July 2014

July has been a great month! We are amazed how much we accomplish in just a month's time. The New York North mission continues to be a happy, busy, hard working mission. We had many coming and going this month, and we feel blessed to cross paths with so many wonderful people!

Two new couples join us this month. The Wilson's have come to serve in the office and oversee the apartments and missionary accomodations. What a blessing they will be! We also welcomed Elder and Sister Melonakos, who are CES Missionaries and will administer the Pathways Program in Manhattan.

Elder James and Sister Florence Wilson

Elder David and Sister Rebecca Melonakos

We will miss the Tappens and the Howes. Each of them has served tirelessly and with amazing dedication.

Elder John and Sister Melanie Tappen

Elder Bill and Sister Jeanne Howes

Our transfer this month was another huge one. Twenty-three new missionaries arrive and  33 return home. 25 returning missionaries left on July 24th and the other 8 left on August 6th. We love to see the new missionaries come and we love watching our faithful young men and young women return to their families!

Sister Thompson, Sister Smith, Sister Anderson, Sister Molina, Sister Dunford, Sister Hutchison, Elder Raine, Elder Brandt, Elder Nagel Elder Gallego, Elder Kerr, Elder Black, Elder White, Elder Colson, Elder Dominguez, Elder Judd, Elder Stevenson, Elder Burrell, Elder Baker, Elder Burton, Elder Sorensen, Elder Driggs, Elder  Holtom

Elder Howes and Elder Kerr

Elder Kerr II and Elder Kerr I

After a long day of traveling the new missionaries are so happy to be at the mission home for a great dinner.

Elder Black, President Brown and Elder White

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day dinner. We moved the furniture in the living room and we fed dinner to 32 people. After dinner and testimonies, everyone got a good nights sleep at the Residence Inn in White Plains!

We sustained a new Assistant to the President, Elder Zera Staheli.  He is a terrific young man and will be a great blessing to us and to the mission.

President Morgan and his Assistants, Elder Coleman and Elder Staheli

Elder Coleman, Elder Taylor, Ryan, Elder Kerr, Elder Staheli

Get ready....here  you go!!

 Transfer meeting is always a great time to get the mission together to release leaders, sustain new leaders and to hear testimonies of one or two returning missionaries. We always have the returning missionaries stand in front while we all sing, "Each Life That Touches Our For Good". The words to this song are very fitting for our friends who are leaving the mission.

Elder Coleman did a great job conducting these transfer meetings

Every new missionary is introduced, then they meet their new trainer.

Elder Kerr's farewell testimony

Elder Taylor's farewell testimony

"Each Life That Touches Ours For Good"

Some of our missionaries have the tradition of doing the "Haka" at the end of transfer meetings.

It really doesn't matter what country your ancestors come from, the spirit of Aloha is here in the NYNYN!
We really enjoy the tradition of taking the returning missionaries to the temple before they leave and then for lunch at Big Nicks!

President Morgan and Nick!

Elder Kerr, Sister Ngosha, Sister Crawford, Sister Wankier, Sister White, Sister Lee, Sister Chen, Sister Richeson, Sister Sorensen, Sister Cole, Sister MacKay, Sister Awerkamp, Sister Skinner, Sister Dunn, Sister Barlow, Sister Campbell, Elder Zazueta, Elder Ochoa, Elder Stephens, Elder Killpack, Elder Taylor, Elder Warner, Elder Meek, Elder Berube, Elder Higbee, Elder Marshall, Elder Monson, Elder Fuller, Elder Davidson, Elder Berryman, Elder Ishikawa, Elder Griffiths, Elder and Sister Howes.

Sister Finlayson loves all these missionaries!

Group hug!

Sister Cole, Sister Crawford, Sister Awerkamp, Sister Barlow, Sister MacKay, Sister Campbell, Sister Richeson, Sister White, Sister Skinner, Sister Chen, Elder Taylor, Elder Ochoa, Elder Higbee, Elder Fuller, Elder Marshall, Elder Berube, Elder Killpack, Elder Marshall, Elder Berryman, Elder Monson, Elder Davidson, Elder Edmunds, Elder Zazueta. These 23 left the mission home at 6:00 am for JFK. Elder Ishikawa left for the airport at 4:30 am.

Sister Ngosha flew home to Tanzania in the Evening

Sister Chen flew to Taiwan that same night.

We had a special treat this month of having Elder Brendon Warner's little brother, Elder Caleb Warner, join us for a mini mission. Elder Caleb Warner served with his big brother for a week in Newburgh, New York. He is a darling young man and we were thrilled to have him here.

Brother Warner flew out with his son Elder Caleb Warner..

Elder sehura, Elder Reedy, Elder Warner and our new missionary, Elder Caleb Warner

We loved having Elder Warner with us. Elder Brendon Warner was an amazing companion to his younger brother!

On August 6th, we had the rest of the returning missionaries stay overnight at the mission home.

We love these girls!

Sister Wankier, Sister Sorensen, Sister Dunn, Sister Lee, Elder Griffiths, Elder Kerr, Elder Warner, and Elder Caleb Warner

We are so lucky to always have amazing Office Elders. They drive miles and miles every month to deliver mail, furniture, and missionaries, anything they are asked to do, they gladly respond!

Elder Richards and Elder Steiner are happy and willing to do anything! They make our lives happy!

Once in awhile we have parents come to pick up their returning missionary. It's always great to watch their reunion. Elder Kerr's mom and dad got to the mission home on August 6th at 10:30.

Thank you Elder Kerr for your amazing service these last 8 months!