Elder Oaks!! Our visit with an apostle

It was one of the spiritual highlights of this mission. To have a prophet of God take your hand, look you in the eye and fill your soul with love is a life changing experience. Every missionary will remember this the rest of their lives. We had pictures taken as zones with Elder Oaks. I won't name everyone in every picture so look hard for your missionary. After the picture we met in the chapel and listened for 15 minutes to Elder Ingram, an area authority who was Elder Oaks companion. We then were taught pure doctrine on receiving revelation for an hour by Elder Oaks. As he neared the end of the talk he paused and said, "The spirit whispers to me that Elder Ingram has something to say. Elder Ingram will you take a few minutes and tell us what just came into your head?" It was an electrifying moment. Elder Ingram stood and was a little flustered. He indeed had an experience that he had remembered which he shared. We learned by doctrine and example.

GAINESVILLE ZONE

The front row in every picutre is Elder Osborn - Assistant to the President, President and Sister Padgett, the 2nd counselor in the mission presidency, Sister and President Barry, Elder Oaks, Elder and Sister Ingram, the Zone Leaders of the pictured zone, this one is Elder Baker and Elder Perez, and Elder Pelo - Assistant to the President


JAX EAST ZONE - Elder Zabriskie, Elder Murray are Zone Leaders



JAX SOUTH ZONE - Elder McFarland, Elder Jacobs - Zone Leaders

JAX WEST ZONE - Elder Jackson, Elder Aiono - Zone Leaders

LAKE CITY ZONE - Elder Bishop and Elder Wilkey are the zone leaders.  They are on the ends of the middle row.

COUPLE MISSIONARIES

KINGSLAND ZONE - Zone Leaders are Elder Blackmer and Elder Wadsworth

Comings and Goings

This is a small group of missionaries leaving. It's hard to see them go. They have served diligently and the Lord is pleased with their work. Thank you so much.

Elder Harper, Elder Harding, Elder Fetty, Sister Curley

Dinner is finished.  They are comfortable, happy and ready to go home! 

Elder Fetty meeting his mother.  She came to pick him up.

Transfer Meeting

As part of transfer meeting the trainers introduce their new companions to everyone. They tell where they are from, about their family and what qualities they have that will make them a great missionary.


Elder McFarland and Elder Jacobs (not pictured) are trainers for Elder Schuyler.



Elder Weaver is training Elder Crawford

Elder Knudsen will be trained by Elder Jackson and Elder Aiono.

Elder Blackmer and Elder Wadsworth will be training Elder DiCristofano

Elder Chadwick is being trained by Elder Huntsman

Elder Webster is being trained by Elder Preator

Elder Wilkey will be training Elder Smith with Elder Bishop

Elder Frizzell is companions with Elder Failner who will train him

I have talked a little about our goal for the year.  900 baptisms with 80% retention as we shepherd everyone to the temple.  We had this banner made and everyone will write the names of the people that are baptized throughout the year.  Sister Feltwell was the first to put a name on the banner.  We are excided to fill it up.
Thank you to Elder Pelo's father who supplied us with the banner.  We love all of the missionary's families for their love and support.

Elder Dyerly and Elder Mackey

Elder Smith just arrived in the mission on Monday.  At transfer meeting he saw a familiar face - Elder Waechtler.  They had been best friends in 5th grade and hadn't seen each other since...until now!!  It was quite a reunion.

We love you Elder Bishop!



Elder Grant and Elder Summers.  They are like Captain Moroni.    "if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever;"   We have a mission full of missionaries like Moroni.



Elder Fuller, Elder Jamison, Elder Neville

Elder McFarland, Elder Schuyler, Elder Jacobs.  Each zone has made a banner that tells their goals and to rally around.  They were wonderful.  This is the JAX South zone leaders and new missionary.



Elder Toney, Elder Jackson



This is JAX East's banner.  Elder Aiono (zone leader), Elder Wily, Sister Fitu



Sis. Shepherd, Sis. LaJeunesse, Sis. Joslin, Sis, Hafslund, Sis Pedersen, Sis. Surtees



Welcome to FJM

Fresh from the MTC, these 8 new missionaries will add much to help this mission.  They come to us from all over the country, they have varied backgrounds but they are united in their determination to be valiant and faithful missionaries. 



Top:  Elder Crawford, Elder Smith, Elder Schuyler, Elder Knudsen
Bottom:  Elder Chadwick, Elder DiCristofano, Elder Frizzell, Elder Webster



MISSION PRESIDENT SEMINAR

Once a year there is a 3 day mission president seminar. We are taught and fed spiritually by great leaders. It was wonderful to meet with 26 other mission presidents and wives. They are wonderful people and it was a joy to talk 'shop' and realize missions are the same everywhere.



Front Row:  Elder and Sister Gibbons, a 70.  President Rasband - Senior President of the 70's. President and Sister Gonzales, a president of the 70's. Sister and Brother Allen, Managing Director of the Mission Department



"Man I look so good in this picture"

This is Zone Leader Council Meeting, again. This meeting is held monthly and it feels like we have it weekly. I asked Elder Osborn (the assistant) to take a picture since I couldn't attend the meeting. He sent it to me by email with the "Title" as you see it above. 
 I think they all look pretty good.  We love them all. 

Standing:  Elder Wilkey, Elder Murray, Elder Taft, Elder Toney,
Elder Blackmer, Elder McFarland, Elder Perez, Elder Aiono,
Elder Osborn, (the humble one), President Barry
Kneeling:  Elder Pelo, Elder Bishop, Elder Failner, Elder Jackson, Elder Zabriskie

Notice the numbers on the white board. That is our goal for 2011

as a mission, stakes and wards.

900 baptisms with 80% retention with our ultimate goal to

 "shepherd the people" to the temple.

It's 'Next Time"

On the post of January 4 titled "Crazy Mission" Patty Cox commented that her son didn't make it to the mission picture. "Maybe next time" she said. So this is 'next time'.

President Barry and I went to the most remote town in the mission yesterday, Chiefland, to speak in their ward and visit with members. Elder Cox and Elder Banner serve there and are loved so much by the members. They are having amazing success in that little town.

We had dinner with the Judah family. They feed the missionaries every Sunday. I'm surprised with all that love and good food that the elders are not gaining weight.

They must be working hard.



Left to Right standing:  Brittany Harrison, Julie Harrison, Alan Harrison,

 Denise Harrison (daughter of Bro. & Sister Judah), Christopher Harrison and Elder Banner.

Sitting:  Sister Judah, Brother Judah and Elder Cox

Thank you, Brother and Sister Judah, for the good food and wonderful southern hospitality.

Called to Serve - Senior Missionaries

We met together tonight as the 'old' people of the mission to get to know each other, to have couple missionary training and to enjoy a good meal.  We came together as fellow servants of Christ and left feeling uplifted and filled with love for each other and our Savior. 

These are powerful missionaries.  

You will not find any finer, devoted missionaries in the church then this group of senior couples. They add a stability to the wards and branches in which they serve for the members and the missionaries.

Thank you, dear friends, for your service.



Left to Right:  Elder and Sister Banks serving in the Whitehouse Ward.  Elder and Sister Stills serving in the Cross City Branch.  Elder and Sister Shirley serving in the office.  Elder and Sister Yorgesen serving a CES mission on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville.  Elder and Sister Deal serving in the Crescent City Branch.  Elder and Sister Kellett serving in the office. 



Crazy Mission

I know this is hard to see but I had to add the crazy picture that was taken at our mission conference. If you can make it bigger you will enjoy the real personalities of our missionaries. We love them all!!!

"Every Member a Bird-Dogger"

This is William, Needa and Billy Hamilton. Elder Hunstman and Elder Allen had the privilege of teaching them. They became interested when William's business partner (a member) invited them to read the Book of Mormon and meet with the missionaries. There are many stories such as this in this mission and around the world.

The most effective way to reach people and bring them to the truth is to have every member be involved. Share what you know with others. Elder Hartman Rector Jr. once said, "Every member a bird-dogger". President Barry teaches that when we stop praying that missionaries will find those who are ready to hear the gospel and start praying that we as members will find those who are ready then the work will explode. Members are to find, missionaries are to teach.