Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Transfer Day, Temple and Ground Breaking Pics

January has been a wonderful month! Below you see the long-awaited ground breaking for the Alma, Georgia chapel. When President Evanson's father was the mission president for the Southern States Mission 40 years ago he had to gather up the money that all the individual units had saved for various purposes and send it into Salt Lake. Those of you who were in the church that long ago remember how hard it was to give up the "Relief Society Bazaar Money" and the "High Priest Activity Money" so that funding for the church would all take place in a central location. Anyway, Alma had a fund that was ear marked for a building. It was very difficult to hand that money over to a mission president they hardly knew. When President Evanson (senior) collected the funds he promised them that if they would be faithful the day would come when they would have their own building. It was a tender mercy for President Evanson (junior) to be involved in the ground breaking on January 12, 2008 for the new Alma building.

Brother J. Boatright (a member of the branch 40 years ago), President Evanson, Elder Barnes, Elder French, Elder Redford and Elder Schaat.


All of the missionaries were able (or will be able) to attend the temple in January. Above the Macon missionaries are at the Atlanta Temple. The Eastmans, Elders D. Smith, J. Clark, McKee, Hutchison, President, kneeling Elders C. Clark and Wood.

Daisy and Victor Golding are members who couldn't wait to meet Sister Barnes who is from their native Jamaica.


Elders Collings, Forbes and Ogden, along with Sister Thomas welcome Elder Foster on transfer day.
Elders Jacobson, Spencer, Hutchison, Slade, Alvord and Barnes enjoy lunch.

Standing at transfer meeting Elders Collings, C. Clark, Ogden, Fuhriman, Fister, Conlin, Godfrey, Dilts and J. Clark.
Having the "mission famous" lasagne...Elders Nelson, Silva, Wood, Bell and Schaat.
Don't forget you can double click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

They're Here...and it has been quite a day!

It has been quite a day! We were anxious to get the new missionaries to Macon because a baptism was scheduled for 7:00 pm and we wanted them to witness that. Well, their plane was about 45 minutes late...they had to de-ice in SLC. However, the usual Atlanta 4:00-5:00 traffic was not bad. We made it to the mission home in time to eat and immediately left for the baptism at the stake center. The baptism was great. Two young men from a part-member family were baptized. The new missionaries were able to meet some real Southerners. We headed right back to the mission home for devotional and bed. However, a deer found it's way into the front of the mission van and delayed the elders on their ride home. Everyone was fine. The sisters were with President and I, so they missed the excitement. During the devotional, Elder Clark told the new missionaries that we don't provide this much excitement on a regular basis. Well, they're all on their way to bed. Their training begins at 7:45 in the morning. We can tell already we've got a good bunch. Thank you, and we'll be in touch...

Left: Elders Barnes, Wood, J. Clark at dinner.
Right: Elder Wood, Michael, Clarence, Elder Slade, Elder C. Clark at the baptism.

Left: Elder Foster, Elder Jenson, Sister Jenson, Sister Craw at dinner.
Right: Assistants kneeling Elders C. Clark, Slade, Wood; New missionaries standing Elder Foster, Sister Craw, Elder Jenson, Sister Jenson, Elder Barnes, Elder Alvord.


At the mission home with President and Sister Evanson
Standing: Elders Jenson and Foster, Sisters Jenson and Craw, Elders Alvord and Barnes

Their Last Day in the Mission

January 8 was the last night in the mission for Elders O'Rullian, Clinton, Greenhalgh and Reed (seated) and Sisters Poulstrup and Nickle. We cut their ties for my quilt, had dinner and a devotional and enjoyed visiting. They had to get up extra early this morning to catch an 8:00 flight for one of the elders, leaving the mission home at 5:30a.m. The rest will wait at the airport until the regular 10:00 flight times, so they'll probably be worn out when they arrive. Enjoy them at home. They know how to work, so keep them busy. We will miss them a lot.


Left: Elder O'Rullian and Elder Wood
Right: Elder Reed and Sister E.

Left: Sister Poulstrup (I can't figure out how to rotate a picture on this blog...sorry!)
Right: Sister Nickle

Elder Clinton
For some reason we didn't get a picture of Elder Greenhalgh's tie-cutting. Hopefully, it is on his own camera.

On the Mission Home Porch! Georgia/South Carolina will miss these missionaries.