Mesa Temple Lights

Dinner After Seeing the Mesa Temple Lights

After enjoying a wonderful evening enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights at the Mesa Temple, we all went to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Our Assistants, Mom & Dad, Tyler & his friend Sara spent the evening with us.

Help Decorating the Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving Holiday

Mom & Dad spent the Thanksgiving holiday with us. It was definitely a different experience only cooking for 6 of us but we were able to enjoy a few quiet days together. It was nice having someone around to help trim the tree afterward also. There is not much time for doing things like that in the mission. I was grateful for their help getting the house ready for the next week of transfers and also the Stake President's Christmas dinner.

Our Good Friends the Bramwells

Dick & Jennifer Bramwell stopped through Phoenix and had lunch with us. It was good to catch up on their lives and remember the good times we had as we served with them in the Cinti Ohio Mission. The Lord allowed us to serve with them to prepare us well for our mission here. They are precious friends.

Please remember me Issy....

The Return of Issy...

Tiffany & Michael returned the next week, after Paul's surgery, for a scheduled visit. It was so fun to have her around for another week. We took a trip to Sedona through the beautiful mountains and colorful rock formations. We celebrated often eating ice cream because Michael was allowed to partake of it when he was on vacation and we all took advantage (He gave up ice cream for 2008). Monday after I gave a Gratitude talk to the missionaries at Interviews, I left President interviewing. It was a 6 hour interview day for him, and I just snuck out and went to the Wildlife Zoo with Tiff, Michael, and Issy. We had so much fun as it was a hands on experience with the animals. When we entered the petting zoo, I decided it was a little too much hands on as the animals attacked me. The llama wanted the food I had in my hand, along with all the other animals and the goat was eating my skirt. It didn't seem to bother Issy, until the goat took a little too much of her hand in his mouth. The hardest part was the next morning when we took them to the airport. I knew it would be a while before I saw her and as I rolled down my window to wave. Her outstretched arms and cries of "Nana" was just about as much as I could stand. With tears running down my cheeks, we returned home and saw the little hand marks on my bedroom floor mirror. I decided I would just leave it until her next visit. Next time she will be able to come with her new little brother or sister.

Issy loved Nana's Bridge out in Front of the Mission Home

What happens at Nana's stays at Nana's

Our trip to the Wildlife Zoo

Just like Momma

Nana & Issy

Trip to Sedona

Miracles do Happen......

President had some surgery the 5th of November and the girls and Issy were able to come down to be with their dad. What a wonderful sight to have them here after not seeing them for 5 months. Issy took little time to warm up and kept us entertained with her tricks. We didn't do a whole lot but it was wonderful to have them there. We are so grateful for the Lord's hand in our lives. He truly guides and directs his work and also our lives. Together we witnessed a miracle and are so grateful for his tender mercies and President's quick recovery,

A Visit from the Girls

Arizona landscape-Saquaros

The Saguaro grows very slowly -- perhaps an inch a year -- but to a great height, 15 to 50 feet. The largest plants, with more than 5 arms, are estimated to be 200 years old. An average old Saguaro would have 5 arms and be about 30 feet tall.

To Bring the World his truth.....

Elders tracting to share the gospel of Jesus Christ

The Book of Mormon another Testament of Christ

The Book of Mormon is being taught by the missionaries to the people of Arizona. It is another testament of Jesus Christ and a companion to the Bible. By reading this book you can come closer to Christ than by reading any other book.


"And in the barren desserts there will come forth pools of living water and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land" D&C 133:23

October Update

First of all I have been told my heading should be “A day in the life of a Mission President’s life”, so I’m changing it. Now, where to begin, We are reaping the benefits of living in Arizona right now as most of you are going into the winter months. We have blue skies and 70-80 degree temperatures. I’m quite enjoying that part of the change. President has planted 6 tomato plants and hopes that they amount to the ones he left in Cincinnati. It is the planting season here and it is a little weird watching people planting their gardens in October.

We are putting the miles on the Ford Explorer as we travel from the Valley, to Flagstaff, and to the Reservation every 3 weeks. We are close to 11,000 miles since we arrived in the mission. While Paul is driving, I just set up my desk on my lap and do my missionary medical For those of you I have just added, the missionaries call me when they are sick, injured, or just need sympathy. Their calls come in daily and some are just too funny to share) I have quite the system while we drive. I keep telling the President that I need a car with a desk in it so I have room to really spread out. One of the problems I have faced in our frequent traveling is when we stay at hotels. I go to bed at night and when it comes time to get up and find the bathroom, I have had my difficulties. We usually stay at the Hampton Inn in Flagstaff as our base each time we travel and I feel it is my home away from home. Well, depending on which room they give us, the layout is sometimes different, meaning the toilet in one room could be on one side of the bathroom and in another room on the other side. Well one night, when I was still half asleep, I wandered into the bathroom and went to sit down and fell into the tub. I’ve tried to pay a little more attention since that time.

We had a large transfer this last time. We got 17 new missionaries in from the MTC. Every group we get is better than the last. These are the Lord’s Saturday Warriors, who are prepared and ready to serve. We have some of them already serving in leadership positions they are so good. There is so much work for us to do and we are working on training these young men and women to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It isn’t easy for them to leave their comfort zones of being a teenager and having an exact schedule to work by every day. The hardest for most of them is arising at 6:30 a.m. It isn’t easy for them to knock on doors or approach someone on the street and boldly share the gospel with them. But they have a testimony of what they are sharing and are committed to be the Lord’s servant's to bring the world His truth.

I think all our missionaries know now that their President means business and expects obedience in all things. Does this surprise some of you? Some have tested the water and have found that there is no selective obedience in this mission. The church has recently provided cell phones for the missionaries, which is a big blessing for them in their proselyting. They obviously had been told of how to use them and were authorized 400 minutes, but some went by their own rules. We had one elder that used 4,000 minutes in one month (sounds like a teenager) That is more than President, myself, and my son Tyler use in a month and we talk to all the missionaries constantly. Well, guess what, he had his phone privileges taken away along with several others who thought they could get away with calling from valley to reservation. It didn’t take long for the President to find out with the tom toms beating. It is amazing how fast word travels between missionaries, no matter where they are. You would think that they would learn a little quicker than they do. Now obviously, these are a minority that choose to be disobedient, the rest of them are great missionaries. Our compliment has been increased and we are up to 215 missionaries right now. Yep, that is right, President gets to answer all of their weekly emails and I get to pretend to know how to advise them medically.

We had a fun time with our senior couples as we got together to say good-bye to a few of them this past month. Our senior couples are wonderful. They make a big sacrifice at this stage in their life to leave their home and family for one to two years and come and serve on the reservation. Their accommodations are not more than a small trailer, they don’t live close to anyone per say, no entertainment, shopping or wonderful things to do. Just serving our Lamanite brothers and sisters and watching over our missionaries that serve on the reservation. We currently have about 24 of them. They are wonderful and we love them so much. We recently gathered together to say good bye to a few of them. We had a day of going to Eggshell Arch and the Antelope Slot Canyon up by Page, Az. It was an exciting adventure of enjoying a few of God’s beautiful creations.


Well, that is it in a nutshell. We continue to keep busy. It is hard to believe that we have been here for about 4 1/2 months. A good friend, and previous mission president once told us after a month in the mission, “Does it seems like you never even had a life before this?” In some ways it does. Our testimony grows daily as we witness miracle after miracle, both in the lives of our missionaries and in those who accept the gospel into their lives. The work is true and we are so blessed to be a part of it.

We love and miss you all
President & Sister Beck

A Little P-Day Fun....

The Elders having a little fun on their Preparation Day! Hopefully, they have cleaned their apartment, done their washing, cleaned their car, emailed their parents, and done their companionship study. (I doubt it!)

Nothing can stop the Work....

Bart Weisman broke his arm the night before his baptism. That didn't stop him though. The Elders wrapped in up good and he went through with it. This is a true story of a person who found joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It truly has changed his life.

In the Right place at the Wrong time....but they are well

Sister's Walker and Matthews had an experience they will probably never forget on their mission. They were teaching a discussion to a lady in her home where there was a domestic violence accident and someone was killed. It was a long day for them as they were questioned by police, since they were in the house when it happened. We brought them to the mission home where they got a late meal and a place to stay for the night. They were pretty shaken from the incident. We never found out what happened but we emergency transferred them the next day. These are the bears that they were given by the police that they clung to for comfort.

The Navajo Nation Accepting the Gospel

This is a Hopi family being taught by the Elders

A beautiful Navajo Rug...

A lady on the Navajo Reservation made this rug for us

Looks Like the President is in charge......

Zone Leader Counsel

This is at our Zone Leader Counsel. We have 20
Zone Leaders who come together every 6 weeks to counsel with the President on how to lead the mission. These young men are the President's eyes and ears with the missionaries throughout the mission. The are all looking up to Elder McWhorter who towers above them. He is a great missionary and leader.

Sister Beck and her Sister Missionaries

Which Tie Should I leave?

This is Elder Henrie and Aguillara packing their bags the night before they go home. They have accumulated a lot on their mission and have to sort through that which they want to take home since there is a weight limit. Obviously, these Elders have chosen to make room for all their accumulated ties they have traded with the Elders throughout their mission.
Sister Hildabrant is getting ready to go home.......Funny Funny Sister!

A Little Etiquette goes a Long Way

For our last missionary training I did a demonstration on Etiquette and Manners. We had a lot of fun with the learning process. I had three tables set up with plates, bowls, silverware, placemats and napkins and a glass. They had to come up and set the table the way it should be. Unfortunately, many didn't have a clue how to do it and it was fun watching them squirm. Hopefully, this prepared them to have good manners and etiquette when they go to members houses to eat their meals.

An Arizona Sunset

I have been facinated by the clouds and the Sunsets here in Arizona. This is one I took on the way home from the office the other night.

The Rez Baseball Stadium

Paul thought this one should go on the blog for Travis. It is a baseball field on the Rez. The dugouts are on both sides of the picture, with the press box in the middle.

September Zone Conference

This is one of the Prescott Zones that all went to the thrift store and found look a like ties for a $1.00

Zone Leader Counsel - District Leaders

Caught in the Act

Well, this is the picture you have all been waiting for. Yes, this is the act of getting caught going through a 3 second yellow light that turned red before I was through. I decided that if I had the time I would have protested this trap, but I don't so I won't. I completed the online course and it took me about 4 l/2 hours which consumed my date night. When I finished, my husband had already gone to bed. Now I hope I can get through the written one which is tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. I will be celebrating the monkey off my back that is for sure. Actually, it was a good course and reminder on defensive driving that I think you should all take. Right!

TRANSFER NIGHT-INCOMING MISSIONARIES

This is the scene on the first night when all the missionaries come into the mission home. After a lovely dinner of carne asada is prepared by Sister Lopez, the wife of President's counselor, they all pull out the air mattresses and have a big slumber party on the mission floor. Tomorrow will be the first day of their mission experience in Arizona.
This the Sister Lopez showing them how to make up their plates of carne asada.
The afternoon that they arrive they have their training in the mission home. They receive instructions on driving, medical, housing and rules of the mission.

INCOMING MISSIONARIES

We received 10 new missionaries, actually only 9 because one of them decided to do a flip at the MTC without shoes and landed on both heels, receiving stress fractures. He actually came a week late.
This is quite a science as we load all the luggage in the back of the AP's trucks. Sometimes we have to bring the trailer to put it all in.

IT'S CHRISTMAS IN THE MISSION....

Our companionships all received cells phones. It was like it was Christmas morning to watch them receive them. Obviously, they are only to be used in missionary work, but they were still excited. This helps them receive referrals via text message, and also helps them to contact their investigators before they go over for an appointment. This is big as it will save us tons off miles (which are limited to each companionship) and also help our Elders who are on bikes to be able to contact people.

Our Wonderful Senior Couples-Zone Conference Lunch

Our senior couples on the reservations are the best. They help our missionaries who are far from us and become their parents away from home. When we go there for Zone Conference they prepare a wonderful potluck meal for all the missionaries. We couldn't do it without their help. Hint, Hint...for all those senior couples out there....your help is needed in the spreading of the gospel in the field.

INSTRUCTING THE MISSIONARIES

While the President is interviewing, the Assistants and I plan out the day to instruct the missionaries. This particular Interview session we taught the Missionaries how to clean their apartments the right way. I put on my apron and told them that I was standing in Proxy for their future wives, to teach them how to clean up after themselves, that included wiping off the toilet seats. One of the problems I found when we went on apartment checks was that they had nothing to clean with except stinky rags and rotten sponges and no cleaning supplies. As you saw from a previous apartment check, some of the trailers were no less than disgusting. I gave out bottles of 409 to help the process. Awards were given out to the cleanest apartment.

INTERVIEWS WITH THE PRESIDENT

Every six weeks we travel throughout the mission to interview our missionaries. It is a 6 day process of about 5 hour interviewing. It gives the President a chance to see how each one is doing and see just if he needs to make changes as our new missionaries come in the next week. They each leave with a treat that day.

OUR QUICK TRIP THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON

The incredible wonder of the world! It was a breath taking experience for both of us to gaze into this beautiful sight.

The President had some rapid heart beats as he watched these big beautiful creatures that surrounded us everywhere. I had to remind him we were here for other reasons than to hunt.
This is the infamous road that President was pulled over by a park control car. As you can see their were many distractions for him along side of the road. When the police came up to the car he asked why he was going so fast. After a short hesitation, I stuck my head toward the window and answered, "we have been on the road for a long time and I really, really have to go to the bathroom." He laughed and said, "That is a good reason". When he took his license and returned from his car he handed the license back and said. "I'm not going to give you a ticket, because I don't want Jesus mad at me". It was all we could do to hold back the burst of laughter. I think we had someone watch over us on that one. After all, I don't think the President wanted to join me in traffic school.

THE ROAD TO KAIBETO

These are the instructions we received from the Elders to get to the church/trailer where they lived.
"Take the main pave road to the store on the left. turn righton diret road past the water tower. continue on the dirt road on the left and follow the bar wire fence until it turns to the left. continue onthe direct road until you see the church and our trailer. Be careful to avoid the deep ruts in the road." This is why the President drives a 4 wheel drive.