October 2010 New Missionaries

This week, we welcomed 5 very nice elders into the mission! Left to right: Elder Pedersen (Utah), Elder McClellan (California), Elder Augusto (Brazil), Sister and President Baird, Elder Flint (Australia), and Elder Bardzinski (Australia)! It was great seeing their faces and meeting them for the first time! We know they will be great!

A picture of the missionaries with their trainers in the Meito church.

Elder Augusto (right) and Elder Jorgenson- Suzuka

Elder Julio Augusto is from Curitiba, Brazil.  He is the 8th Elder Augusto in his extended family.  He enjoys singing and has a great voice.  He also likes soccer and technology.  He wants to build robots and will study mechancial engineering.  He is a happy person, a quick learning and a hard worker.

Elder Jacob Jorgensen calls Mesa, Arizona his home.  He comes from a close and loving family and has four great sisters.  Elder Jorgensen loves drawing, piano, cross country and track, and academics and he is a hard worker.  He has looked forward to serving a mission all of his life and would have chosen Japan because he has many Japanese friends.

Elder Flint (left) and Elder Valentine- Fukuroi

Elder Jake Flint is one of several great Australian missionaries, coming to us from Brisbane.  Elder Flint loves to read, play basketball, study physics and play classical music on the piano.

Elder Christopher Valentine looks forward to marriage and a great family after his mission.  He loves music and playing the saxaphone.  He likes bringing people happiness, so he knows a mission is the perfect way to do that. 

Elder McClellan (left) and Elder Warner- Ueda 

Elder Thomas McClellan has three younger brothers in his family.  He is from Los Gatos, California.  Before his mission, his favorite things to do were soccer, badminton, drawing and making memories with his brothers and friends.  He has a goal to live to 100, just to say that he did it.  While he’s living that long, he plans to build a McClellan Family castle. He also plans to send a “hello” three years and five years into the future, then see how far off he was.  He describes himself as calm and calculated, yet somehow still spontaneously fun.

Alpine, Utah is home to Elder Brett Warner and he loves to act, to show people who his is and what he can do.  Elder Warner recently lost his mom to cancer, and he hopes to serve and help others as she did. He is a very loyal friend and loves to learn.  During the trial of his mother's cancer he grew closer to the Savior and found Him as a friend.

Elder Bardzinski (left) and Elder Stachowski- Nonami

Elder Steven Bardzinski is from Werribee, Australia. Elder Bardzinski is a twin and his brother is serving in Equador.  He loves Japanese music, graphic design and photography.  He was an exchange student in Japan before his mission. One of Elder Stachowski's former companions says he is very smart.  He enjoys chess, is kind, and knows how to do what he needs to do.

Elder Pedersen (left) and Elder Jackson- Toyama

Hurricane, Utah is home to Elder Christopher Pederson, and he enjoys reading and cooking.  He loves to study the ancient world and history.  He enjoys singing and is working on becoming a public speaker. Elder Marcus Jackson has the advantage that his mother is from Japan and his father speaks Japanese.  He is from West Point, Utah but has also lived in Japan.  He enjoys calligraphy, piano, listening to music, going to the temple and making food.  .

August 2010 New Missionaries

We welcomed in our first group of 4 great elders! Elder Voss (California), Elder Brown (Australia), Elder Cruz (Brazil), and Elder Rust (Indiana)! They all looked great and ready to go to work. It was so great to talk to them and get to know them! They are a great group!

Left to right: Kathryn Baird, Whitney Baird, Sister and President Baird
Elders Voss, Brown, Cruz, and Rust

The elders on their first morning in the mission home!

Elder Rust and Elder Valentine- Fukuroi
Elder Ryan Rust (right)  hales from Evansville, Indiana. His parents are both teachers. Elder Rust wants to become a doctor. He loves to be in nature, usually on a bike or ATV. He also has a black belt in karate. 

Elder Christopher Valentine was born at Misawa AFB in Japan.  He has lived in several places throughout his life.  He is the elder brother in his family, with six younger siblings.  

Elder Brown (right) and Elder Stachowski- Nonami

Elder Michael Brown (right) is from Australia. His family (4 boys) enjoys sports and outdoor activities. Elder Brown loves to read. He is a hard worker and also enjoys studying the scriptures.

Elder Benjamin Stachowiski is from down under, Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia.  He has also lived in Poland, New Zealand, and the UK.  He loves to learn and considers reading a hobby.  He has been a DJ and loves sports.  Electrical Engineering is his field of study. 

Elder Voss (left) and Elder Kutney- Toyota
Chico, California is where Elder Adam Voss (left) calls home. Both of his parents served missions. Elder Voss's greatest dream has been to serve a mission, but other goals include a good education, marriage, and earning Shadan rank in Danzan Tyu Juijitsu. He wants to share the peace and happiness the Gospel has brought into his life with others.

Elder Terrance Kutney hales from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Elder Kutney says nothing beats reading a good quality book except reading the scriptures.  He also loves rugby and loves to follow politics.  He plans to go into International Relations. 

Elder Cruz (right) and Elder Jorgenson- Suzuka

Elder Andre' Cruz (right) comes from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has one younger brother and sister.  Before his mission, he loved to play soccer and be with friends. After his mission, he wants to go to school and work hard so he can get married.  

Elder Jacob Jorgensen calls Mesa, Arizona his home.  He comes from a close and loving family and has four great sisters.  Elder Jorgensen loves drawing, piano, cross country and track, and academics and he is a hard worker.  He has looked forward to serving a mission all of his life and would have chosen Japan because he has many Japanese friends.