Leaving NOM

Goodbye to Elder and Sister Baker,

Elder Taggart, Elder Tubbs and Elder Poccori,

all very dear friends, we will miss so much.

We wish you wonderful days ahead

with all your loved ones.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve

along side you.

Welcome to NOM

A grateful welcome to Elder and Sister Mangum

who will be the new Trail Center Missionaries.

They come to us from Louisiana.

We are constantly amazed with these incredible

senior couples who set aside time from their lives to serve the Lord.

Along with the Mangums came eight great new missionaries!

Back row l-r: Elders Cray, Hugentobler, Hadley, Miller, and Klefsky.

Front row l-r: Elders Weber and Lloyd and Sister Askren.

Welcome to the best mission in the world!

Catch-Up

It has been forever since I last wrote.

When I list the wonderful things that have been going on you will understand why...

1. North American Mission Presidents Seminar with Omaha as the hosting mission

2. Transfer Week

3. Stake Conference Talks

4. Mission Tour with Elder and Sister Stanley Ellis of the Seventy, (what great people!)

5. Zone Leader Council

6. Sent Scott back to BYUI

7. Mission Leadership Training

And this was just the last three weeks!!

It's not usually this busy but everything seemed to come all at once.

We were able to get reacquainted with such amazing men and women at the president's seminar along with enjoying inspired training by our leaders, President Hallstrom and Elder Snow of the Seventy.

We welcomed in eight fantastic new missionaries and said goodbye to ones we love.

Elder and Sister Ellis have become two of our favorite people in the world. I have never felt such faith. The whole mission was uplifted by their teachings and testimony.

Saying good bye to Scott was hard especially since he was driving all alone back to Idaho, but he made it safely and is already gotten back into the swing of things. We miss him but are glad he's at such a good school.

It really has been a great three weeks,

but now I am left to try and catch up.

Every minute is worth it even though we get tired.

I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

Trail Center Run!

I think being on a mission is so much fun!

You get to do so many fun things

with so many fun people!

What a blast!

Refections of Christ

The Winter Quarters Trail Center has had a marvelous

collection of photos on display

depicting the life of Christ.

Many wonderful Christian people

have come to the Trail Center to see them.

It's been amazing to feel the reverence

in the gallery as people study each picture

beginning with the nativity

all the way to the ascension.

Even little children feel the spirit of the these pictures

and walk around so quietly.

I think each of us, deep within our souls,

remembers the love we had for our Savior

even before we came to this earth

and these lovely pictures

bring those feelings back to our remembrance.

I'm sad to see the collection leave,

but now...

it's on to the quilt collection and oh my what beautiful quilts!

Cicadas

This little fellow is about 3 inches long

(get out a ruler and look at 3 inches...it' huge)

and is called a cicada.

All through the long humid months of summer here in Nebraska

we listen to the mating songs of these guys, I say guys because

that's who we are actually listening to since the females are quiet.

They live for years (2-7) underground as nymphs feeding on root juices

and then tunnel upward where they molt one last time

and emerge as adults.

And then they sing....at the top of their lungs...

(that is not really how they do it),

for the entire summer. Sometimes it is so loud

one can hardly hear oneself think!

But we also get fireflies and we love those.

Waiting...

The MTC called a few weeks ago and asked if we could find room

for eight missionaries who are waiting for their visa's.

All the Elders are heading for Brazil.

They are Elders Francis, Bryan, Fralick, Grassie, Henri, and Markham.

Sister Ith is on her way to Taiwan.

This was an unexpected detour but despite the surprise

they have all put their shoulders to the wheel and are working hard.

Elder Brewster gave an inspired training about "unpacking their bags"

meaning to really go to work for the Lord here in Nebraska

and find those He has prepared for them.

They could be in the states any where from weeks to months so we are

thrilled with their desire to work wherever the Lord puts them.

Thanks to eight great missionaries and

welcome to the greatest mission in the world...

while you wait.