Our loss

I know I say this every transfer but it is harder and harder to say good-bye to our missionaries. I feel like I just put my own child into the MTC. This is a powerhouse group that is leaving. Some have been leaders of the mission and all are very obedient and successful missionaries. We love you all and pray that you will be Disciples of the Master - now and forever.



Back Row:  Elder Gillis, Elder Perez, Elder Olsen, Elder Zabriskie
Front Row:  Elder Doehler, Elder Blair, Elder Rivera, Elder McFarland, Elder Frampton



Welcome to humidity, elders

Here are the newest missionaries to the Florida Jacksonville Mission. By the time they left the air conditioned terminal walked to the curb, put their luggage in the trailer, about 3 minutes, there was sweat rolling down their faces. They will get used to it.  This is a great group.  We are impressed with their maturity and excitment to work. 

After an hour of training at the Mission Office they come to the mission home for dinner. They are usually very hungry.



Clockwise around the table:  President and Sister Spackman, he is the stake president for the JAX East Stake, Elder Jacobs, Elder Aiono, they are the Assistants to the President, Sister and Elder Banks, mission office couple, Elder Nicholson, Elder Haw, Elder Gebhard, Elder Ramstedt



President Barry, Elder Salvesen, Elder Jensen, Elder Garnica, Elder Riggs



This is their official arriving picture.  Don't they look great? 
Back Row: Elder Jensen, Elder Ramstedt, Elder Salvesen, Elder Gebhard,
Front Row:  Elder Haw, Elder Nicholson, Elder Garnica, Elder Riggs



Zone Conferences

THE BOOK OF MORMON - OUR #1 TOOL!
Zone Conferences are an exciting time. Since we only do them every three months we try to make them powerful...as I think about it everything in the mission is powerful. It seems the Spirit accompanies everything we do. It was no different for the zone conference. We held 3 zone conferences and 2 zones attended each conference. Each zone has their own banner they have created to rally around. They have set a zone baptism goal with their wards and are working hard with the members to reach that goal.

We focused this zone conference and this month's goals on using the Book of Mormon as our #1 tool. We navigate all teaching, testifying and answering questions of the soul with the Book of Mormon. All the teaching, demonstrating and role plays were focused on that theme. It was a revelatory experience for everyone.

JAX East and Kingsland Zones

Our second day of zone conferences was held for the JAX East and Kingsland Zones. Both zones were not able to bring their banners so they used our mission banner to rally around. These are powerful zones. The conference was held at the Kingsland Georgia Stake Center.

JAX East Zone

Kingsland Zone



New couples in the mission!  Left to Right: Sister and Elder Elliot arrived here 10 days ago and are serving in Jesup, GA. Elder and Sister Banks are our office couple and Elder and Sister Barrus are a military relations couple serving on the Mayport Naval Base.  Thanks for all you do to serve. 

Elder Wilcox, Elder Graham, Elder Wily, Elder Murray, Elder Frizzell, Elder Aiono

Sister Hafslund, Sister Pedersen, Sister Surtees, Sister Fitu, Sister Waddoups, Elder Lyman, Elder Bagley, Sister Rule

Elder Jacobs, Elder Perez, Elder McArthur, President Barry, Elder Woodard



Elder Frampton, Elder Webb, Elder Rowley, Elder Holcombe, Sister Cutler, Sister LaJeunesse

Elder Bigelow, Elder Waechtler, Elder Hinton, Elder Tenney, Elder Turner

Elder Wadsworth, Elder Craig, Elder Taylor, Elder Day, Elder Pelo, Elder Blair, Elder Parker



My Sisters:  Sister Cutler, Sister, Rule, Sister Pedersen, Sister, Surtees, Sister Fitu, Sister Hafslund, Sister LaJeunesse, Sister Barry, Sister Waddoups in the front.



Elder Howell, Elder Zabriskie, Elder Bushman, Elder Bass, Elder Neville, Elder Banner

JAX South and Gainesville Zone

The first zone conference was with the JAX South and Gainesville Zone.

This is the JAX South Zone with their banner. 

This is the Gainesville Zone with their banner.  This is our biggest zone.

The following pictures are the missionaries doing role plays. We like to call them 'real' plays because they teach as if it is their real investigator who is there. The spirit always teaches them how to teach for the real lesson. I always label the pictures left to right.

Elder Rivera, Elder Oteo, Elder Hansen, Elder Mourra



Elder Brimhall, Elder Murdock (teaching), Elder Collard, Elder Camp

Elder Boamorte is teaching Elder Cox

It's lunch time! Thanks to the Gainesville Stake Relief Society

Our wonderful couple missionaries.  Left, clockwise:  Elder Still, serving in Cross City; Elder and Sister Banks, office couple; Sister and Elder Deal, serving in Crescent City; Elder and Sister Yorgeson, CES couple on UF campus; Sister Still, Cross City.

Elder Murdock, Elder Fergus, Elder Goodman, 2 members, Elder Greco, Elder Hammond

Elder Boamorte, Elder Grant, Elder Summers, Elder McFarland, a member, Elder Allred, Elder Schuyler

Elder Brimhall, Elder Baker, Elder Rivera, Elder Oteo, Elder Mourra, Elder Johnson, Elder Hansen, Elder Knudsen

Sister Shepherd, Sister Liku, Sister Capua, Sister Prettyman, Sister Hosea

Elder Collard, Elder Engele, Elder Olsen, Elder Brown, Elder Maxfield, Elder Lewis, Elder Cox

Elder Morris, Elder Jamison, Elder Johnson, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Elms, Elder Camp, Elder Larsen, Elder Jensen



Lake City and JAX West Zones

The third and last day of zone conferences was equally as powerful as the first two...if not better. They were well prepared and spiritually in tune. We are so proud of these disciples of Christ.

We always role play. It is such good practice and helps us overcome insecurities and learn better techniques.



Sister Patterson and Sister Kitchen (not seen) are being taught by Sister Martins and Sister Mathis



Elder Barrionuevo and Elder Johnson teaching Elder Gillis and Elder Larrocha

Elder Jacobs is the coach of the role play.  He is teaching Elder Marquez and Elder DiCristofano how to improve.



Elder Reid and Elder Dandridge being coached.

Elder Graham as the coach.  Elder Todd and Elder Nelson being taught.

Elder Fuller and Elder Drake teaching Elder Hinton

Elder Doehler teaching with Elder Barnes.

The Lake City Zone gathered around their banner.  The 162 is their goal for baptisms this year as a zone.  9C/80% is the mission goal - 900 baptism with 80% retention.

This is the JAX West Zone.  Yah!



LUNCH TIME!

Sister Mathis, Sister Martins, Sister Kitchen, Sister Patterson

Elder Robinson, Elder Lucas, Elder Fuller, Elder Drake



Elder Osborn, Elder Aiono, Elder Jacobs, Elder Gillis, Elder Wilkey

Elder Leavitt, Elder Carney, Elder Doehler, Elder Dyerly, Elder Barnes

Elder Lisman, Elder Graham, Elder Marquez, Elder DiCristofano

Elder Bezzant, Elder Johnson, Elder Rhodes, Elder Barrionuevo, Elder Dandridge, Elder Larrocha

Elder Durfee, Elder Hinton

Happy Birthday!!

We celebrate birthdays every zone conference.  These missionaries will have a birthday before the next zone conferences in August.

Happy Birthday 

Good-bye Elder and Sister Yorgesen

Elder and Sister Yorgesen have served diligently and faithfully as Church Education Missionaries at the University of Florida Institute of Religion. They are loved by the Institute staff, students and missionaries and will be greatly missed. They left for home directly after the conference.

Good-bye dear friends.



Elder and Sister Yorgesen, Sister and President Barry



Monthly Focus

These are the missionaries who help run the mission, the zone leaders. Once a month there is a Zone Leader Council held where we counsel together about the direction of the mission and problems are addressed. This is a revelatory meeting. It's so wonderful to see how dedicated and spiritual these missionaries can be. For the month of May the decision was made to focus on the Book of Mormon. It is our #1 tool as missionaries and they set goals and made plans to better use that marvelous 'keystone' as missionaries. We are seeing miracles already. Ask your missionary what he is doing to use the Book of Mormon in his teaching, in contacting and in personal studies. It's exciting to see the growth and powerful testimony in each missionary.



Back Row:  President Barry, Elder Graham, Elder McFarland, Elder Summers, Elder Perez, Elder Wadsworth, Elder Osborn, Elder Jacobs, Elder Baker.
Kneeling:  Elder Failner, Elder McArthur, Elder Pelo, Elder Aiono, Elder Johnson, Elder Wilkey



After speaking so glowingly about them you can see they are 'off the wall' at times.  They are only 20-21 years old after all!