JnJOgden

Saturday, May 14, 2011

An exciting month, with special visitors...Elder Patrick Kearon and his wife, Jennifer. Elder Kearon presided at our Zone Conferences this quarter. He and Sister Kearon gave powerful, inspiring messages to us and to our missionaries.

I wasn't smart enough to have a picture taken with us and the Kearons, but here they are with two of our Sisters...Sister Clark and Sister Hedemark. Sister Clark and Sister Kearon discovered that they are related.

This was taken at the Zone Conference down in Cardiff. Elder and Sister Crandall will be leaving us in a few short weeks. They have accomplished much in their 18 months here...we'll sure miss them.

With them are missionaries who were serving in the district with them...Elders Taylor, Brokatsky, Durfee, Sister Nadsady, Sister Perera, Elder Siegel, and Elder Mansfield.

May Transfers

These Elders arrived the transfer before we did, so I say we 'adopted' them as newborns. A few of this group had to leave last transfer due to expiring Visas. The Sisters, of course, came 18 months ago. They are:

Elder Smith from London, Elder Rapana from Australia, Elder Jensen from Utah, Elder Love from Utah, Sister Morgan from Blackwood, Wales, and Sister Nemec from Croatia (she was just baptized herself 3 years ago!)

GREENIE POWER!!!!

It's been three transfers since we got any greenies...we're so excited to have this amazing group.

They are: (L. to R. front row) Mucke (Germany), Kunz (Idaho), Cloward (Utah), Sims (Utah), Dalton (Utah), Whitehead (Utah), Sister Baker (Washington, Russia, China...etc.), Sister Stucki (California), Sister Filichia (Arizona)

(L. to R. back row:) Cole (Arizona), Wilkey (England), Callen (Idaho), Hutchings (Utah), Rogers (Texas), Johnson (Utah)

This is Elder Querubin (r.) with his trainer, Elder Dahl. Elder Querubin came to us last week...he was held up because of his Visa. We're so excited to finally get him here!

A FEW RANDOM SHOTS FROM TRANSFER DAY...

This is what we call a "Family Group" shot. Elder Luu trained Elder Clark (far left) Elder Roberts (center) and Elder MacGill (far right)....so they are referred to as his sons. Now Elder Clark is training Elder Kunz, so he will be Elder Luu's grandson. We have sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles...and on and on.

This is Sister and Elder Skiles...our new office couple....standing on the Rameumptom. They arrived the day before the mission tour, and the week before transfers. I'm not sure they know what hit them, but I'm pretty positive they haven't had a chance to catch their breath. We're excited to have them here!

Elder Guo...one of our Elders from China. He's a character!

Behind him you see Elder Von Brughan...our Elder who made such a miraculous recovery from a bike accident. He's a constant reminder to me of the power of the Priesthood, prayer and fasting.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

CATCHING UP....AGAIN

What a wonderful, terrible, joyful, busy, and miraculous transfer.

It all started February 22nd when we had a departing dinner for Sister Layton and Sister Strein. It was a bittersweet evening, because we also had to say goodbye to Elder Lowry. His asthma had gotten progressively worse and we couldn't keep him here anymore without jeopardizing his health. These are three very wonderful missionaries...we'll miss them so much!

After the dinner that evening, at about 10 o'clock, we got a call from Elder Von Brugan's companion Elder Von Brughan had taken a bad fall from his bike and had hit his head. He was being taken by ambulance to a hospital. We hurried out there. When we arrived, he was sedated and intubated. They thought they might have to do surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain. Fortunately, that didn't become necessary. At the transfer meeting the next morning, President Ogden asked all of the missionaries to join us in fasting and prayer for this Elder. We also learned that the Brethren in SLC were praying for him in the Temple. After a few days, he was on the road to recovery, and we were able to keep him here...truly a miracle.

Megan, Chris and their girls were here at that time....so they witnessed all of the drama. But we still had a wonderful time being with them again. We went to a farm, the Cotswolds, the church historical sites, Cardiff, the Museum of Welsh Life...all of the usual places we take our kids. We really enjoyed spending time with each of them, and seeing how much Emma and Taylor had grown.

(Taylor likes to do exactly the same thing that Emma does!)

A few days after the Adcock's left, our house was burglarized. We came down in the morning and first noticed that our laptop was gone. As we looked around the house, we noticed that my purse and Chuck's briefcase and scriptures were gone. Then we looked out the window. The driveway was EMPTY...they had taken our car. As they drove it out of the driveway, they had hit a big brick pillar. I realized then that I had heard the crash before I went to sleep...meaning I had been awake through the whole robbery.

Not a happy thought! Chuck was more heartbroken about his scriptures (that he has been reading and marking for 15 years) than anything else.

A week later, Brett's family came to visit us. Another wonderful time. We got to see little Chelsea for the first time. What a delightful baby girl! We enjoyed being reunited with all of them...it really didn't seem possible that it had been over a year and a half since we had seen them. Thank heaven for SKYPE!

Two days after they left, we had transfers again. As with the previous time, we had missionaries leaving but none coming. We're looking forward to welcoming some 'greenies' next transfer. Since none were coming this time, we had our departing missionaries stand on the 'Rameumptom' and tell where they've been serving, where they're going (in other words...where's home) and if they have a new companion waiting for them. We heard everything from 'mom and dad' and 'Megan Fox', to the Holy Spirit. A few were more honest and mentioned the name of a real girl!!!

Elder La Vita (South Africa), Elder Griffiths (Utah), Elder Williams (Utah), another Elder Williams (Utah), Elder Davies (England), Elder Christensen (Utah), Elder Broekman (Holland and Australia), Elder Sinclair (England), Sister Bioleome (Camaroon and Germany)

What a wonderful group!!!!

THE RAMEUMTOM

P.S. To all of our former missionaries...WE LOVE YOU...keep in touch!!!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The beginning of the year...our halfway mark...brought many changes to our mission. Elder and Sister Long, who have served in our office, completed their mission. They were here before we came, and kept things running smoothly and efficiently... finances, cars, and flats, to name a few of their many tasks.

We wish them well in all they do in the future.

The next week, we said goodbye to another dozen of our valiant missionaries.

(Front row, l.to.r.: Elder Seale (Utah), Elder Piredda (Italy), Elder Larsen (Arizona), Elder Worthington (Utah), Elder Halaufia (Florida). Back row, l to r.: Elder Moffett (Idaho), Elder Nylund (Sweden), Elder Nygaard (Washington), Elder Hummer (Utah), Elder Wangsgard (not leaving yet!), Elder Ackerman (California), Elder Zito (Italy).

We also said goodbye to Sister Van Eeden, going home to the Netherlands.

Bright and early the next morning, we received 11 new missionaries from the Preston MTC....

Elder Bradley (England), Elder Weihing---pronounced Wine (Utah), Elder Weichers...pronounced Wickers (California), Elder Setu (Australia), Elder Nasman (Finland), Elder MacGill (Colorado), Elder Fairbourn (Utah), Elder Blatter...pronounced Blotter (California), Elder Boehme...pronounced Bay-me (Arizona), Elder Schiller (Utah), Sister Toleafoa (Utah).

We also had Sister Mee come to us from Manchester to work in our office...what an amazing woman!!!

And Elder and Sister Tufts came to run the Center for Young Adults. They are going to be such a blessing to the Young Adults in the Birmingham area. This is truly an inspired program if ever there was one!!!

We will miss our missionaries who have gone home...we feel privileged to have worked beside them. We welcome the wonderful new missionaries who are already hard at work and having great experiences. What a wonderful experience this is for us.

Friday, January 7, 2011

HOLIDAYS 2010

What an exciting Holiday Season! Alisa's family arrived the day before Thanksgiving. We broke with tradition a little... but did eat our Thanksgiving dinner at a 'traditional' English carvery. The food's not quite as good as homemade...but it sure is a lot easier, and cheaper as well.

It was icy cold the whole time they were here, but these Arizona kids enjoyed playing in the snow.

We took them to St. Fagan's Museum of Welsh Life (above), Warwick Castle, Cardiff, and the Church historical sites within our mission. Here they are at Benbow Pond....

They were excited to be here for our December Transfers. No one was going home at this time, and we welcomed just three new missionaries...Sister Whitaker from Nevada, and Elders Tulip and Roberts from England. They are a great additon to the EBM. Elder Tulip's uncle was a past president of this mission...President Munday...so he was no stranger to the Mission Offices or Mission Home.

Here they are on the Rameumptom....joined by Elder Brooke from England on the far left (he came mid transfer), and Elder Larsen from Arizona in the middle. Elder Larsen goes home this next transfer, but told us that since he had come in between transfers, he never got to stand on the Rameumptom....... it was his last chance!

Our other Arizona kids...Jacy's family... came on December 15th. This was the first time Papa had seen little Kendall...now 17 months old. How wonderful to have them with us for Christmas.

This picture was taken in one of my favorite villages in the Cotswolds...Bourton on the Water. Even the name of the town oozes with charm.

We've heard this has been the coldest winter in England in more than 30 years...I believe it!!! But these kids enjoyed the novelty of snow as well.

How do you like their President and Sister Ogden snowmen???

It was fun for them to be here for our annual EBM Christmas Party. (They were also a HUGE help to me.)

The most entertaining part of the day is the Talent show. I wish I could put up a video of the whole show...it was a fabulous variety of talent...amazing, crazy, funny, and beautiful!

Elder Walton and Seale did a great job as Emcees. Our "Islanders" did the Haka dance. Elder and Sister Henry showed us talents we didn't know they had! We had vocal, violin, double bass, piano, guitar, and harmonica solos...one Elder even played the harmonica through his nose! We had beat boxing, break dancing and ballet dancing (I use that term loosely!). We even had a magic act. What a talented and creative goup of missionaries. They are so much fun!!!

The only unfortunate thing was that, along with all of the missionaries, we had lots of unwanted guests. Germs of all kinds spreading through the crowd. Sunday and Monday after Christmas, my phone was ringing non-stop with calls from sick missionaries. I think in the end, we had more than half the mission out sick. The good thing was that most of them recovered quickly, and at this time, we're pretty much back to a full complement of healthy missionaries...all ready to make 2011 the best year ever in the ENGLAND BIRMINGHAM MISSION!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF OUR DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS...

Friday, November 12, 2010

The third week in October, we had our annual Mission Presidents Seminar in Dresden, Germany. Because it ran from a Tuesday through Friday, and fell on our Transfer week, we received our new missionaries on Monday, Oct. 17th. The previous evening, we had our three departing Elders for dinner and a testimony meeting.

Elder Leeper went home to Basingstoke, England, Elder Clancy to Dundee, Scotland, and Elder Westwood was alone as he flew back to his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. We really miss these three fine Elders.

On Monday, we were so happy to receive into our mission (L. to R.) Elder Anderton from Norfolk, England, Elder Burgess from Utah, Sister Hedemark from Sweden, and Sister Rose from Iowa (and Utah),

In addition, a week before they came, we finally got Sis. Lauritzen here. She was supposed to come in June, but injured her knee in the MTC. She had surgery, and has been undergoing rehab. We were so thrilled to get the call that she was finally able to come. She comes from my home state of California.

(Sister Pope and Sister Lauritzen are reunited. They were companions in the MTC.)

The new Elders and Sisters stand on the "Rameumptom" for a rousing welcome. To the far left is Elder Holland. He arrived in our mission between transfers. I don't know where to say he is from...he's lived in 17 different places!

The next day, we were off to Germany. We got a VERY early start...in other words, had to get up in the middle of the night to get to the airport in time. A pleasant flight, then we arrived in the beautiful and historic city of Dresden.

We stayed in the lovely Steigenberger Hotel in the middle of a cobbled plaza. We were surrounded by the history of the Reformation...including a statue of Martin Luther.

Of course, we're never any farther from our missionaries than the telephone! Our Assistants did a good job of diverting as many calls as they could, but I don't think Pres. Ogden would know what to do if he had a day without ANY calls!

We had a little time for sightseeing...fortunately there was much to see right around our hotel.

(Wouldn't you know I'd have a McDonald's cup in my hand...)

We were also able to go to the Freiberg Temple. Since many of our missions don't have Temples within their boundaries, they always plan these seminars near a Temple, so we can at least go once a year. There was a wonderful surprise for us when we arrived at the Temple. Our Elder Brokatzky's parents came to meet us and brought us a lovely gift...a traditional German Christmas decoration.

The best part of the Seminar was the wonderful instruction by our Area Presidency...Elder Kopischke, Elder Causse, Elder Texeira, and also Elder Kevin Pearson of the Seventy. We were so inspired and uplifted...so much insight to share with our missionaries. It was wonderful as well to spend time with the other mission presidents...especially the ones we came out with.

A busy---wonderful---week!