August 2011 New Missionaries

We had the opportunity to go and welcome 5 great elders into our
mission this week! Elder Ashcroft (Colorado), Elder Parry (Utah),
Elder Ellsworth (Arizona), Elder Parra-Mauck (Utah),
and Elder Dinkel (Nebraska). They were able to get an
earlier flight in, which gave them more time to go out on the streets
and in the trains to dendo! They all did great!
We are excited to see the fantastic missionaires we know
they will each become!

Outside of the mission home their first day in Japan!
Elder Ashcroft, Elder Parry, Elder Ellsworth, Elder Parra-Mauck,
President and Sister Baird, Elder Soliai (AP), 
Elder Transtrum (AP), and Elder Dinkel.

Left to right:  Elder Dinkel, Elder Ellsworth, Elder Parra-Mauck,
Elder Ashcroft, and Elder Parry

All the new missionaires and their trainers outside of the Meito church! 

Elder Parry (left) and Elder Hollister- Kasugai


Coming to us from Bountiful, Utah, Elder Douglas Parry loves
baseball, football, basketball, racquetball and rugby.  He also enjoys
running and being with friends and family.  He has attended BYU,
and hopes to go into business.  He says he makes friends easily and
is an extrovert.  He has a hard work ethic.  He has had several
 experiences with prayer and some priesthood blessings that
have strengthened his testimony.

Elder Hollister has a burning desire to serve and 
protect the United States.  He wants to be a modern day
Helaman.  He was a strictly obedient  missionary.

Elder Ellsworth (left) and Elder Ogaki- Ichinomiya

Elder Tanner Ellsworth, coming from Mesa, Arizona, has played
piano and cello for many years.  He was in BYU Symphony
 Orchestra and traveled to Austria with his high school orchestra.
He also sings and loves learning.

When Elder Ogaki was young, he got lost in the mountains.
He prayed and soon found his parents.  He has had
a strong testimony of prayer ever since.

Elder Dinkel (left) and Elder Nelson

Shelton, Nebraska is home to Elder John Dinkel.  He is the oldest of 9 children and he loves to draw.  He wants to become a statesman and a constitutional scholar.  He always wants to do his best and is good at asking for help, working hard, thinking things through and pushing through hard times.

Elder Nelson says he's a little shy, but once he gets to know people he
becomes really talkative.  He loves to learn, enjoys doing puzzles
that make him think and work for an answer, and he sees
business management in his future.

Elder Parra-Mauck (left) and Elder Pearson- Okazaki

Elder Bryant Parra-Mauck is from Layton, Utah.  He loves
expressing himself through dance, and has a black belt in Karate.  
He also enjoys basketball, soccer and yo-yo's.  Elder Parra is 
studying to become a family therapist.   

Elder Pearson loves wood working and he designs landscapes.  
He also enjoys several sports, especially mountain biking.  
He has a long list of possible majors.  He calls himself 
quiet and calm when others are not.  He is usually positive, 
adjusts well to change, and can endure a lot without having a bad attitude.  

Elder Ashcroft (left) and Elder Valentine- Gokiso

From Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Elder Ashcroft loves music 

and golf. He is also a pianist. After giving 100%

on his mission, he wants to become a mechanical engineer. 

Elder Valentine puts high value on family.  He says of his
own family, "We are a loud bunch, very physical,
but love abounds in our family.  He really looks forward
to teaching his own family to be a forever family.