Who says President Doesn't Take Preparation Days!

It really happened! President took a morning P-day and went fishing with our Assistants on Saturday. I must admit he was on the phone most of the time, but at least he got out of his suit and looked the part as he set up the poles for us real fishermen. He has resolved to take more P-days since we have been told this calling is a marathon not a sprint. I have to remind him of that often because he is running faster than I can keep up with. This way he can really enjoy the journey.

I caught a 13" Bass and another smaller one and Elder Carver caught a small trout. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed being out in the spring sun and enjoying all the wildlife on the lake.

Zone Leader Council

These are our mighty Zone Leaders in the Mission, who work hard to lead and inspire the work in their respective areas in the mission. We have 10 zones across the mission from Page up North to Buckeye on the South who come together monthly to be instructed and motivated to lead their Zones.

I gathered all their shoes as they were being instructed, for a visual to show all the footwork they do as leaders in the Arizona Phoenix Mission. They truly wear out their SOLE'S in serving the Lord.

The best part of the day is being fed a good meal. My only challenge is to get Elder Hanna to eat his vegetables! It is truly a difficult task although, I must admit he has made some progress.
I love these Elders!

Welcome Elder Crandall

Elder Kyle Crandall was just made our new Spanish Assistant to replace Elder Grayson. Elder Crandall has been a Zone Leader with Elder Beams and they have done an amazing job with the Spanish work. Elder Crandall is a humble, hard working missionary and will add much as he and Elder Clarke work with our Spanish speaking missionaries to accelerate the work.

Transfer Day

The challenge after Transfer meeting is to get all the Missionaries and their belonging into the vehicles
as they transfer them to their new areas. It can be a real challenge sometimes.

Elder Ely, who is in charge of all the housing for our missionaries, makes sure cleaning supplies are available for each of the apartments. After the last training on "Apartment Cleanliness", there were a lot of requests for supplies. I guess our missionaries realized they couldn't do a good job of keeping their apartments clean unless they had the proper cleaning supplies. Thanks Elder Ely!

That is a great color for a suitcase Elder Chalmers.
You won't have any trouble identifying which one is yours!

Welcome to the Arizona Phoenix Mission

Our Newest Arrivals from the MTC are Elders Anderson, Armstrong, Grady, Read, Zollweg, Trussells,
Dahl, Tameilau, Johnson, Wren, Wilson, Sieverts, & Sister Urias, Sister Aydelotte, and SisterKunz

As we waited for the luggage, President Beck assured our new
missionaries they had arrived in the #1 mission!

It wasn't a sunny warm day when our missionaries arrived; instead, it was cold and wet, but it didn't seem to bother "our anxious to get out of the MTC and start working missionaries." They were just glad to be here!

After leaving the MTC at an extra early hour, they were all ready for a hardy lunch of pulled pork sandwhiches. Elder Tameilau, waited to go last because he was extra hungry and wanted to make sure everyone had eaten before he got into the line.

Elder Jordan Clarke, our Spanish Assistant, spends some time getting to know our new missionaries. Two of them are recent converts to the church and shared touching conversion stories with the group.

Just before we send our new missionaries off to meet their new companions at the transfer building, Sister Beck makes sure they are up on their manners by showing the a timeless clasic "Manners for Missionaries". Our missionaries are fed nightly by investigators and members alike, so we want to make sure they know just how to act so they get invited back.

Watching the "Manners Video"

A Rainy Send Off

It was a rainy day for our departing missionaries, but the smiles were still on their faces as they departed from the Arizona Phoenix Mission. Our departing missionaries were Elder Cox, Elder Huston, Elder Orleman, Elder Bullock, Elder Willcocks, Elder Miller, Elder Baker, Elder Flory, Sister Hancock, Sister Sepulveda.

Once again, the departing meal of carne asada, prepared by President & Sister Lopez, is always a big hit with our departing missionaries. It is something they always look forward to.

A breakfast of waffles with all the toppings, fruit smoothies and President Beck's omelet was the menu for our departing missionaries. Some just couldn't quite bring themselves to eat as they were a little nervous to return home to their families.

A loaded van of anxious missionaries ready to depart for the airport.
Elder Willcocks had a long ride home to Australia ahead of him.

Our New Mission Flag

Our New Arizona Mission Flag!

These are the original signers of the new mission flag. Elders Cox and Sisters Sepulveda and Hancock. Each missionary who comes to the mission and also departs will sign the Arizona Mission Flag.

We Will Mss you Elder Grayson

Elder Grayson has been one of our Spanish Assistants over the past 7 months. This transfer he will
be going back to an area to proselyte with a new companion. We want to thank him for all his hard
work as an assistant. He was a great help for all of us in the office, who are computer illiterate. We
will truly miss him.

This is our office Staff. Elder & Sister Ely, Elder & Sister Eager, Elder & Sister Miller, Elder Loftgreen
and our wonderful Assistants, Elders Grayson, Clarke, Carver, & Hone.

Each transfers we go to the temple with our Assistants to seek the Lords guidance on who should train our new missionaries and where they should go along with all others that will be transferred within the mission.

President & Sister Beck

The Fruit Harvest

What a treat it has been to be able to go out in the backyard and select a big ruby red grapefruit or sweet oranges to make fresh orange juice every day. Our grapefruit tree is loaded still. We had a big harvest today and were able to send off boxes to our children.

The picking

The grapefruit branches are still loaded.

These are the juice oranges that are so sweet. They make the best orange juice ever.
I don't think I will ever be able to go back to drinking the frozen stuff. We are now waiting for the orange blossoms to pop. It is the most wonderful smell. It smells so good I could drink it!

Article in Church News about New Mission

The New Mexico Farmington Mission will be created from portions of the New Mexico Albuquerque, Arizona Phoenix, and Arizona Mesa Missions. The new mission appears to be a renewed effort to increase missionary activity among Native Americans (particularly the Navajo) as perhaps two thirds of the mission area is the Navajo Nation. The population of the Navajo Nation is around 180,000 however, and the population of the entire mission area is around 675,000. Slightly over half the population of the new mission is in New Mexico (350,000). The population of the Arizona areas are about 300,000 while the Utah areas have only 20,000 people.

The decision to create the new mission also likely indicates that this area of the United States needs additional care and support from full-time missionaries as there are a large number of less active or inactive members on the reservations. A missionary serving in the small town of Teec Nos Pos (in the four corners in Arizona) reported that his branch likely had enough members to create two wards but only 40 attended Church meetings weekly. Apparently many of the inactive members lived with LDS families in Utah for placement programs when they were youth, joined the Church and returned home and stopped attending Church. Senior missionaries often assist in the smaller branches and help strengthen members and provide teaching and mentoring. Despite inactivity problems, two stakes function on the Navajo Nation in Chinle and Tuba City, both of which were created in the 1990s. Other stakes take in portions of the Navajo nation, such as the Kirtland New Mexico Stake and Holbrook Arizona.

Lastly the new mission will allow for increased effort in the already existing missions, the two in Arizona in particular numbering among the most productive.

Apartment Cleanliness and Marriage Prep 101

Sister Beck & Elder Yorgenson

It was time again to hit the skill training of "Apartment Cleanliness" and Marriage Prep 101. I'm not really sure how much good it does, but I do drill the training in them. I try to tell them that everything they do in the mission helps prepare them all for marriage. They need to practice taking care of themselves and cleaning their apartment so they can impress their wifes and future husbands. Training on the kitchen and how to take care of food properly, and how long to keep food in the fridge (meaning they shouldn't wait until it is changing colors and fuzzy), bathrooms and bedroom tips (such as making sure they change their sheets once a week and not once a transfer) are all part of the training. When it got to the bathroom training I was very blunt as I taught the Elders the proper procedures after they went to the bathroom. Many of them blushed, but the truth was that their future wives needed them to put the toilet seat down after they were through so she wouldn't fall in when she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They all got a big kick out of that, but hopefully it was taken seriously. We have about 50% consecrated housing for our missionaries, meaning our members are offering to have them stay with them. This is a great savings for the church who pays for their housing. It is one of the reasons we stress the importance of doing daily, weekly and monthly cleaning. Every preparation day they are suppose to clean their apartments, wash their cars and clothes, do their grocery shopping, and email their families. If there is time left over they can relax or play sports. By the time the interview week is over, President had done 216 interviews and I had given my presentation 8 times.

NEWS BULLETIN!

Saturday Feb. 13th the church announced the creation of the New Mexico Farmington Mission from a realignment of the Arizona Mesa, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Tuscon and New Mexico Alburqurque missions in the North America Southwest Area, and the Utah Provo Mission in the Utah South Area. This will result in the Flagstaff, Page, Tuba City and Chinle Stakes all being part of the New Farmington Albuquerque Mission effective July 1, 2010. While we are excited about the growth of the church in our mission and the opportunity of creative a new mission, we will miss our close associations with the fine stake presidents, members, senior couples and junior missionaries. This will also allow us the opportunity to focus on the remaining 14 stakes located in the Valley and Prescott/Cottonwood area. It is truly a miracle to see how the bountiful harvest of souls is allowing the Lord's work to move forward so quickly. The new Mission truly establishes a wonderful opportunity to focus on the reservation and our Lamanite brothers and sisters.

February Zone Conferences

We just finished 5 days of Zone Conference instruction. I taught "How to become a Bold Missionary" and President followed up with the doctrine of "Teaching with the Spirit". After the morning instruction, we were so blessed to be fed a wonderful lunch prepared by the Relief Society. We invited some our Stake Presidents in the areas to come and talk just before lunch. We were all edified from their messages. Then they joined us at lunch to mingle with the missionaries in their Stakes.

President Hettinger of the Phoenix North Stake

President Boone in the Chinle Stake

President Frost in the Flagstaff Stake

President & Sister Weathersby in the Deer Valley Stake

President Campbell in the Prescott Stake


After lunch we presented all the Gospel Scholar awards. Elder Gibson,
Elder Beames & Elder Clarke are a few
that received their Scholars of Excellence
Certificates this transfer


Recognition of "Clean Car Awards"
Elder Sentman & Elder Taylor

The afternoon was focused on extending Baptismal Commitments
as we broke into groups to role play.

Elders Westbroek, Carver and Grayson battle the cold and snow
in the Flagstaff area, as their thoughts are turned to the warm Valley temperatures.

Home Front Celbrations

What a beautiful day it was for Emma who just turned 8 years old and was baptised and confirmed by her father on her very own special day. February 4th was Emma's birthday as well as her baptismal day. We are so proud of her to follow the Savior and be baptized a member of His church.

Olivia Kathryn Pitts was blessed on February 7th. Her father gave her a beautiful blessing to begin her life with. We are so blessed to have this sweet little spirit come into our family. We love you Olivia!