May 8, 2011

Dear Family and Friends, May 8, 2011

This week was change week so we welcomed new missionaries and said goodbye to others who were finishing their missions. Tuesday we welcomed Elders Bulkley from Montana, Garzon from Colombia,Kartchner from Arizona and Nielsen from California. They were all excited to get here and get to work. We picked them up at the airport and went to lunch and then the temple grounds to have our testimony meeting. We then went back to the mission office for orientation and interviews with president. After a quick dinner they went out to teach with the office elders.

Wednesday the new missionaries met their trainers and then they were off to their areas to work. We then took the 10 leaving missionaries out to lunch and then to the temple for a session. Afterwards we came to the mission home for dessert and a testimony meeting. Thursday we went to the airport two times to send off two groups of missionaries. The second group who were all North Americans met with disappointment as their flights were not coordinated well so they had to stay an extra day before they could fly home. They were good sports and the travel coordinator felt horrible for the problem with their flights. They all made it home but a day late.

Thursday was also Mark’s birthday. There just wasn’t time to celebrate with all the airport runs but he received some nice phone calls and emails. He had a meeting in the evening and the office elders put balloons and a sign in his car and gave him a huge can of Planters peanuts.

Saturday we went to Coronel Oviedo for a District conference Saturday and Sunday. We always enjoy seeing the missionaries at conferences and also the members that we are getting to know better and better. One of my friends is a young woman named Cielo who always comes and finds me and gives me a hug. She lost her mother 6 years ago and lives with her father and sister.

Before conference we held a meeting for new members and investigators that gave Mark a chance to get to know some of them a bit. There were a few great families in the group along with some young people. It is always nice to see families join the church. We need more good strong families who can help strengthen the branches and wards here.

Sunday we returned home and then I had a nice day speaking to all of our children and spouses and my Mom. We are grateful for the good mothers that our daughters and daughters in law are as they are raising their children with their husbands. We are grateful for our own mothers and the things we have learned from them throughout our lives. The missionaries were all happy they got to make their Mother’s Day phone calls. We know there were a lot of happy mothers as they were able to speak to their missionaries. Well, we hope you are all well and happy! Love, Mark and Sandy