November's New Arrivals

 We welcomed a crew of fabulous new arrivals this past week.

Back Row L-R:  Elders Loftus and Taylor, the President, Elders Springer and Ekberg
Middle Row L-R:  Elders Elliott, Archibald, Hartzog, Paul, Ortega, Thornton and Humphrey
Sisters Stauffer, Howe, Cooke

We went straight from the airport to the Metro,
where everyone got their first chance to mingle with the locals and try to place a Book of Mormon and pass-along cards.

Dinner, interviews and testimony meeting at the Mission Home:

Elders Hartzog, Springer, Taylor and Loftus

Elders Hartzog and Springer

Elders Taylor and Loftus

Elders Archibald and Elliott

Elders Paul, Ekberg, Miyasaki and Ortega

Elders Jelitto, Thornton and Humphrey

Breakfast before heading into the temple and visitors' center:

"Transfer Meeting" at the Visitors' Center:

We already love this new crew of exceptional missionaries.  Glad to have them here for the holidays!

Thanksgiving Brings Us to Helaman

… in our mission-wide Book of Mormon reading.

How many family members and friends are still reading with us?

Arlington - The Semi-Annual Pilgrimmage

With the east coast autumn feuillage in all its splendor, 

we carried on a tradition of this mission... 

… to take those missionaries who will be leaving the mission

 within the coming six months 

for a special visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

At the Visitors' Center entry point, the President shared some personal insights into the significance of this sacred site.

And our reverent trek began…

 At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,

we were inspired by the dignity and discipline of the "Old Guard."

Elder Schoemig penned this verse in his planner as he watched the changing of the Guard:

"This hallowed ground of Tomb Unknown is guarded by the world unshown

and one brave soldier takes his place amongst God's noblest, holy ranks."

Elders Synelnikov and Schoemig

Then we were favored to an insight into the Old Guard's quarters with an explanation of the demands of that duty.

We made our way next to the Arlington House.

Sister Bullock is a direct descendent of Robert E Lee

Elder Winkler shot many of the best photos in this post.

Reverence began to relax a bit...

 

We made our way soberly to the Kennedy Memorial, 
almost exactly fifty years after his death.

This was the favorite spot of Arlington chosen by our three "Eastern Block" missionaries,
Elder Szabo, Sister Lavrentyeva, and Elder Synelnikov

We ended our tour of Arlington at the 
"Women in Military Service in America" Memorial

My thanks to Elder Winkler for carrying the camera and contributing many of the best photos above.

Participants in the Fall 2013 Pilgrimmage

Leaving this month:

Back L-R: Elders Morris, Lott, Stoor, Synelnikov, Schow, Long, Meserole
Front L-R:  Elders Galuvao, Ah Puck, Picon, Livengood, Flores

Leaving January 2014 

Elders Jelitto, Giles, Moore, Bates, Branning, Szabo and Sister Bowman

Leaving February 2014

Back L-R:  Elders Raasveld, Schoemig, Centeno, Lanham, Vaterlaus
Sisters Tuft, Nakatsuka and Clement
Front sides:  Elders Peterson - R and Winkler - L

 Leaving April 2014

Elder Guerrero, Sisters Lavrentyeva, Chappell, Engman, Balls, Aldredge, Elder Alca

"We are Fa-mi-ly….  I've got all my sisters and me!"

Back L-R:  Sisters Bullock, Lavrentyeva, Chappell, Engman, Balls, Aldredge, Bowman
Front L-R:  Sisters Clement, Tuft, Nakatsuka
and the luckiest mission president's wife in the world!

Parting Note:
Sisters Chappell, Graff, Shaw, Carcamo, Nakatsuka and Clement sang a moving tribute
 for Veterans from the Beirut Bombing

To hear their numbers, click here:

America the Beautiful

The Lord is my Shepherd

I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go