Zone conferences in December are always fun. We take as many gifts to the missionaries as we can fit into the car, with our luggage, the Assistants and their luggage, the electronics needed to show our power points,etc., plus all the candy and special gifts from president Russell and me. This pretty much takes up every space in the SUV. This is Elder Dopp in the back seat with boxes on his lap--It's only a three and a half hour drive to Klamath Falls. (Elder Holman has boxes on his lap, but I can't turn that far to take his picture.)

The boxes work to Elder Dopp's advantage, he has a built-in desk.

                                                       Our first zone conference is in Klamath Falls.

I try to get around with my phone to take shots of the missionaries eating lunch. Some days work out better than others. 

Some have discovered me taking their pictures.

 Nothing like that totally satisfied feeling after an awesome lunch! The Woolleys are 

feelin' good!

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We celebrate all the birthdays since the last zone conference. This is Klamath Falls zone. We give them a toothbrush.

The Klamath Falls Zone

 Birthdays in Grants Pass, Medford, and Central Point!

The Central Point Zone

The Medford Zone

The Grants Pass Zone

The object lesson: taking a big bite out of an orange; first it's not so great, but then it's incredibly sweet! Just like some investigators, also, some missionary's first few months out.                                              (Elder Broshears in a good sport!)

 Birthdays in the Coos Bay Zone

The Coos Bay Zone

 Lunch in the Springfield and Roseburg zones

Everyone is pretty engaged eating and talking

...and happy! Everyone is feeling great!!

Elder Danley and Elder Mabey are taking care of the cars in the mission. They inspect them at every zone conference, which includes checking the oil, tire pressure, and many other things. Sometimes the weather is nice, but most of the time it's pretty cold and wet! These are troopers! We're so blessed to have them serving in this great mission!

Birthdays in Roseburg and Springfield.

The Springfield Zone

The Roseburg Zone

 Birthdays in Eugene, Santa Clara, and Corvallis zones

The Santa Clara Zone

The Corvallis Zone

 and last, but not least;

The Eugene Zone

We love our missionaries! We are so blessed to be able to celebrate the Savior's birth 

with them.

Merry Christmas!!!

May the Lord's choicest blessing be yours as you share your precious children with us!

With the joy of welcoming in our newest missionaries, we sometimes must also say goodbye to wonderful senior couples. Elder and Sister Talbot are two fantastic missionaries and dear friends. We will miss you!!!

On December 14th we welcomed four of the greatest missionaries to the greatest mission on the earth, the OEM!

We normally take our first photo at the airport, however, it was pouring rain (not in Oregon!) and we decided to get out of the rain and into the mission home first.

 Introducing our newest missionaries" Front row left: Sister Huang, Sister and President Russell, and Sister Heaton. Back row left: Elder Norris and Elder Westover. We already know they are amazing!!!

We fed them lunch and did a little training. Then, we fed them dinner and they had an opportunity to go out teaching with the seasoned missionaries. Afterward we brought them back to the mission home and they were all able to stay here (because we can put the Sisters upstairs and the Elders downstairs).

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Today, after a wonderful program these awesome missionaries met their equally awesome trainers!!

Sister Wilson will be training Sister Huang in Klamath Falls.

Elder Westover will be trained by Elder Call in Coquille (near Coos Bay).

Elder Gittins is training Elder Norris in Junction City (near Santa Clara)

Sister Harrison is training Sister Heaton in Brookings, on the coast

Another picture of our amazing new missionaries!

Even more amazing with these trainers!

I will apologize for not getting the pictures of our missionaries that went home on the 13th of this month, things got a little crazier than normal this past week.

 These wonderful missionaries served faithfully and will go home honorably. Back row left: Elder Thompson, Elder Garrard, and Elder West. Middle row left: Sister Steele, Sister Wood, Sister Dobbs, and Sister Fausett. 

 The Sisters slept at the mission home their last night of their mission. The Elders slept at the Assistants' duplex. This is breakfast early Tuesday morning. We have to be on our way to the airport by 6:20 a.m.

 There is a little uncertainty and a lot of excitment.

 President Russell even takes a minute to sit down for a little breakfast.

 A great shot of Elder Thompson (and the new range top in the mission home).

 See the smiles, well, almost smiles.

These truly are great missionaries and we will miss them.

At the transfer spot again! Didn't we just have transfers a few weeks ago??? Yep, we did, five weeks ago. The Church moved up the transfer by a week to avoid traveling the weeks before Christmas.

 Elder Holman was kind enough to help the Sisters with their luggage. Truthfully, I don't think they could have gotten that suitcase out of the trunk alone, it's heavy!

Everyone pitches in to get the luggage in the trailers to go to many areas in the mission.

Notice the contrast; Elder Thompson (third from the left) is in shirt sleeves while Elder Chiu, to his left, is freezing with his winter coat on.

 Elder Smith is just happy to be here!

Sister Stimpson and and Sister Payne are just cute together. They will no longer be companions.

Sisters are almost always happy! And why not; we are in the best mission ever!

Sister Phipps always has the Sisters around her. They love her, and sadly, she and Elder Phipps are leaving to go back to Alabama Friday. We will miss them both so much!

Elder Fowers is looking busy, how's he doing at it??

 These Elders; Elder Anderl, Elder Baxter, and Elder Morris are having a good time while Elder Briceno takes notes.

Elder Hill is engaged in a conversation with Elders Holman and Dopp. It must serious, like "where are you stopping for lunch?"

 Sister Nowell (far right) is not even cold in this frigid weather. While Sisters Viiga, Chen, and Hepworth are dressed for the winter.

Such beauty all in one semi-circle!

 Sister Simmons can't contain her joy. Next to her is Sister Dobbs, who is going home (not so excited). Sister Van Leuven and Sister Payne (she gets around) keep on smiling!

Elder Blair is all smiles, well, he's always all smiles. That's a happy missionary!

Waiting for the transfer van. We have to rent one to get all of the missionaries to the various zones in the mission. It's all extremely organized by the Assistants.

Sister Phipps saying goodbye, as this is her last transfers, last week, and last Monday as a missionary in the Oregon Eugene Mission. We will miss her!!!

President Russell joins the Elders waiting.

One last smile, Sister Phipps!