIELD

Zone

COVENTRY

Zone

NOTTINGHAM
Zone

And the WINNER of the northern zones...

BIRMINGHAM!!!

HAPPY SPRING FROM THE ENGLAND BIRMINGHAM MISSION...

CATCHING UP

MARCH

We had our own version of March Madness in the EBM. At Interviews, the AP's tried to stir up competition between the districts...

They whispered to the opposing district leaders things such as "Elder Olsen said you couldn't give away a Book of Mormon if it had twenty quid strapped to it"...or "Elder Spence said you couldn't stop 90 year old lady on crutches!"

"I don't know...that's just what I heard!"

TRANSFERS

Here are the missionaries who left us last week...

Elder Brandenberg (The Netherlands), Elder Burri (Switzerland), Elder D'Ottavio (Italy), Elder Wark (Scotland), Elder Koyle (Idaho), Elder Nimer (Utah), Elder Rudd (Utah), Elder Grover (Washington), Sister King (Utah), Sister Zechmann (Austria)

Elder Wark passes the keys of the Assistants to Elder Blackwood.

Elder Langner (below) was part of this group, but had to leave a week earlier to get home for his brother's wedding.

Our brand new Elders and Sister...the biggest group we've ever had come in!!!

Front row: Elder Price (England), Elder Salmans (Utah), Elder Durfee (Oregon), Sister Kottambagahagedara (Sri Lanka), Elder Stoddard (Idaho), Elder Steed (Utah), Elder Hinkle (Arizona), Elder Howe (Arizona), Elder Cauffman (Wyoming)

Back row: Elder Knecht (Utah), Elder Lindstrom (Utah), Elder Ercanbrack (Utah), Elder Beus (Utah), Elder Brewer (New Mexico) , Elder Habicht (Germany), Elder Mathews (Arizona), Elder Haider (Utah), Elder Prestwich (Oregon).

(Hope I got them right...its hard to see those faces!!!)

Being introduced to everyone.

Elder Hill trying to find a buyer for his bike.

Another special event this month was having Todd's family come for a visit. This picture of them was taken from on top the Cardiff Castle.

I was especially happy to have them here on the morning of transfers. Todd made pancakes for all the the greenies. Everyone agreed, they were the best pancakes ever. Max and Cassidy are really growing up. Since we missed their 12th birthday in February, and Max's ordination to the Priesthood, he and Chuck passed the sacrament together in our Wylde Green Ward on Sunday.