On December 5th President Lowary went into the hospital for three-way bi-pass surgery on his heart. He came through with flying colors, and when President Russell and I went to visit him he was as perky and fun as ever. We love you, President Lowary and wish you a speedy recovery.

One of the most wonderful (and most sad) things we do in the mission is go to the temple with those missionaries that are going home with the next transfer. We LOVE these missionaries! They are such great young men and women.

Back row left: Elder Jarrard, Elder West, 

and Elder Thompson. 

Front row left: Sister Steele, Sister Wood, 

President and Sister Russell, 

Sister Dobbs, and Sister Faucett.

We will miss them!

We love MLC!! However, I can only take pictures while they eat lunch. 

 Elder Dopp and President Cropper give me that contented smile that says they are filling up on these wonderful turkey sandwiches

Elder Holman gives that "I'm full" thumbs up and president Russell smiles, but closes his eyes.

Elder Knell, Elder Wright, and Sister Rasmussen are at different stages of lunch.

 Sister Vance and Sister Heiden just happened to be walking by and I wanted to catch them. Elder Thibault looks on.

 Elder Thibault smiles, Elder Jarrard gets ready to take a drink, Sister Morgan and Sister Broadhead are the epitome of sunshine!

 Check out the peaceful zone leaders; Elder Harrison and Elder Miller. Elder Harrison is just getting over a terrible cold and was kind enough to give it to his companion. 

 You are looking at two STLs that love the work and are always happy.

 Elder Lambson holds off on taking a bite, however, Elder Watson loves the action shots. Sister Figueroa and Sister Sidhu just go on happily eating.

Elder Fowers and Elder Hill do that manly 'eat your lunch' pose, while Sister Gregory and Sister Wilson display their beautiful smiles. Sister Gregory has her hand on Sister Wilson head, I'm pretty sure that's because it is the only  time she can even reach Sister Wilson head. They are both so cute!

Elder Finlinson, Elder Baker, and Sister Johnson show us their pearly white teeth.

Elder Cronin says, "I think she's taking our picture", Elder Wagstaff says, "Is she still there?" Elder Cronin replies, "Yep." Sister Wood smiles and Sister Santa Maria is pretty excited about her turkey sandwich.

Elder Barclay and Elder Gage look, well, full. Sister Mills and Sister Dobbs have permanent cheerful faces

Sister Doxey and Sister Steele pause for a photo-op while Elders Wardle and Flake give me a bit of a cynical smile.

And, last but not least; Sister Jones and Sister Alldredge just wait for me to come around to their table so they can show me a super exciting package of Doritos. I may have gotten Elder Hatch mid-bite and Elder Huntsman right after a bite.

The Mission Leadership council of the OEM. Some of whom this is their last MLC, and their last last two weeks in the mission.

On December 2nd and 3rd we  enjoyed a senior couples conference. President Russell and I love getting together with these, our friends.

Back row left: Elder and Sister Mabey, Elder and Sister Talbot and Sister and Elder Peterson. Next row down: Sister and Elder Zollinger, Sister and Elder Bernhardt, Sister and Elder Danley. Next row left; Elder and Sister Sivula and Elder and Sister Woolley. Front row left: President and Sister Russell, Sister and Elder Bullock, and Sister and Elder Phipps.

Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to Elder and Sister Talbot, Elder and Sister Phipps and Elder and Sister Zollinger.  They will be dearly missed! Each has made the OEM  a better place because they served here.

Missionaries love to listen to music! It can truly bring the Spirit and encourage us to do the work of the Lord. With that in mind, we asked the missionaries to send in their favorite groups and we would make a list of approved music. It would be wonderful it they all wanted to listen to appropriate music, however, we have found that "appropriate" means different things to different missionaries.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, "The symphonic strains of scriptural music can give our lives lilt and tone, a way of tuning our lives by reference to a celestial scale. The melodies are the marching music for the traveler on the strait and narrow way."

If you wish to send your missionary some music, please use these. 
Any songs by these artists are approved.


Nashville Tribute 

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

EFY

Hymns

Classical 100+ years or older

Hilary Weeks

Kari Jobe (no revised editions)

Lauren Daigle

I Am They

Jenny Phillips

Just a reminder; iPods, MP3 players, and anything that requires earphones are not allowed (per the White Handbook).

If there are any questions, please feel free to call, email, or text.

We love your sons and daughters, they are like our own! We thank you for sharing them with us for a short time.

 On Tuesday we welcomed a new senior couple to the OEM; Elder and Sister Peterson. They will be serving in Grants Pass.

 

 And on Wednesday we welcomed 15 new missionaries! After hugging (I hugged the Sisters and president Russell hugged the Elders) we headed for the baggage carousel.

The luggage comes off extremely slowly.

But, it is coming!

When everyone has their suitcases we head for the car, van, or truck in the parking lot.

Elder Pace is ready to go!

 Oh yeah, we're pickin' up speed now.

Could those smiles get any bigger???

"Okay, I have two hands and one more bag to get..."

No fear, we'll all pitch in.

We we leave the airport is about empty.

The Assistants make sure no one or no suitcase is left behind.

 Once outside we take a picture of most of the our new missionaries. Two of them are not here yet. Elder Burgi will be here in about two hours and Sister Zanotti will be here tomorrow.

 The newest missionaries to the greatest mission on earth:

Left front: Sister Chen, Sister Cortez, Sister Wood, Sister and President Russell, Sister Orr, Sister Fjerstad, and Sister McClellan. Back left: Elder Steinburg, Elder Anderl, Elder Pace, Elder Wall, Elder Atiknson, Elder Eldredge, and Elder Madsen.

*********

We went back to the mission home and had lunch, training, dinner, and these great missionaries went out with seasoned missionaries to their appointments. We talked about it when then got back and then it was time to go to bed.

**********

Bright and early this morning we took these missionaries to the Church where we had a wonderful program and introduced them to their companions and told them where they would be serving.

Elder Poston will be training Elder Pace in Central Point

 Elder Madsen will be trained by Elder Horne in Central Point

Elder Ross will be training Elder Wall in Medford

                 Sister McClellan will be trained by Sister Faucett in Central Point

Sister Hart will be training Sister Cortez in Corvallis













Elder Atkinson is being trained by Elder Etherington in Corvallis

Elder Anderl is being trained by Elder Bunker in Springfield

                    Elder Eldredge is being trained by Elder Ellis in  Springfield

Sister Wood is being trained by Sister Persson in Coos Bay

Elder Burgi is being trained by Elder Wirthlin in 
Klamath Falls

Sister Hernaez will be training training Sister Fjerstad in Grants Pass

Sister Orr is being trained by Sister Steele in Roseburg

Sister Chen is being trained by Sister Viiga in Eugene YSA

Elder Steinburg will be trained by Elder Deppe in Coos Bay 

Sister Zanotti is being trained by Sister Duenas

Our newest missionaries!!!

Our newest missionaries with their trainers (Sister Zanotti had not flown in yet).

Three of our Spanish missionaries; Sister Zanotti, Sister Duenas, Sister Cortez, with Sister Hart who is training Sister Cortez...

...with president and Sister Russell

AND THEY'RE OFF!!!! 

Everyone loads up suitcases, bedding, bikes, and packages.

You can tell this is a new bike box because it isn't being held together with duct tape, and it doesn't have holes all over it.

Some last minute instructions from Elder Phipps and it's a mass exodus!

Everyone is happy to be getting on the road.

As you can see, it's a sunny, beautiful day.

It's like a beehive, everyone is buzzing around.

Boy, talk about focusing!

"...So, this bike box is going to fit in that trunk?"

Sister Chen is excited to begin her adventure with Sister Viiga. Elder Mabey is helping them.

Can you say "photo op"???

Oh yeah, the shades are a hit, Sister Fjerstad!

Our wonderful office couples/missionaries fix a snack for them to take on the road.