Disciples Forever

As parents, the greatest desire we have for our children is that they will be righteous, covenant keeping and spiritual adults.  When we came on the mission we soon learned that we feel the same for 'our' missionaries.  There is nothing we want more than to get 10 years down the road and find that all of the FJM missionaries have stayed faithful and are still Disciples of Jesus Christ. 

 Our Mission Vision is: 
We are diligent, obedient, worthy, powerful and holy Disciples of Jesus Christ -
Now and Forever! 

See you all in 10 years!    

Back:  Elder Dyerly, Elder Sauni, Elder Wadsworth
Middle:  Elder Elms, Elder Ross, Elder Snow, Elder McArthur, Elder Mourra
Seated:  Sister Capua, Sister Hafslund, Sister Surtees

Departing Dinner, Clockwise from the left:
Pres. Barry, Pres. Colvin, Elder Dylerly, Elder Mourra, Elder Elms, Elder McArthur, Sister Surtees, Sister Capua (Where did you go, Sister Hafslund?)

When the group is large we also use the kitchen table:
Elder Reid, Elder Ross, Elder Wadsworth, Sister Banks, Elder Banks, Elder Snow, Elder Sauni, Elder Allred

Final farewell at the airport!  They are moving on to the "Forever" part of their mission. 

The Warmth of Love

We love our missionaries!  We can't thank you all enough for this wonderful surprise.  Sister Surtees was the instigator of this quilt.  She gathered a tie from elders and asked them to sign it and write a note to us.  She bought little fabric dresses and had the sisters sign them, also.   Her dear mother put in the hours and hours of work and love to create it.  They presented it to us at transfer meeting.  We had no idea this was happening.  (I thought we knew everything that happens in the mission. LOL) 

We were mezmerized by the beauty and love displayed in this amazing quilt. 

That evening, after the departing missionary devotional, Momma Surtees came to pick up her daughter from her mission.  It was wonderful to meet the creator.  Thank you again, Sisters Surtees and the FJM missionaries.    


Momma Surtees, Sister Surtees, Sister and Pres. Barry

Introducing

One of the activities of transfer meeting is the introduction of the new missionaries by their trainers. They tell where the new missionary is from and something interesting about them. The best part is when the trainer tells what qualities the missionary has that will make him/her a powerful missionary. We are excited to see what this combination of qualities will do to achieve miracles as the missionaries serve the Lord here in His vineyard.



Elder Feliz is being introduced and trained by Elder Hinton



Elder Wilde will be trained by Elder Brimhall



Elder Goodrich will be trained by Elder Tomlinson



Elder Guy being introduced by Elder B. Bishop

Elder Vilorio is introducing Elder Beazer




Elder Andrade is being introduced by his trainer, Elder Housel

Elder Evans is introducing and will train Elder Medrano



Sister Barton is being introduced by her trainer, Sister Crowton



Sister and Elder Priest (left) are our new office couple.  They are being introduced by Sister and Elder Banks, also an office couple.  The mission is in good hands.

Disciples are Great Friends

I have noticed that good Disciples of Jesus Christ are immediate friends.  I love transfer meeting because the missionaries are so happy to see each other - even if they don't know each other.  The love and unity is powerful.  It shows their dedication to serve faithfully.

These are random pictures I took as they gathered for transfer meeting.  

Elder Lang, Elder Hunter, Elder Fuller, Elder Wilcox, Elder Webb

Elder Bigely, Elder Morris, Elder Cervo, Elder McFarlane

Sister, Koontz, Sister Sheffer, Sister Mathis, Sister Rieck, Sister Gilbert

Elder Lucas, Elder Larsen (Hello, Elder Dandridge, in the back)

Elder Greer, Elder Bushman, Elder Dandridge

Sister Delaplane, Sisteer Fitu, Sister McCracken

Elder Frizzell, Elder Bennion, Elder Dandridge, Elder Lyman

Elder Ramstedt, Elder Salvesen, Elder Lundquist

Elder Vance, Elder Tindall and a member

Elder Tenney, Elder Turner, Elder Jones

Elder Tenney, Elder Huckvale, Elder Moser, Elder Hall

Welcome to our newest Disciples of Jesus Christ. Full of excitement and testimony, these great missionaries where teaching and changing lives the first night they arrived. Nine of them came directly from the MTC in Provo that day. One other missionary, Elder Andrade, came from Mexico. He had been waiting for his visa for a few months. After his training at the MTC in Mexico he served in that mission for a while. We are thrilled to have him and all of the rest join us in this part of the Lord's vineyard.

We had just picked them up from the airport and loaded their luggage in the mission van. 

On a personal note, Sister Barton is a relative!  Her father, Richard Barton, is Sister Barry's 1st cousin!  We are surrounded with family and friends.   

Back:  Elder Feliz, Elder Wilde, Elder  Guy, Elder Andrade
Front:  Elder Thomas, Elder Beazer, Elder Byers, Elder Medrano, Elder Goodrich
Seated:  Sister Barton



A very warm welcome to Sister and Elder Priest.  We have been waiting for their arrival since December.  They are our new office couple, called to replace the Shirleys who left in December.  They are from Canada and also had trouble getting their visas.  We are thrilled you have arrived. 

"THE MOST CORRECT OF ANY BOOK ON EARTH"

ZONE CONFERENCES 

It was a revelatory experience. The spirit taught each of us and witnessed of truth.  Held over a three day period each day was a different experience as the spirit taught to the needs of each of us. 

The conference goal was for each missionary to gain a firmer testimony of the Book of Mormon and learn how to use it more effectively in teaching and contacting.

KINGSLAND ZONE

SAVANNAH ZONE

JACKSONVILLE EAST ZONE

JACKSONVILLE SOUTH ZONE

JACKSONVILLE WEST ZONE

GAINVESVILLE ZONE

LAKE CITY ZONE

Zone Conference Role Plays

Practice, practice, practice.

We are learning to love role plays in this mission. It's a time to get all the mistakes out and to evaluate how the teaching can be done better. We did about 2 hours of role plays each zone conference. I didn't take many pictures of the role plays this time. Probably because I was so involved in doing them.

Sister Hafslund, on the left, is teaching Sister Gilbert who is the investigator. 



"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon,..."

On the left is Elder Smith teaching Elder Bishop

Elder Rasmussen and Elder Cervo practicing with Elder Mecham as the evaluator

Elder Summers as the investigator reading from the Book of Mormon

Lunch Time

Lots of pictures at lunch time. That's when I have the camera ready. We are so grateful for all the Relief Societys that feed the missionaries. The food was wonderful. We love you all.



Elder Turner, Elder Cervo, Elder Northrup, Elder Salvesen, Elder Vilorio, Elder McArthur



Elder Lundquist, Elder Winward, Elder Webster, Elder Jamison, Sister Hafslund, Sister Rieck, Elder Mecham Elder Graham

Pres Barry, Christine Yaccarino, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Larsen, Elder Drake, Elder Lucas

Elder and Sister Robison, Elder and Sister Stills, Sister and Elder Banks

Sister Gneiting, Sister Hicks, Sister Gilbert, Sister Richards

Elder Lang, Elder Tenney, Elder Grant, Elder Riggs, Elder Wise, Elder Summers

Pres. Colvin, Elder Fuller, Elder McFarlane, Elder Svedin, Elder Orth

We ate lunch in the pavillion at the JAX South Stake Center

Sister Santos, Sister Delaplane, Sister Fitu, Sister Waldman, Sister Capua, Elder Latu

Elder Quintano, Elder Garnica, Elder Larrocha, Elder Phelps, Elder Beckstead, Elder Evans, Elder Jones, Elder Lisman

Lining up in the hall for lunch.  Sisters always go first.  The elders really have to show their patience.

MMMM

Elder and Sister Banks, Sister Knickerbocker, Sister Patton, Sister Crowton, Sister Sheffer

Elder Rhodes, Elder Hock, Elder Holcombe, Elder Lewis, Elder Day, Elder Baczuk, Elder Ball, Elder Frizzell

Elder McCarthy, Elder Bass, Elder Bushman, Elder Neville, Elder Bishop, Elder Craynor, Elder Howell, Elder Cancel

Elder Lee, Elder Latu, Elder Mourra, Elder Warren, Elder Oteo, Elder Greco, Elder Nelson

Elder Hunter, Elder Bigley, Elder Elms, Elder Brimhall, Elder Barnes, Elder Crosby

Elder Hinton, Elder Hammond, Elder Waechtler, Elder Jensen, Elder Dyerly

Elder Robison, a member, Elder Sauni, Elder Reid, Elder Allred

Elder Latu (he kept switching tables :), Pres. Barry, Sister Barry, Elder Ramstedt, Elder Schuyler, Elder Crites