January 2014... A New Year!

We started out the new year by holding our Mission Leadership Council on January 3rd.

On the 6th of January we welcomed 16 new missionaries to Puebla.  They were introduced to their trainers the next day at our Transfer Meeting at the Valsequillo Stake Center. 

The next week on the 14th, we started our Zone Conferences...

in Valsequillo Zone

Mayorazgo Zone

Elder Hollobaugh, Elder Scott, Elder Camacho and Elder Dowdle

Tehuacan Zone

Cholula Zone

Sister Reeves and the Sisters from the Cholula Zone

Elder Boren and Elder Cardoso practicing with Hermana Arano in the Cholula Zone

Elder Urbiola and Elder Dunford practicing with Hermana Fernandez

Nealtican Zone

On our way to the Zone Conference in Izucar, we stopped in Atlixco to pick up the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Prieto and Sister Cascante.  Elder Chavez and Elder Contreras braved the cold to meet them at the corner...

When we have our Zone Conferences, the Sister Training Leaders have time to 

teach a principle or concept to the rest of the Missionaries.

Izucar Zone

Elder Wilson is demonstrating the principle of trust in someone else...

He then demonstrated the art of giving directions and being precise when teaching... He asked President and Sister Reeves to each give directions on how to make a peanut butter sandwich.  

It's harder than you might think...

But we were successful...

We were privileged to attend one of the baptisms of Elders Anderton and Bennett

We always have to snap a picture of Popo as we come into Atlixco...

Atlixco Zone

during the break in Atlixco

This is Elder Auten who arrived this month from the United States.  He is from La Verne, California, where we used to live before we moved to Gilbert, Arizona.  We were in the same stake there and are good friends with his parents and are excited to welcome him into the mission.  

On January 26th we said goodbye to Elder Ramirez.  

He has been serving as one of our Zone Leaders and we will miss him.  

Here he is with his companions, Elder Allred and Elder Iñesta.

On January 31 we held our Mission Leader Council because we would be gone the next week when we would normally hold it.  We have two new Sister Leader Trainers and a few new Zone Leaders.

Back Row: Elder Tobon, Elder Astle, Elder Kitchen, Elder Iñesta, Elder Dougherty, Elder Parrish, Elder Mendez, Hermana Rios, Hermana De la Cruz

Front Row: Elder Dzul, Elder Gonzalez, Elder Melaerts, Elder Grady, Elder Allred, Elder Wilson, Elder Sanchez, Hermana Baltazar, Hermana Ramirez, Hermana Prieto

Seated: Elder Chavez, Elder Contreras, President and Sister Reeves, Hermana and Elder De la Rosa

These are the Sister Leader Trainers with me and Hermana De la Rosa.

Hermana Rios, Hermana Baltazar, Hermana Ramirez, Hermana Prieto, 

Hermana De la Cruz and Hermana Cascante

Our view of the Volcano, Mt. Popocatepetl from our bedroom this evening.  It's always fun to wake up and see if he's smoking or not and we love seeing the beautiful sunsets every evening.

September 2013

new missionaries and trainers for September

Our Salientes for September.  We are really going to miss these young men!

Elder Mendez, Elder Lopez, Elder Heredia, Elder Pantoja and Elder Echevarria

I'm sure Elder Lopez is a little bit sad to leave the mission...

Elder Turley and Elder Gay... best friends and companions

Sister Solano, Sister Lopez and Sister Cassiani 

Elder Contreras, Elder Turley and Elder Gay... our Assistants

Sister Solano goes home.  We will miss her greatly!

The Elders and Sisters are always so good to clean up after our meetings

A shoe shining activity and practice??

Leadership Training

Every few months, usually 2-3 weeks after changes, we have the opportunity to do some Leadership Training for our Zone Leaders, District Leaders and the new Trainers.  It's always a great time to learn something new and practice teaching skills.

Elder Wells and Elder Leifson

Elder Sperry and Elder Foster

Elder Betts and Elder Rainford

Practice time

On Wednesday, we had a Leadership training meeting that lasted most of the day.  The boys came with us to see all the missionaries and ended up staying for the meeting and lunch.  Then they got a ride home with the De la Rosas because we had a baptism to go to also. 

 On Thursday we traveled to Teotitlan because Dad had an interview and we were able to get some sugar cane that fell out of this truck... it's a beautiful drive.

 Then we went to the Parian to look around the shops and to Las Ranas for dinner.  On Friday we spent the day with the Lopez family in Atlixco.  It was such a fun day! 

The boys got to meet two of our elders, Elder Shipley and Elder Foster and 

the Lopez family... President and Sister Lopez, Rebecca and Abram

We played ping pong...

  and visited with all their animals...

One of the brothers of President Lopez owns a hawk that is blind.  He lives at his house

 and just sits on their patio.  President Lopez brought him over so we could hold him...

That's Bradley underneath the hawk's wing...

  

Afterwards, we went into Atlixco to look at all the flower gardens.  

Atlixco is famous for it's flower gardens and at this time of year there were a 

lot of people crowding the streets in and around the gardens.  

After visiting the flower garden and buying a hammock for Bradley, we went to a 

Trout Farm, where they raise trout and have a restaurant...  These lanes are FULL of fish!

Of course, the boys had to find something that was a little more fun than looking at fish...

During the warmer months, there is a zip line and other activities for the kids...

 Of course, we had to eat at the restaurant.  And yes, we had the fish.  

It was good, but it was prepared a little differently than what I'm used to.  

Head, eyes, fins, the whole thing!  But it was good and fresh!