Soccer is big in Southern Florida and right next to the mission office building is a very large field/park where they can play 8 games at once. On the Friday after Christmas the field was packed with girls playing soccer in what appeared to be a tournament. From early morning to into the evening there were games going on. A big, bright, full moon in a cloudless sky was just too tempting not to capture…this one through the tree was my favorite. Our new next door neighbors are the proud parents this beautiful daughter that was born the Thursday after Christmas…she certainly has a full head of hair!

  

On Monday Elder Sommerfeldt had some things to share with elder Rippstein. A New Year’s Eve party was quickly organized by 5 of the couples and we met at the Bare’s apartment for food and fun. Sisters Evans and Sommerfeldt arrive with elder Bare looking on.

 

Sister Bare is explaining something to the Evans and Mary. The line quickly formed for the food…Subway sandwiches and other goodies.

 

Two tables of serious games of ‘Five Crowns’ were played. You can see how serious by the way elders Sommerfeldt  and Evans were laughing. Elder Evans had a good reason to be happy – he was winning. At the other table sister Evans seems to be the only one enjoying themselves…and she was not even winning.

  

On New Years day we went to the Fort Lauderdale District meeting. As I have mentioned before we find the chance to be with the missionaries and learn about how to be better missionaries one of the many blessings of a senior mission. Elder Taylor and Sisters Bean and Lake are studying a ‘Question of the Soul’ and how the Book of Mormon can answer it. Sister Bean – one of our newest missionaries – said that before she came on her mission she mined this blog to learn about what to expect when she got here. We are glad that others find the blog useful in learning about the mission or about how their children are doing while serving here. From time to time we get nice notes or comments from our visitors. Elders Taylor and Rellaford are getting some instruction from the Elder Smoot. Mary and elders Bloom and Burt are busy studying…well I think Mary is studying!

  

Part of almost all district meetings is role playing…here Mary is a non-member being taught by the sisters. In the back elder Bishop is being taught by the elders. Obviously elders Bishop, Rondo and Thorne noticed I was taking their picture. Sister Bean and sister Lake get some pointers from Elder Smoot…I just noticed that all I ever really got was the back of elder Smoot’s head! I will try to do better the next time we see him.