Senior Couples Conference January 2015

The Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission is greatly blessed by the service of Senior Couples.

Left:  Glovers serving in Phillipsburg, Clarksons serving in Gettsyburg, Swingholms Area Mental Health, Elcocks serve in the office, President and Sister Johnson, Butlers serving in Uniontown, Barneys serving in Somerset, Bentleys serve in the office, Thornes served in the office and McKeesport and the Bells who departed for home this past week after serving in Wintersville, OH - many thanks!

       A special thanks to the Thornes and the Bentleys who have run the office so efficiently!

       They will be departing for home this month as well and will truly be missed!

January 2015 MLC

We appreciate the leadership we have here in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission.  They are a dynamic group who lead the mission well!

Left front row: Elders Doyle, Ashton, Harper, Whipple, Sorenson and Guerro

Left row 2: Sisters Sparks, Cottam, Lindsay, Wade, Chavez, Jones and Peterson, Elder Christiansen

Left row 3: Elders Nash, Ginos, Little, McDonald, Anderson, Sisters Hodson, Anderson and Washburn

Left back: Birrell, Gates, Vascallo, Pres. Johnson, O'Brien, Bryant, Stowe, Gibson and Justesen

January 2015 Departing Missionaries

The first group in 2015 heading home, departed January 6!

Sisters Manwill, Berry and Stocking

Elders Belk, Taylor and Despain

Sister Berry happens to be a good friend of our family.  We lived in the same ward for 11 years in Enumclaw Washington.  It was very special having the opportunity to serve together here in the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Mission!

December Farewell and Best Wishes!

Nineteen missionaries said goodbye to companions, wards they have served in, many good people they have come to know and the beautiful state of Pennsylvania!  It is always very special having them come together at the mission home just before they leave.

Sisters Denny, Smith,  Brown, Yeates, White and Williams, Elders Hebdon and Cook

Sisters Larsen, Burnett and Walborn talking to Elder Packer

A Time For Sharing

Elder Hebdon, Elder Cook, Sister Baltizar (behind), Sister Olvera or Elder West

Sister Law leading the music

Back row:  Sisters Brown, Yeates, Burnett, Williams and White

Front row:  Sisters Denny, Walborn, Smith, Larsen and Lamphier 

Front Left:  Sisters Olvera, Law, Baltizar, Burnett and Smith

Row Two:   Sisters Lamphier, Williams and White

Row Three:  Elders Durham, Wright and West Sisters Walborn, Denny, Brown, Yeates and Larsen

Row Four:  Elders Packard, Cook and Hebdon

Elders Wright and Durham 

Sister Olvera giving Suzanne Thomas a goodbye hug

Suzanne saying good bye to Elder Hebdon who baptized her

Sister Law and her parents with President and Sister Johnson

December 2014 Transfers

Every six weeks we have a new crew of missionaries arrive from the MTC.  At the same time we have many missionaries who have completed their missions and are ready to go home.   This creates quite a whirlwind in the mission as new companionships are considered and areas increase or decrease in the number of missionaries serving there.  Now that we have been through this process several times, I am truly in awe of the way that it happens and the Lords hand in these decisions.   How very grateful I am to have this opportunity to be part of His great hastening!  Transfer day:

Bishop Hoke with Sisters Denny, Smith, Brown and Yeates.  These sisters served in his ward at some point in their time here and are headed home.

Elders Durham and Hale

The lunch bunch which includes new missionaries and their trainers "to be".

New companionship! Sisters Sparks and Cottam

The keys to the cars table!  Elder Bentley does a fantastic job with all the details of the fleet!

Hello or Goodbye?  Elders Packard and . . .

Elder Boekweg 

Chance to hug a previous companion!  Sister Baltizar and Sister Duncan

Sister Wyasket got mail!  Elders Bryant and Taylor hoping this is all!

Elder Stowe and Sister White

Questions for President Johnson?

New companionship Sister Amandola and Sister Jones

Elders Henshaw, Childs and Harper

Elder Smith ready for?

Sister Burnett and Elder Sorenson

Sisters Berry and Burnett

One last goodbye. . . 

Elders Clegg and Baxter

Elder Hill making memories with Sister Jones and Purcell cheering him on!

Elders Hill and Stowe being a memory!

An "Unforgettable Christmas "!

This year at our December Zone Conference we offered a challenge to each of our missionaries to make this Christmas season an unforgettable Christmas.  We asked them to seek out those who might be overlooked at Christmas and offer them a gift of their hearts.  The stories that have come in as a result of the missionaries taking this challenge has truly warmed our hearts!

One such story was a zone who went to a senior community center and served lunch, sang CHRISTMAS carols with them and sat and visited with the people who came in.  This happened throughout the mission all month long in many different settings.  Many of our missionaries expressed their gratitude for these experiences.  Love is truly the gift and our Savior is the the greatest example and gift of all!

Welcome to Pittsburgh December 2014

We welcomed 16 new missionaries in this transfer!  Thanks to Sister Williams and Sister Sparks for coming over to help do some cooking ahead of time!

We make quite a statement at the airport these days 😊

One man asked me what kind of a tour we were going on and when I told him that these young people were giving 18months - 2 years of service he was dumbfounded!  

A quick cold stop to view Pittsburgh from the incline on the way to the mission home!

Front left:  Sisters Wyasket, Blackwell, Meyers  Elders Gish, Rose, Sisters Beutler and Johnson

Back left:  Sisters Amendola, Crockett, Davis and Oliver. Elders Renteria, Duffy, Shepard, Averett and Ivie

       We wish you the very best and know you will love the people in Pennsylvania👏

Sister Ye from China also came in from Temple Square to serve in State College with Sister Bradshaw.