This is a happy man...he has waited so long to be a full time missionary!

He is even happier in this picture as he was able to baptize Mike Lisky.  Mike is a single dad with two adorable children named Michael(5) and Elizabeth(7).  He teaches high school math and is just wrapping up his MBA at UCLA.  We feel privileged to be part of his life and look forward to being with him in the temple next year. The flanking Elders; Zarahbelny, Moe, Leon and Rast, were all part of Mike's teaching pool. 

As mentioned in our last blog, the Anaheim Mission has a unique breed of missionary knows as a "Truck Elder" and they work with Elder Collett in setting up new apartments.  At left is Elder Hollowell (who's favorite show is Duck Dynasty), center is Elder Dilworth (recently named "most likely to end up in jail" by a few sister missionaries), and Elder Bode (who's addition to the Word of the Week was "widjadidja". "You didn't bring your planner widjadidja?")

Refreshments at the mission home after FHE.  The lemon meringue pie on the right is the best ever!
From left to right, Sister Moyes, Sister Call (maker of the pie) and Sister Wade

Elder Kim...Gangham Syle

This is our senior missionary staff.  From left to right are Elder and Sister Call (Pathway missionaries), Sister and President Bowen (angelic), Sister and Elder Butterfield (referral and vehicles), Sister and Elder Collett (housing), and Sister and Elder Wade (secretary and finance).  Missing from the photo are Elder and Sister Moyes (MLS).

This is what the parking lot looks like on transfer day and this is one of our favorite missionaries, Elder Munguia.  He heads home soon and we will miss him.  He's from Brooklyn, NY and is great at helping Elder Wade with his Spanish.

 This is a typical happy view in the office. The Elder standing in front of the door is almost seven feet tall!  His name is Elder Tal Smith and he has Marfan's Syndrome.  He is a big teddy bear and graciously shares his love and hugs with everyone.  (Shown below with Elders Bode, Larson, and Clark.)

Beautiful Sisters Aholelei and Hawker.  We're sure each of these sisters will get proposed to at least three times while serving their missions.  (Its already happened once to cute Sister Hawker. ) 

One day, while Sister Wade was away from her desk, Elder Rogers grabbed her phone and took about ten pictures of himself.  Most were deleted, but just had to share a couple of them as they always make us laugh.

We celebrated Elder Clark's birthday last week.  He is our office specialist and is a total computer geek/nerd.  He has saved us from many a computer crisis and is usually in the office on Tuesdays to assist us in our technology endeavors.  Thanks to him, we are all sporting new monitors and a soon to be much faster secretary's computer.

He just turned twenty and already owns his own business that he manages to keep running while on his mission.  He recently purchased a lovely home that he will return to after his mission.  He is a real go getter and also competed in triathlons before his mission.  He is dearly loved and appreciated by all.

Hanging out at the Palmyra Ward beach party.








Here is a fun link to one of our Canadian missionaries. (Don't you think he looks Canadian?)

Elder Zahrabelny, our remarkable Ukrainian Dancer!

This is the other Elder Wade!  Go Max...we hope to be half the missionaries you are.

Sister Smack received a special delivery cake from a missionary's parents.
(She met this missionary at the MTC and must have left quite an impression.) 

In addition to two loaves of banana bread, Elder Parkinson's mom was gracious enough to send a care package to Elder Contrares.  He was one happy camper!  Not only was there a new messenger bag (missionaries are no longer allowed to wear back packs), but new socks and ties.

If you knew how happy it made missionaries to receive care packages and letters, you would send them more often.  They nearly die of delight when they get mail and are ecstatic when they get a package.  It has given us a whole new perspective on sending mail to missionaries.  We really had no idea.

This is our current investigator and dear friend, Marty Underwood. She is a party in a can with the life motto of "nothing in moderation".  She joined us for our ward beach party and brought plenty of provisions...just in case she couldn't find the group. ;) She has an addiction to breath mints, but hey, we're all addicted to something.  Marty is truly a great and noble spirit and has had some unique challenges to overcome on her road to baptism.  We are so proud of her tenacity and determination and again, feel honored to be part of her life.  Go Marty!

Lastly, two of our finest missionaries, Elders Ollerton and Robinson. (We're taking bets that Elder Ollerton will be the next AP.)  They are the poster children of perfect missionaries.  Elder Robinson heads home to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico next transfer.  So sad when amazing missionaries go home...but there are always other amazing ones to take their place.