Departing 6/3/15

Sister and Elder McIntosh will be going back to Colorado to close on the sale of their house and then move back to Santa Barbara.  We are happy for that.  We may still get to  "utilize" them.

Sister and Elder Miles have served for 23 months.  They've been a blessing to have in the office.

After transfer meeting all of the departing missionaries came back to the mission home for subway sandwiches.  

Elder Griffin and Elder James

The first time I've seen a nacho dorito sandwich

Elders Spencer, Berg, Sisters Nicholas, Hardman, Elders Griffin, Soubie, Kingrey and Hill

Elders Welker, Harper, Collard, Atkin, Passey, Lee, and Lewis

The Miles really did have a hard time leaving.  They were all packed before going to Orientation meeting for the new missionaries.  They bore wonderful testimonies at the transfer meeting (and I might say held it together very well).  

The sisters helping clean up the kitchen after fondue.  The elders stayed with members for the night and the sisters stayed with us.

Hermana Costilla, Sisters Hardman, Nicholas and Draney

Front row:  Elders Berg, Kingrey, Soubie, Collard, Spencer and Lewis

2nd row:  Elders Atkin, Griffin, Harper, Passey, Hill

Back row:  Elders Welker and Lee

One last picture before boarding the bus to go to LAX.  I did good until they started getting on the bus.  They have great adventures in store.  They are all wonderful missionaries.

Transfers 6/2/15

In the weekly newsletter from President Felix he included among other things the following: "It's June and another transfer. With this transfer, we are saying good-bye to 19 missionaries, Elder and Sister Miles from the office and Elder and Sister McIntosh from the Santa Barbara CES and YSA. We all have loved serving with these departing missionaries and wish them well in their new adventures. We will miss them all. We will also be welcoming 7 new missionaries to the Great California Ventura Mission.

  

Thank you for focusing on being "led by the Spirit as we find and teach". I believe that we all had the opportunity to experience how we need to keenly focus on those promptings that we might feel, hear or sense. May we continue to trust in the Lord and follow those promptings.

For this transfer, our CVM Target is "We are consecrated servants of Jesus Christ." In your studies, please find scriptures that will help you remember "having both feet in", serving others and representing Jesus Christ. As you do so, always remember to invite others to come unto Christ towards baptism."

Elder Martineau is being transferred to Brazil.  He received his visa and left on Tuesday before transfer meeting started.
Transfer meeting was amazing with 23 missionaries bearing testimony and two musical numbers.  Hermana Wallace and Hermana Ricks sang Lead Kindly Light and Elder Phillips played on the piano (his arrangement) How Great Thou Art.  Sister Felix shared the parable of the oranges that Randy Ridd talked about in a CES fireside earlier this year.  Basically having real intent and being fully committed because of the desire to do for others.  Because she has such a difficult time at transfer meeting emotionally, she brought a plaque that says "Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened."  It helped as she would continually look at it throughout the meeting.
President Felix read from a letter that was sent to him from a new convert encouraging missionaries to find people like her and share the gospel.  A missionary's influence can be felt by many more than one person.  President Felix referred to
Bro. Ridd's experience of returning to where he served his mission in Mexico and finding that one of the families he had baptized was still active and in fact had been instrumental in over 500 souls joining the Church.  Another example was President Felix opening an area in Argentina and 35 years later is now a stake.

Hermanas Costilla and Killpack

Elders Willis, Ruby, Fisher, Reed and Hermana Bennion

Elders Herrera and Parrish

Sisters Hunsaker and Dietos

Elders Bradley and Toa

Elders Bailey, Tufts, Comin and Goad

Elders Walker and Stewart

Elders Barlow and Lucas

Elders Deschamps, Agle and Payne

Sister Woodland, Hermanas Winn, Bennion, Wallace and Newland

Elders Cavazos, Boyce, Agle, Law, James, Hermana Wixom and Sister Berry

Elders Stout and Lee

Sisters Beatty and Thompson, Hermanas Soriano, Keith, Zarate and Sister Boring

Elders Rosenlof and Klingler

Elders Hall and Martinez

Hermanas Cuevas and Pirir

Elder & Sister Miles and Sister and Elder Floyd

Elders Law, Cavazos, Davidson, Fernandez, Parrish, Griffin, Barlow

Hermanas Newland, Winn, Green, Wixom, Costilla, Lauren and Bishop Quezada and Elder Phillips

Sisters Giambattista and Berry

Elders Driggs, DeCosta and Carpenter

Elders Sorensen, James, Davidson and Hermana Bennion

Sisters Boring, Barnes, Hiapo and Evans

New Arrivals 6/1/15

Elder Lallatin is missing in the picture because he's having an interview with the president.  The plan was to meet six missionaries coming from Utah and an hour later one from Arizona. 

Santa Barbara airport.  We're wondering if we will continue using this airport any more for the arriving missionaries.  It happened again that a flight was cancelled.  We received a call from Sister Stewart that Elder Martinez's flight was cancelled and he wouldn't be able to get a flight until the next day.  We were very disappointed.

Hermana Pirir

Sister Dietos

Elder Lucas

Elder Bradley

Elder Lallatin

Elder Herrera Loya

Elder Martinez

President Felix finished interviewing at the park while we were waiting for the McIntoshes to bring lunch.  We were early due to the flight that was scheduled to arrive and was cancelled. Lunch at Goleta Park was good.  It is fun to look out at the ocean.  We were surprised that there were no segulls.

President Felix and Elder McIntosh serving.

Elder Atkin will be leaving us to return home.  I had to get a picture of him "backing up"the space van for possibly the last time.

Elder Herrera is in "flight"after the others jumped with "both feet in."

We hope these missionaries understand the importance of being anxiously engaged.

The seven missionaries come from:

Brazil, Arizona, Canada, Oregon, and 3 from Utah