May Cambios . . .

Our new group of missionaries arrived on a typical rainy day here in Osorno on Tuesday of this week. Eight are in this new group, including 4 new hermanas. One of the nice things about this cambio is that it is a relatively smaller group and much easier to manage than the large groups we´ve recently received.

Above is a group picture of the new missionaries. Seated from l-r are: Hna Larkin from Snowville, Utah, Hna Bertagnole from Olathe, Kansas, Hna McShane from Richland, Washington and Hna Contreras from Chile. Standing l-r are: Elder Bigelow from Mesa, AZ who is finishing his mission and has been serving as one of our assistants, Elder Seager from Santaquin, Utah who will be the new assistant, Elder Vaquerano from El Salvador, Elder Correa from Santiago, Chile, Elder Ramirez from El Salvador, Elder Flores from Honduras and Elder Opazo from Santiago, Chile our other assistant. This will be an excellent group of missionaries. They come with such enthusiasm and desire to serve.

As always, we say good-bye to those missionaries completing their service and whom we have grown to love so much. This was somewhat of a milestone in the mission in that the two Elders completing their mission are the last of those missionaries who were already in the mission when Susie and I arrived. They are representative of the wonderful missionaries who were here with President and Sister Faulkner when we arrived in June, 2008.

Seated above l-r are: Hna Demers from New Hampshire, Hna Moemai from Provo, Utah, Hna McClellan from Fallbrook, California, Hna Porter from Heber, Arizona and Hna Wade from Mesa, Arizona. Standing l-r are: Elder Seager our new assistant, Elder Bigelow from Mesa, Arizona, Elder Opazo our other assistant, and Elder Huaman from Lima, Peru.

Thought you might be interested in seeing a picture of our mission assignment board. It shows the 12 zones of the mission and each of the companionship/sector assignments. The companionships at the top of each group are the two zone leaders. On those occasions that we are in the mission home office, I just cannot take my eyes of this board. It is truly an inspiring site. I remain convinced, that this mission is blessed with the best missionaries on the planet!