Welcome to the greatest mission on earth; the OEM!!

We received three fantastic new additions to our missionary force.

Front left: Sister Udall, Sister and President Russell, back left: Elder Anderson and Elder Blair

 We also had two of our Sisters that had to return home for health reasons come back as well, Sister Heiden on the left and Sister Nowell on the right.

 We bring the new missionaries to the mission home and feed them (for some of the missionaries it's the first 'real' food they've had since leaving home). Then we introduce ourselves. President Russell takes a few minutes and then I take a few minutes. President Russell interviews each new missionary and then the Assistants introduce themselves and begin to train. Right here, President Russell is doing a role-play with Elder Anderson. Role-plays are so important in missionary work!

President Russell continues to role-play with Elder Anderson while Elder Blair and Sister Udall look on (waiting their turn). Elder Hinton, one of the President's assistants is on the far right.

Sister Udall looks up and I just missed her smile before I took the picture. Elder Blair already has a big smile on his face, he was smiling the entire day!!

Now, Elder Blair gets to role-play with the President and Elder Hinton, he's a natural as well.

After we had dinner the missionaries went to the stake center and each went out with a set of seasoned missionaries to their appointments for the evening. Following that, they came back to the mission home and they told President Russell, his assistants, and me all about how the evening went. They were all so excited!!! They were also very exhausted. We usually let the Sisters stay over night in the mission home and the Elder go with the Assistants to their duplex where they have several sets of bunk beds. But because there were only three, we first introduced Sister Udall to her trainer (something we usually do on Thursday) and had her stay at the mission home with Sister Udall. Elders Blair and Anderson slept in sofa beds on the lower level of the mission home. 

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This morning we got up and had french toast, muffins, eggs, and juice, and chocolate milk for breakfast. Then we headed to the Church building.

We entered the chapel and we had a choir of missionaries and senior missionaries singing a beautiful song.

This was our choir. They sang like angels, it was magnificent! 

After some training from our office missionaries on finances, vehicles, medical, and other important details we took pictures!

Introducing:

Sister Udall with her trainer Sister Woolf
They will be serving in Santa Clara (west of Eugene)

Elder Anderson with his trainer Elder Flake
They will be serving in Springfield (east of Eugene)

Elder Blair with his trainer Elder Knell
They will be serving in Coquille (near the Oregon coast)

Elder and Sister Mabey are our new Office missionaries, Elder Mabey will be our vehicle coordinator and Sister Mabey will be the president's secretary.

Our newest missionaries

with their trainers

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 And unfortunately we have to say goodbye to one of our senior missionary office couples; Elder and Sister Sutterfield. He has been our vehicle coordinator and Sister Sutterfield has been our referral secretary. We will miss them dearly and wish them the best!

 AND, THEY'RE OFF!!!

All loaded up with their snacks and huge smiles!

Elder Knell waves goodbye and Elder Blair shows us he can count to two...or maybe four(?)

Elder Anderson and Elder Flake should be sure and not forget to get the eggs off the roof  of the car!

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They are all amazing and will bring  many souls unto Christ.