We just had an amazing specialized training that centered on the First Vision and Prayer. Here are 55 pictures I took at the meeting on Friday of the Northern Zones – Stuart, Palm Beach, Coral Springs, and Fort Lauderdale. I will put captions on the pictures when I have a chance but for now you can look through them and see if you can find your missionary. Look behind the main subjects because there a lot of photos where you can see other missionaries. If I missed someone I am sorry – it was certainly not intentional.  Enjoy!

We were almost to our turn off to the Boynton Beach Chapel when we got a call that asked if we could rescue some elders who were at the Tri Rail Station. Since it was almost on our way we said sure and picked up elders Reeves, Dean, Brown and Rugg – but at Dunkin’ Donuts! When we got to the chapel I started taking pictures

 

Because of our side trip we made it just in time to take just a couple of pictures before the missionaries were invited to go in and sit quietly studying until the meeting started. We did get to say hello to our old friend elder Rellaford and see sister Stegelmeier talking to elder Hunt and Jones – notice her hands are moving. The group of sisters on the right side of the picture include sisters Ellett, Dougal, Merrill, Johnson and an almost hidden sister Gordon. Sisters, Gordon, Dougal and Johnson with Mary who is passing out some of the 3000 plus letters she has written over the last 14 months.

I managed a picture of one companionship before they all went in – elders Hunt and B. Jones are the zone leaders in the Coral Springs zone. Elder Collins and myself went to get the 50 pizzas piled up on the table.

This looks like the leftover from an earlier social gathering at the ward – unfortunately it had nothing to show what Easter is all about! Just about every inch of the cultural hall was used for tables and chairs.

Many hands make light work…the couples all pitched in to get everything ready for lunch – even I helped before I started taking pictures. E/S Ellis and E/S Singleton are becoming experts on helping out. Sisters Dougal and Gordon are the first in line – sisters first is of course the rule.

They were soon joined by sister Stegelmeier and Merrill – unfortunately only sister Merrill’s arms are visible. Soon the other sisters arrived include sisters Fletcher, Smith Chavous, Escorbores, Sablan and Tuai.

As the last of the sisters started through the line I realized that I could take pictures of the elders as they waited in line. Elders Haddock and Call from West Palm Central. Elders Rellaford and Winslow now serve in Boynton Beach North.

Elder Reeves is being trained by elder Dean as they serve in Riverside Park. Elder Brakey and our old friend elder Wilson are serving Boca Raton West. Notice both are wearing blue ties…

Elders Pattberg and Doman are way up in Vero Beach. It turned out being elder Doman’s birthday. Elders Aul and Shaffer are in Jupiter North. Elder Shaffer has the honor of being the last mission that was called to the Orlando Mission and came over when the Stuart Zone was added to the mission.

Elder Taylor was born in the Fort Lauderdale area but is now serving with elder Burgon in Fort Pierce. Elder Hall is one of our favorite missionaries and is now with elder Madson in Boca Raton East.

Sister Loucks will be happy to see this pictures of elder Loucks who is serving with elder Elliott. Elder K Brown – we just keep getting more Browns and they are all above average missionaries – is serving with elder Petersen in the rural Belle Glade area.

 

Elder Mackley is serving with elder Bloom who served as district leader in Fort Lauderdale not too long ago. Elder K Jones had his assignment changed just over a week ago from district leader in Fort Lauderdale district to be a zone leader with elder Koleber in the Palm Beach zone.

 

 

Elder McMullin serves with ever smiling elder Rasmussen. Elder Chamberlain has a good grip on his companion elder Brockbank. Both of these serve in the Coconut Creek district.

Elders Pond and Rondo are basically our across the street neighbors as they serve in the Plantation ward. I doubt if there any companionship that works any harder than these two. It seems elder Claude has some kind of slight accident that required the use of a crutch for a while. He is supported by his companion elder Marsh. I can remember when they both came into the mission.

Wood is with his friend but not companion elder Torres. One of the joys of conferences and specialized training is getting to see your former mission and MTC companions. Love and hugs are a constant at these meetings. Elders Doria and Levy are serving together in the West Palm South area.

Elder Pearce is elder Wood – elder Torres friend above – companion in Coral Springs. Elder Maddox is with his companion elder Fitts – wait that elder Nielsen disguised as elder Fitts.

It seems elder Woodard is being well trained by elder Free in how to make faces. I am sure he is doing just as good a job it training him how to be an above average missionary. Elders Duncan and Faniaka serve together way up in Okeechobee. I asked them if the car sank very far when they got in together.

Why do I have two pictures of our friends elders Grant and Harral? Because elder Harrall said he was not smiling in the first one…you get to choose which one you like best.

Since I did not get any pictures of the sisters before they went through the food line, I went around trying to get them all while they were eating. They were good sports and posed for me – at least most of them did. Sisters Ellett and Johnson are together in Palm Beach Central area. Sister Gordon is being trained by sister Dougal in Nova YSA.

Sister Daines is training sister Garcia in Lauderhill South. I am glad I got this picture of sister Choui – pronounced Chew – with her trainer sister Bagley as well as sisters Sablan, Beck and Jackson. I thought I had no pictures of that companionship.

I joined elders Levy and Doria for a short time as they ate the last of the pizza in the box. Elder McMullin seems to be doing the same with his companion elder Rasmussen.

Sister Sablan wanted a picture with us so we took one with her and her companion sister Beck. Elder Edwards had to sneak in for one and it seems sister Ellett also got in the picture.

Sister Sablan with elder Jones in the background. When the assistants finally had time to get some food all the tables were filled – or so they said – so they brought in their own private table at sat it up. It was just the right size for a pizza box with a little room left for their water bottles.

Same group different pose. Sister Anderson announced it was elder Doman’s birthday so he got a serenade by all the missionaries and took it as a good sport. I seem to have been moving when I took the fuzzy picture!

Elder Free snuck in as I took a picture of sisters Jackson and Andrus. Sisters Aloi and Schneider are serving together. Lots of elders in background.

Sisters Tuai and Price serve in the Hollywood Hills North area. Sister Beck seems to be trying to get a arm hold on her companion sister Sablan.  Notice sister Sablan has vegetables on her plate.

I am not sure if sister Merrill is smiling at the camera or her companion sister Stegelmeier. Elders Duncan, Faniaka and Gust pose with sister Price, Tuai, Beck and Sablan. I kept this one because I saw elder Rasmussen in the background.

Here is the same picture without elder Rasmussen.

That’s All Folks – hope you enjoyed the show!

 

We just had an amazing specialized training that centered on the First Vision and Prayer. Here are 64 pictures I took at the meeting on Thursday for the Southern Zones – Miami Beach, Hialeah, Miami, and Homestead. I will put captions on the pictures when I have a chance but for now you can look through them and see if you can find your missionary. Look behind the main subjects because there a lot of photos where you can see other missionaries. If I missed someone I am sorry – it was certainly not intentional.  Enjoy!

 

When we arrived at the Miami Lakes chapel, the first missionary we ran into was elder Bay who wants everyone to know he is OK. A little later I took this picture of him with his companion elder Tesch.

Elder Lange is being trained by elder Patino who is a district leader in the Miami Beach Zone. Elder O’Neill got in both pictures – in the second he is next to his companion elder Curtis with elder Pingree joining in. Elder O’Neill and Curtis are in El Portal South while elder Pingree is in Fontainebleau with elder Wardell.

We said our goodbyes to elder Plowman who served with us in Fort Lauderdale Zone at the start of our mission. When we got to the chapel we found the cultural hall set up for a Relief Society event. I had the elders carefully put them away as is and then set up lots of tables for our lunch. After lunch we carefully put the hall back the way it was.

 

Us with elder Plowman and then him with his fellow Hialeah zone leader elder Bowen. We first met elder Bowen when we delivered his Christmas package up in the far reaches of Lake Okeechobee where he was serving with elder Duncan.

 

 

Elders Lee and Kafton serve together in Miami Gardens. I was finally able to get a picture of the new AP trio. They have been so busy since elder Stewart joined elders Gust and Shipley on Monday that they have not been in the office while we were there. It is good to see they are already color coordinating their ties.

Have to have the thumbs up shot. They will work together until elder Shipley is released. Elder Diaz is given a big hug from his friend elder Toeava. They serve in different zones but that does not matter at all when it comes to brotherhood.

Elder Ovard with elder Hoole – again brothers not currently companions. Elder Dowdle and elder Williams are serving together as Zone Leaders in the Miami Beach zone. Elder Dowdle will be going home this transfer and we will miss him even though we will be leaving soon after.

It seems that wherever we go we see sister Lake who is with her companion sister Brown. Sister Lake is another missionary who has served an above average mission and will be departing on April 11th. Our table set up is not as pretty as the RS one but it is functional.

 

Elder McCormick and I went to get 40 pizzas at Little Caesars. There was a young man of about 8 or 9 there and when we said we had come to pick up 40 pizzas all he could say was Wow! So sister Hansen was third in line for lunch with sisters Brown, Hymas and others close behind.

 

Sisters Johnson, Dunford, Syme and Farley sat at a round table while four companionships and sister McCormick sat at the long table.

Lets see if I get this right…on the left is sisters Meiling, Hansen, Herrera, and Vance. At the end is sister Ware. Coming back towards the front from sister Ware are sisters Lira, Judkins, Holyan, and McCormick. What a great group of above average sister missionaries. The three elders are Gutierrez, Bowen and Plowman. Notice elder Plowman was not about to stop eating to have his picture taken…first things first is his moto.

 

Elders Lee, Kafton, Marcusen and Gutierrez at one table – btw elder Marcusen is an excellent piano player.

Elders Whitney and Diaz look a little lonely but they were early in line and were soon joined by others. These 6 elders really did not appreciate being photographed with their mouths full.

 

The Andersons with sisters Johnson and Dunford. That is my untouched pizza in the foreground. Elder Ellis took my job scooping ice cream. I am glad he did because I was still busy taking pictures. Besides he needs the training for future conferences and training meetings.

Sister Dunford is being a loving companion as she gets dessert for her companion. At least that is what she told me. I did not check to see if she actually gave one to sister Johnson. Elder Richardson was given a big hug by elder Kafton

Elder Hoole hopped tables and is seen here with sisters Ware and Quiocho and the APs elder Shipley and Gust. Sister Quiocho loves to pose for my pictures.

Elder Hoole joined in the fun with sister Quiocho. Notice that elder Gust is not only busy eating but also that he has clean his plate while others are still just getting started.

Some of our larger and more handsome elders – Kata, Rockwood and Dowdle. The senior missionaries also got in line for dessert. Sister McCormick waits patiently while elder Ellis serves her. I noticed that I managed to also capture sister Anderson and the ever present elder Hoole in the background.

Sister Herrera smile prettily in her rich red skirt. Elder Wardell and Pingree got their share of the pizza…there was enough for seconds and even thirds.