New Missionaries May 2011

We had quite a big group this time! Seven new missionaries!!!

Elder DeMille is from Cedar City, Utah. He is # 9 in his family of 3 brothers and 6 sisters. His trainer is Elder Solin and they are serving in Obedinyoni (in the Donetsk area).

Elder Frandsen is from South Jordan, Utah. He is the oldest in his family of 2 brothers and 1 sister. His trainer is Elder Perry and they are serving in Alexsavka (Kharkov area).

Elder Berger is from Medina, Ohio. He is the youngest in his family with an older brother and sister. His trainer is Elder Nielsen and they are serving in Petrosky (Donetsk Area).

Elder Arrington is from Coweta, Ok. He is the 2nd youngest in the family of 4 with an older sister and brother and 1 younger sister. His trainer is Elder T. Young and they are serving in North Saltivka (Kharkov area).

Elder J. Smith is from Chino, Calif. He is 3rd in his family with an older brother and sister and 1 younger sister. His trainer is Elder Ostler and they are serving in Mariupol (on the Azoff Sea).

Elder Taylor is from Syracuse, Ut. He is from a family of 6 sisters and 1 brother and he is right in the middle. His trainer is Elder Noren and they are serving in Obedinyoni (Donetsk Area).

Elder Mironchenko is from Dayville, CT. He is the youngest in his family of a brother and a sister. His trainer is Elder Shorthill and they are serving in Mariupol (most southern part of mission).

Yummy pancakes for breakfast! Yeah!! No more MTC food!

Top row: New Missionaries: Elders Berger, DeMille, Smith, Taylor, Mironchenko, Frandsen and Berger. Bottom row: Elders Finneran & Duke (Zone Leaders), Elder Jensen (Office Elder), Elder Ryser (Assistant) and Elder Barton (Office Elder). Sharp looking Missionaries!!!!!!!!!!!

Missionaries Leave May 2011

Elder Moon and Elder Rader with us the night before they leave.
Two great young men! Elder Moon returns to Idaho and Elder Rader returns to Missouri.
They taught President Fry how to super-kone-tikki!
Elder Ryser and President Fry are making the most of it.
Super-Kone-tikki involves a cookie called super-kone-tikki and some milk.
You bite the ends of the cookie just a little then put one end into the milk and sip through it like a straw. You get cookie chocolate milk and then you eat the cookie and it is basically like dipping your cookie in milk. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm sssooooooooooooo gooooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think this is one special treat you can only get in Ukraine!
I think they really liked this stuff. They look happy and content!
WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU ELDER RADER AND ELDER MOON! GOOD JOB AND WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS!

Zone Leaders Council May 2011

Zone Leaders Council - we start out with breakfast. President Fry whips up some pancake mix and syrup and the Assistants do the cooking. In the picture is (left to right) Elder Duke, Elder Kofoed, Elder Clarkstone, Elder Schoen and Elder Demyanov. I love these guys!!!

From left to right is Elder Rader, Elder McArthur, Elder Winchester, Elder Petersen and Elder Finneran. I love these guys too!! After breakfast, we start the meeting with a hymn and a prayer. President Fry gives opening remarks and then I go over any health issues that the Zone Leaders pass on to all the missionaries. Then we talk about concerns of missionaries and members and council on helping those concerns. The Assistants go into teaching from the lessons and then everyone practices giving committments and teaching. President Fry wraps things up and sometimes I do teaching also. We then have a late lunch early dinner. It has been great to see the growth of each missionary.

Our wonderful Assistants - Elder Moon and Elder Ryser. I love these two also! They are kept busy helping relay President Fry's messages to the members in leadership positions and to the missionaries. They arrange for any meetings with President Fry and they always help with set up and clean up. We could not do this without them. Our language skills are not there yet - as much as we try. They are also involved in much of the behind the scenes. Sometimes I think their load is very heavy because they also need to keep up the missionary work in their area. They are to be the example in leading the way of missionary work.

Here they are with matching ties and all - the 3 cooks! Great leaders!!! The one on the left is my companion! Getting matching ties here is something the missionaries do for their districts or companionships. I think it's awesome!

Our Zone Leaders & Assistant(sorry - Elder Ryser and Elder Winchester left for a lesson quickly and we weren't fast enough.) They are all such hard working missionaries and leaders. I regret that I didn't take more pictures at all the Zone Leader's Councils. Each set of Zone Leaders are responsible for about 12 to 14 missionaries in teaching them, helping them, encouraging them and giving them guidiance. They attend district meetings and go on splits to have 1 on 1 with them to help them find and teach people. The Assistants are over all the missionaries but they concentrate on helping the Zone Leaders. It is great to be associated with these young men as well as all the missionaries.