Monday, March 25, 2013

March Missionary Update

We  had special training for all the sister missionaries in the mission in March. They absolutlely love being together.  Sometimes when you are the only companionship of sisters in a zone you can feel a little isolated from the other sisters in the mission.
Our present group of office elders.  We depend upon these elders to keep the mission running smoothly.  Our travel schedule takes us away from the office a lot so we depend upon these elders to keep things running smoothly in our absence.  Back row; Elder Canelo in the office for an injury, Elder Supulveda, sec. of records, Elder Baker, financial, Elder Carranza assistent.  Front row; Elder Hernanadez, supplies, Elder Crump personal secretary and Elder Uribe, assistent.
The office elders made my birthday very special this year. They gave me flowers which I love and this cake at zone leader council.  Don't you love the candle? 
Our present group of zone leaders.  Presently we have 14 zones. 
 This month we have specialized training.  Our focus is on
the role of the Holy Ghost in their lives and the lives of their investigators.
Zona Canto Grande
 Zona Magnolias
We are also teaching the need to always being looking for people to teach in every activity they do.  The stick is a representation of this concept.   
Zona Weisse
Tipical morning traffic in Lima.  Most morning we are on the road by 7 am to avoid rush hour.  Here five lanes are feeding into two lanes.  Too many cars and not enough mass transit is a bit problem of  a city of 10 million people. 
Zona Carabayllo
Zona Tahuantinsuyo
 Zona Independencia
Zona Comas
 Recently we were delighted to receive a senior couple to serve in our mission.  The Maynes are from New Mexico and will be serving a 2 year mission here.  The President has assigned then to serve in Tarapoto to help with leadership training of this district.  They will be fabulous!  They are
very excited to be serving in a jungle city. 
 The Maynes arrriving in Tarapoto.  We had a family home evening that night and 150 people came to meet them.  They are excited for the help and training they will receive from the Maynes.  Leadership training is a huge need in our districts.  The Church has not been established very long in many of the jungle cities so the need is great.
This in one of the church buildings they will be serving in in Tarapoto.
 Our specialized training continued in the city of Pucallpa.
Hermanas Rider and Rodrigez serve together.
 Zona Pucallpa.  In the middle you will see the president sitting next to his brother who came to visit our mission.  This is his first meeting with the missionaries.  Elder Truman and Elder Price translated for him.  Thank you elders. 
Elder Stephens and Elder Fonseca

 I keep telling the president we need one of these motos.  He is just trying out the seat to see if it would be a good fit.  The look on face is a good indication he might go for the idea.  The elders couldn't help but jump on and have some fun. 
 Zona Moyobamba
Zona Tarapoto

This is the board in the presidents office that organizes all the zones and places where the missionaries are serving.  Often times I walk into the office and find the president just siting there in a chair staring at the board thinking about the mission and the missioanries.  Every six weeks he meets with the assitents to determine where missionaries will be transferred to.  He receives input from the assistents but the ultimate decision is up to him about transfers.  He has a very sacred stewardship. 
He stands here with Elder Carranza for the last time.  Elder Carranza has served as an assistent for six months and will be transferred into the field to finish his mission.  This elder is a convert of three years and he has grown so much while serving in this assignment.  We love this young man as we do all our missionaries.