To the Friends and Family of President and Sister Russell

To the Friends and Family of President and Sister Russell

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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Our zone conference was in Corvallis today and we had both the Corvallis and Eugene zones.








President Russell presented a scenario with a family investigating the Church, each companionship had to come up with ways to help them with ward members.


After that, president Russell called a few district leaders up and asked them to role play part of the interview with an investigator getting ready for baptism. Elder Gittins is doing great with Elder Murphy and Elder Ho waits in the back with Elder Hatfield.






Here, Elder Hatfield and Elder Ho do the same interview, they're all very good.





Right before we broke for lunch president Russell had all of the missionaries line up with their companions for a quick role play. Often missionaries will knock on a door and only have maybe ten seconds to give them a message or explain who they are and why they are here before the door closes. Here, president had them practice that short, to the point message.







When they finished they were to raise their hands. Some were lightening fast!!!


















Then we were served a wonderful lunch by the Corvallis stake Relief Society. 






I try to get them in natural poses before they can give me the hand signals or funny faces. I was able to get Elder Cronin, Elder Hill, Elder Mabey, President Lowary, and Elder Etherington just enjoying each other's company.




 The Sisters always just smile. Sister Santiago, Sister Duenas, Sister Simmons, Sister Persson, and Sister Tofilau.





Here in the front is Sister Payne and to her left is Sister Vance, Sister Herbst, Sister Clarke, Sister Cortez, Elder Merrill and Sister Merrill.



Ha! I caught them early! Elder Ellinghaus, Elder Merkley, Elder Egan, Elder Harrison, Elder Wangsgard, Elder Murphy, and Elder Wikan. 




Sister Peterson, Sister Udall, Sister Huang, Sister Chen, Elder Ho, and Elder Huang (no relation). I think the two finger sign means "The Oregon Eugene Mission is the best ever"!!



Sister Francis is always smiling, probably because she and her companion, Sister Broadhead have two baptisms this weekend! Then there is Sister Peck and her companion Sister Orr who are happy because they will soon have someone on date!



Elder Fowers is holding up his fully loaded baked potato while talking with Elder Zilles. You can see Elder Opper also creating the perfect #1 potato from Idaho!




Check out the concentration here! Elder Murphy, Elder Poston on the left and Elder Henley (on the right) are creating masterpieces.

 Okay, so this is where I had to run an errand and someone else took over the camera. Hence, the backs of heads for Sister Cortez, and to her right is Sister Clarke, Sister Herbst has beautiful hair (and a beautiful face if we could see it). Sister Vance, and to her right Sister Payne. You can still see the Merrills...sort of.




Again, just great smiles (this has to be a first!) Elder Eckman, Elder Lynn, Elder Bowers, Elder Zilles, Elder Hatfield, Elder Christianson, and Elder Blair




Happy birthday to our March birthdays!! Sister Merrill. Sister Cortez, and Sister Simmons



We have the zone leaders collect "shining moments" from Elders and Sister highlighting something special their companions did. Here, Sister Herbst is getting cookies because Sister Cortez said some very sweet things about her.
 Elder in the Eugene zone sang a wonderful rendition of 
"I Need Thee Every Hour".



 The Corvallis zone


The Eugene zone


Monday, February 27, 2017

It's time for zone conferences!
I'm going to try to post these every day so I don't get behind






Today is the Santa Clara and 
Springfield zones. They are being taught and this is right before lunch.





(left) Sister Jones, Sister Stimpson, President Russell, Sister Rhees and Sister Aguilar 




(left) Elder Anderl, Elder Eldredge, Elder Hansen, Elder Wirthlin, Elder Cluff, Elder Adams, 
Elder McCleary, and
 Elder Johnson  






Elder Hill, Elder Dopp. Sister Morgan, and Sister Nowell 






Elder Parker and Elder Hansen going back seconds 





President Lowary, President Cropper, Elders Finlinson, Kroll, Deppe, Elder Norris, and Elder Thurgood 





Elders Mazyck, Moser, Parker, Mabey, Wheldon, Elder Baker (hidden), Elders Gneiting, and McClure 




The greatest blessing of being a missionary is baptizing!!! A few weeks ago President Russell was able to baptize Savannah! She is standing with two of the missionaries that taught her; 
Sister Udall and Sister Nowell. 
Savannah is amazing!



 Shortly after that wonderful event we welcomed a new senior couple: The Merrills! They are wonderful and we are excited to have them in the greatest mission on earth, the OEM!

`*`*`*`*`*`*`*

Last Friday and Saturday we had our senior couples' conference at the mission home. It's simply friends getting together to learn from each other. 
Sister Erda Johnson came and helped with dinner and provided the beautiful flower arrangements.









Elder and Sister Woolley 







Elder and Sister Bullock (and the cute guy in the front is president Russell)








Elder and Sister Peterson 






Elder and Sister Mabey






Elder and Sister Sivula


















Elder and Sister Merrill







Elder and Sister Bernhardts






President and Sister Lowary











We are missing Elder and Sister Danley. Elder Danley had some minor surgery and was recovering. We missed them!

After dinner we had a meeting and testimonies and they all departed for their 
apartments or hotels.








The next morning was a beehive in the kitchen






The Assistants: Elder Hill and 
Elder Dopp

















We always get a picture before we depart to our areas. I give the phone to the Elders to take a picture and it ends up being a selfie first.
 The senior couples of the OEM (minus the Danleys)








Sunday, February 5, 2017

The  three newest Sisters in the greatest mission on earth had a wonderful evening with other more seasoned missionaries and each had a wonderful experience. they spent the night at the mission home and bright and early the next morning we headed to the stake center for them to meet their trainers.








Sister Allen will be trained  by Sister Phau. They are now in Klamath Falls.










Sister Clarke will be trained by Sister Tofilau, and they are serving in Corvallis









Sister Francis is being trained by Sister Broadhead and they are serving in Eugene.


Check out those bright smiles on these lovely Sisters!

 More lovely smiles!

 ...And they're off!! The Elders help get their suitcases into the cars and the sweet office senior missionaries fixed them a little snack for the ride. 






These Sisters have a five-hour drive back to their area.
 Hugs goodbye.







 These Sisters have a five minute drive to their apartment. President Russell helps with their luggage.





These Sisters have a two-hour drive to their area.





One of our sweet senior missionary couples, the Danleys.




Time to clean up. Elder and Sister Bullock, another of our senior couples are facing the camera. Elder Mabey was pretty busy washing things. We appreciate all three of these wonderful couples!!