January 2012 Finishers

This week, we said good-bye to a really great group of missionaries! It was a large, energetic group of 9 wonderful missionaries! Elder Boss, Elder Hooton, Elder Pearson, Elder Adachi, Elder Curtis, Elder Transtrum, Sister Clark, Elder Valentine, and Elder Stachowski. They are all great missionaries and we will miss them! We love them so much and are so grateful for their examples and their service.

Seated, left to right: Elder Transtrom, Sister Clark, Elder Valentine, Elder Stachowski
Standing: Elder Boss, Elder Hooton, Elder Pearson, Elder Adachi, Elder Curtis, and Sister and President Baird

Of Elder Stachowski, another elder said, "He is a very handy elder.  He can fix anything, any time, anywhere."

One of Elder Valentine's former companions said of him, "He has a very big heart...and an even bigger appetite."

Elder Hooton has a great sense of humor.  One missionary said he was one of the funniest people he has met.  Elder Hooton also enjoys fixing things, and has fixed everything from a dryer to a computer.

Sister Clark loves to teach and be involved with learning.  She may become a language teacher, likely teaching Japanese.  She likes most any activity where there is learning involved.

Sister Clark and Sister Baird at the mission home

Elder Pearson says he doesn't show much emotion, so people can't always tell how he is feeling about something.  But he is almost always positive and doesn't think he has any enemies.  He has finally fulfilled his life-long dream of serving a mission.

Elder Boss is hoping for a business/marketing degree and is interested in advertising. He is a good friend, organizer and has a good sense of humor.  He lived in Japan for 10 years, but attended an American school.

Walking into Chubu Airport

Elder Transtrum knew how to dendo, according to one of his former companions.  He knew how to work hard and, when the time was right, he knew how to have fun.  He also had very good Japanese.

Missionaries who knew Elder Adachi said he loves people and enjoys talking to them.  He always has a loving feel about him and is easy to love.  He had the privilege of serving in the mission at the same time as  his sister for a while.   

From West Valley City, Utah, Elder Derrick Curtis thinks soccer is the all time best sport in the world.  He also loves to read and plans to become an engineer or architect.  Elder Curtis likes to do what he is supposed do.

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.

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.