TALLAHASSEE 1 and 2 - Zone Conference

BIG GROUP! GREAT GROUP!

We are so excited as a Mission for all of the fun new ways of "Finding" we are implementing. We truly feel the hastening of missionary work taking place, and recognize the special gifts and talents these young men and women have been blessed with for building up the kingdom here in FLORIDA, GEORGIA, and ALABAMA. A few weeks ago we gave our Assistants a little bit of inspiration, and they ran with it! It has been amazing to see the doors of opportunity open up, and the enthusiasm of the entire missionary force in finding new ways to share the message of the Gospel.

If you're wondering, the missionaries are doing the "tomahawk chop" motion used by the Seminole fans at the FSU games. This is the unveiling by Elder Norton and Elder Rhoades. We're so excited!

DOTHAN Zone Conference

We had a fabulous time with our missionaries in the DOTHAN, Alabama Zone. They are doing a great job, and are excited about the unveiling of our new "Finding" tools!

These are missionaries happy about serving!

These sweet ladies made lunch for the missionaries! It was a FEAST! We love you Sisters -Thank you.

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Thought you might be interested in what an alligator snapping turtle looks like. Yes, we ate this for our Zone Conference lunch!

MOBILE, ALABAMA Zone Conference

It's always great to spend time with our wonderful missionaries. These are the missionaries serving in our Mobile Zone. This is just one of seven zones! Other zones will follow in the next two weeks, and then we will receive 32 new missionaries into the mission.

Role playing during training. So Fun!

And then we break for lunch! A true southern meal made by a great man! Brother Dayton Leferink gave us a variety of all sorts of foods most of us have not tried. It was a TRUE experience -and enjoyable. On the menu; Alligator snapping turtle tail, okra and tomato pie, collard greens, seafood gumbo, hashbrown potato casserole, peach cobbler, and plenty of rolls and cornbread. Wow!

After Zone Conference we drove to Foley, Alabama with the Assistants and Office Elders to eat at Lamberts -Home of the thrown rolls.

Great Senior Couples

We have wonderful couples serving in this mission. Elder and Sister Baker serve in the Institute at Florida State University, and Elder and Sister Mills just arrived into the mission last week. They will be working in the Mission office, and will replace the Mowers who are leaving next week. We are grateful for all of the wonderful work the Mowers have done, and look forward to working with the Mills.

A Baptism

A baptism this week in the Liahona Branch. Claudia and Ana were baptized by Elder Rios-Lazo and Elder Hummer. This picture before the baptism includes President Rodriguez (the Branch President), Elders Meza, Blake, Hummer, Rios-Lazo, Correa, and Palau. There are great things happening in the Spanish Liahona Branch.

Training with our Gulf Breeze and Pine Forest Missionaries

Trainers Elder Sanders, Elder Smith, and Sister Bertoldo with their new missionary companions, Elder Riddle, Elder Miller, and Sister Richardson. The first twelve weeks of training are the most important for a new missionary. SO Important to have a GREAT TRAINER!

It's Hard to Say Good-bye

It's so hard to say good-bye to great Elders like, Elder Anderson, Elder Powell, Elder Raso, and Elder Blanchard.

And cute Sister Jones.

It is especially hard to say good-bye to Elder Blanchard, who has served us in tremendous ways as the Assistant to the President in the seven short weeks we've been here. Great missionary!

Our three great Assistants, now minus one -Elder Blanchard. We are proud of each of these Missionaries who have been successful in fulfilling their purpose.

The Toones

We love teaching with the missionaries. We had the opportunity of going with Sister Medlyn and Sister Strickland onto the Eglin Air Force base to teach a member family, The Toones. What a wonderful family, and their two children (dogs -Cairo, and Zero). We had a wonderful lesson from the Sisters, who extended an invitation to the Toones to share testimony in a Book of Mormon, and then share it with a non-member family on base before they move to Texas in a couple of weeks. Thank you to the Toones for their love and support of the Missionary effort.

Mission Leadership Council

We enjoyed another wonderful Mission Leadership Council on Wednesday. We have such wonderful Assistants, Zone Leaders, and Sister Leader Trainers in this Mission. We couldn't be prouder of them and the work they are doing to lift, inspire, encourage, and motivate the missionaries in their zones. We feel so uplifted after meeting with them! Missionary work is the BEST!!Mission leadership in order, Sisters Shattuck, Rodriguez, Medlyn, Rappleye, Jamison, Gossling, DeVries, Thompson, Treiber, Stanfield, Comaniuk, and Harris. First row of Elders, Winter, Coates, Call, Musgrave, Judy, Davis, Rowan, Wright, Norton, Blanchard, and Rhoades. Second row Elders, Butterfield, Olsen, Foster, Wilkey, McPherson, and Evans. Awesome Missionaries!

We Love Baptism's!

A baptism for Kevin. Happy missionaries Elder Hadden and Elder Murdoch.

And our wonderful Missionaries in Enterprise, Alabama enjoy a baptism Saturday.

Beautiful Pensacola, Florida

Beautiful Pensacola, Florida, where our Missionaries enjoy a great view while they work.

This is Bobby, a convert to the Church, and an A++ member missionary. She is an incredible help to the missionaries in Pensacola. Thank you Bobby!