July 2015

     In July we sent these beloved missionaries back to their families--front: Sisters Simmons and Keele, Sis. & Pres. Eaton, Elders Wilcox, Ludlow, Quackenbush, and Ellowitt; back: Elders Buckner, Meyer, Dold, Hilton, Gonzalez, Olsen, Coombs, and Loveland.

   

 And welcomed these to our mission family--front: Sister Young, Sis. & Pres. Eaton, Sisters Peterson and Edwards; middle: Elders Knight, Kidwell, Steiner, Sirrine, Duncan, Samuels, Chance, Thurgood, and Northrup; back: Elders White, Elzey, Lyon, Covington, Rex, Samuelsen, Ozburn, Rippstein, and Meads.

This summer has been unusually warm, but the missionary have taken advantage of the opportunity to talk with many more people who are outside because of it.  The Kent zone marched in the Covington Days parade and help staff a both at the festivities that followed.  Sisters Cauley, Clement, Stewart, Frischknecht, Palmer, Killingsworth, and Lyman are pictured by the tractor.
The parade announcer introduced them this way: 

Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints voluntarily serve God for 18 months to 2 years. You may know them for their signature white shirts and ties, but women serve, too. In addition to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, they serve individuals and organizations in the community, such as Northwest Harvest, up to 10 hours each week. If you have service opportunities for the missionaries, just let them know or stop by our booth at the festival.

          July is interview month.  We have enjoyed meeting with the missionaries one on one.  I have been struck by the many miracles they share with me.  These are occurring in each zone and fill me with the Spirit as they share stories of people showing up at church ready to be taught, approaching the missionaries and asking to hear their message of salvation, and more.  I so wish I had collected their experiences in a miracle notebook, but I didn't notice the pattern until we had met with a couple of zones!

June 2015

     This month is one of specialized trainings.  We held a couple of meetings to help missionaries understand how to use family history to help them fulfill their purpose as missionaries. We also held a special training for those missionaries learning a new language.  For some it is English and others it is Spanish or even Marshallese.  Ultimately, the language all missionaries need to learn is the language of the Spirit.  Preach My Gospel teaches, "The language of the Spirit comes to him who seeks with all his heart to know God and keep His divine commandments."  The group was too large for a picture, but we did get one of the Hermanas.  (Hermanas Edmonds, Singer, Palmer, Killingsworth, Hill, Moretonsen, Baird, Peacock, Soliz, and Leach)

     The Maple Valley zone participated in the Maple Valley Days parade, handing out pass along cards and candy along the way.  Here we see Sisters Davis, Linker, & Lee, Elders Lee-Wen, Bohne, Gonzalez, Clauson, Allen & Brown, Sisters Orr, Webb, and Bailey.