September 2010 New Missionaries

This week, we welcomed in a large group of 13 new missionaries! Elder Ward (Massachusetts), Elder Van Campen (Utah), Elder Hollister (Colorado), Elder O'Kelley (Washington), Elder Skankey (Arizona), Sister Masuda (Hokkaido), Sister Clark (Colorado), Elder Jessop (Utah), Elder Ikeda (Tokyo), Elder Larkin (Nevada), Elder Numakura (Yokohama), Elder Horne (Utah, arrived a couple days after), and Elder Kervinen (Finland, actually arrived a couple weeks earlier). We are so very excited for all of them to be a part of this mission! We know that they will be able to accomplish many miracles! This is the first group we had get on the train straight from the airport to the mission home and preach the gospel the whole way in. It was a very great experience! They all did fantastic! We are excited to see them grow and become great missionaries for our Father in Heaven!

A picture at the Meito church with all of their new trainers!

First morning in the mission home with President and Sister Baird.

Sister Clark (right) and Sister Wada- Matsumoto

Sister Ana-Lisa Clark came to us from Kawasaki, Japan, but she
has lived in Colorado, California, and Utah.  Sister Clark loves volleyball,
ultimate frisbee, dancing, games, walks, traveling, reading, piano and singing.

Sister Sachiko Wada's home is Tokyo.  She was sealed to her family
when she was 1.  Sister Wada has done gymnastics and hula.
She wants to become a nurse.  She is decisive, energetic, has a sense of
responsibility, and is a good finisher of what she starts.
She strengthened her testimony by working in Young Women's.

Elder Hollister (right) and Elder Larson- Shizuoka

Elder Taylor Hollister hales from Colorado Springs, CO and has six sisters  and two brothers.  He plans to major in Military and Strategic Studies and be a career military man.   Las Vegas, Nevada is home to Elder Dustin Larsen.  Elder Larsen plans to become a doctor after his mission.  Sports are a favorite for Elder Larsen and he loves competition.  He is also organized, strong-willed, and likes to make people happy.

Elder Horne's trainer is Elder Insch, below.
They will work in Okazaki.

Murray, Utah is home to Elder Ryan Horne.
  Elder Horne speaks highly of his family, especially a father
who teaches patience, love and reverence by example
and a mother who teaches him about the gospel all the time.

Elder Geoffrey Insch hales from Morgantown, West Virginia.
Elder Ward says he has the best mother in the world, and
he would be happy to turn out just like his father.
He loves to make movies and has used the video camera he earned
money to buy to make many movies.  He is prone
 to help people solve problems and use humor to diffuse tension.

Elder Ikeda (left) and Elder Harper- Kasugai

Elder Akihiko Ikeda, from Tokyo, Japan, enjoys just walking and thinking.  But he also loves to be matched up with good basketball players so that he can improve his skill in that sport.  His goal is to go to BYU and maybe even play basketball. Kaysville, Utah is home to Elder Mario Harper.  His mother is from Japan and his father served a mission in Nagoya; they met while at school in Utah.  Elder Harper dreams of becoming a scuba diver, but he instead does research, gives lectures on economics, and goes to opera and symphony recitals, and any musical event.   He sings and plays trombone.  Some day he hopes to get a  Nobel Prize or laureate in physics or economics.

Elder Jessop (left) and Elder Tsuchiya- Kanazawa

Elder Terry Jessop has 4 younger brothers; 3 of them are triplets.  He grew up in the small town of Fielding, Utah and loved it.  He wants to become and MD or dentist and have a large family.  He is caring, has high self-expectations and likes to do things right.  He had a sacred experience in the Sacred Grove and knows the Church is true.

Sakura-shi, Chiba is home to Elder Hiromasa Tsuchiya.  His parents both converted in their 20's and served missions.  He tries to share the Gospel while playing basketball with his friends.  He is cheerful and good at making friends and hopes to become an accountant.  He has a very strong testimony of prayer.

Elder Kervinen (right) and Elder Fujii- Nanao

Elder Niilo Kervinen is only the second missionary to come to Japan from Finland.
He is from Rovaniemi.  Elder Kervinen wants to teach English or Japanese,
become a good dad and trustworthy priesthood leader.

He plays the trombone and likes to draw and paint.   Hokkaido, Japan is
home to Elder Shinsuke Fujii.  He comes from a family of 7.  He enjoys
exercising and all sports.  He is also good with musica and loves to perform.
He plays several instruments.  Elder Fujii loves teaching and working with children.
He loves talking and laughing with others and will do whatever is asked of him.

Elder Larkin (right) and Elder Palmer- Matsumoto

Elder Jordan Larkin comes from a family of missionaries. He has two siblings. 

He and his siblings are adopted, and he has two very most wonderful parents. 

Just ask him. Elder Larkin is a swimmer and really enjoys being in the water. 

His goal is to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost and thus feel great about 

what he does. He grew up in Las Vegas and feels that there is Zion in 

Las Vegas. He wants to be married in the Las Vegas Temple.

TO ZION! TO ZION! HURRAH! HURRAH! FOR ISRAEL!

Elder Matthew Palmer comes from Cottonwood Heights, Utah.  His father sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  He has an older sister who founded the Chandler, AZ Children's Choir, and another who sings with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.  Elder Palmer enjoys skate boarding, plays guitar and piano. He has thought about becoming a doctor.  He has compassion for people and is good at putting himself in other's shoes. He loves reading the Book of Mormon.

Sister Masuda (right) and Sister Kobashi- Fukutoku

Sister Iyo Masuda is from Hokkaido, Japan.  She likes to cook, serve others, and talk with them.  Service brings her peace.  She is optimistic, cheerful and a good listener. Sister Megumi Kobashi is a third generation member of the church, and she is from Osaka, Japan.  She got her testimony from her grandparents, and she really loves her family.  Sister Kobashi enjoys cooking and went to a technical college in making cakes and other delicious things.

Elder Numakura (right) and Elder Fujii- Gokiso

Elder Diaichi Numakura comes from a family of five, and he is setting the example for his two younger brothers.  When he returns from his mission, he will study accounting at school.  He loves karaoke as a hobby and his goal is to learn English.  Elder Numakura is from Kanagawa, Japan. See more about Elder Fujii above.

Elder O'Kelley (right) and Elder Freeman- Toyohashi

Elder Kenneth O'Kelley hales from Bremerton, Washington.  He plans to become an
electrical engineer and hopes to have 5 boys--his own basketball team.
In addition to sports, he loves history, psychology, sociology, physics and math.
He is good at scheduling, getting things done and problem solving.  He was baptized
a few day after President Hinckley died.  He wants to share the joy
he received by joining the Church.

Elder Hoyt Freeman, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, loves playing brass instruments.
He also enjoys dating, soccer, running, board games, camping,
biking and fishing.  He also loves to learn, and is interested in
landscaping, law, and languages.  He loves talking to people and enjoys
working hard.  He has a strong testimony and has always planned to serve a mission.

Elder Skankey (right) and Elder Da Silva- Fujieda

Elder Bryce Skankey came to us from Yuma, Arizona, but he has lived in lots of states and Okinawa.  After working hard on his mission, he plans to study Astronomical Physics and then get a PhD and hopefully work for NASA.   Elder Julio  daSilva is from Pernambuco, Brazil and has an older brother.  Elder daSilva was baptized at 14, and his brother was baptized five years later. His parents are not members.  The family loves to go to the beach and often spends time there.  Elder daSilva has also lived in Heber City, Utah with the Petersen family,  who he loves like family.

Elder Van Campen (right) and Elder Fredrickson- Inuyama

Elder Benjamin VanCampen is from Morgan, Utah, and his mom is Japanese.  He plans to go to BYU-Idaho, majoring in psychology when he gets home and work as a Japanese tour guide at the Grand Canyon.  He loves sports of any kind, but mostly football.  He also loves singing and dating.  He says he is goofy, fun loving and laid back, but he plans a strong finish to his mission. Elder Kyle Fredrickson hales from West Valley City, Utah.  He comes from a family of 9 and enjoys listening to music and reading.  He plays piano, trumpet, and French horn.  He has been in jazz and concert bands, pit orchestra and Univ. of Utah marching band.  He likes to communicate with people and make them laugh. He has always planned to serve a mission and loves the Gospel.

Elder Ward (left) and Elder Da Silva- Komatsu

Elder Geoffrey Ward is from Medfield, MA, but has also lived in Florida,
Utah and Japan.  He enjoys rock climbing and wants to compete
in that sport.  He also enjoys singing and reading, and has worked
as a lifeguard.  He is easy going and has a sense of humor.  He loves
service projects and physical labor.  He loves to show his testimony.

See more about Elder Da Silva above.