Zone Conference Olympics

Zone Conference Sports Olympics

Daejeon and Cheongju Zones at the K Water facility

October Birthdays for Elders Cox and Cha, Sisters Perriton and Alder

Jeonju and Gwangju zones at the beginning of our hike through the Bamboo Forest

Happy Birthdays to Elders Jeong, Freckleton, Conley, Sisters Stehmeier and Perriton, Elders Brandley, Han, Casey and Cha

This month we had a sports day for the first half of our zone conference. Activities were based on a team decathlon, with liberal game variations for actual olympic events. A fun time was had by all! To end the day, we changed into missionary attire and held a brief session of training and testimony. Perfect fall weather in lovely surroundings helped make it a very enjoyable day!
(I have about 400 photos to go through and will post a slideshow shortly!)

September Zone Leader Council

Front to Back: Elders Stimpson, Barzee, Ha, Cook, Lish, Boyce, Brandley, Crosland, McArthur, Cha, Richards, Pres. Perriton and Elder Han

Elders enjoyed a day of training and planning for increased effects of their missionary efforts AND planning for upcoming zone conferences. Next week are having some different kind of zone conferences. We'll be havinging a Sports Olympics Day! Stay tuned for some fun pictures!

September Arrivals and Departures

We said farewell to Elder Brandon Taysom today. We call him the "last man standing" since everyone in his "donghee" returned a little earlier this month. It's so hard to say goodbye to these wonderful missionaries that we become so attached to, but we know great things are ahead for him!

Sister Erdenazaya

Elders Lee Won Ki, An Go Beom and Pak In Chul

New missionaries and their trainers: Sisters Erdenazaya and Erickson, Elders Millard, An, Pak, Cox, Stephens and Lee.

We have been waiting five long months for the arrival of Sister Erdenazaya from Mongolia. After a lot of red tape we finally were able to get a visa for her. In the meantime, she has been serving in the Mongolian Mission for the past four months where she had phenomenal success, baptizing nine people! We have several Mongolian investigators here in Korea and it will be so wonderful to have a native speaker be able to befriend and teach them! We also received three wonderful new Korean Elders this week. We are so blessed!

Enjoying our favorite lunchtime restaurant!

Departures

Sister Choi Yun Jo, Elders Byun Chang Ki (departing Sept 3), Jordan Brown, Gavin Baker, Kim Jin Gyeom, and Brad Murdoch

Ah! Again, we have to say anyanghasayo to more wonderful missionaries. It only eases the pain to know that we will meet again someday! We love them so much and wish them a very happy return to their homes and families.

August 2009 Zone Conferences

Cheongju Zone

Daejeon Zone

West Gwangju Zone

East Gwangju Zone

Jeonju Zone

August Zone Leader Council

Elders Crosland, Ha, Barzee, Boyce, Brandley, Stimpson, Cook, Lish, Byun, Richards, Gambles and Kang.

Sorry I missed posting this earlier. This photo of Zone Leaders was taken on August 10th!

Korean Worldwide Young Adult Conference

Near the center is Shaun Riley, an Australian member of one of our Daejeon wards, on his way to attend the conference and traveling on the same train.

A whole train full of missionaries!

Our native-born Korean missionaries were delighted to be invited to attend the closing session of the young adult conference that was held in Seoul last week where the highlight was having Quentin L. Cook, from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Claudio R M Costa of the Presidency of the 70 speak. Our newly called Area Authority 70's and Area Presidency were also in attendance. We traveled together to Seoul on the KTX train and were escorted to front row seats while greeted with audience applause that was so wonderfully emotional! Everyone enjoyed a very special day together, and returned home grateful for the uplifting experience.

Summer English Camp 2009

Under the direction of the Stake President, missionaries in the Daejeon Zone were heavily involved in the planning and implementation of English Camp for youth aged 12-18. During this session, 120 youth attended, of which 50% were friends and potential investigators for our missionaries. Camp involves 3 exhausting days of fun games and activities including performing a segment of The Lion King. The Youth were divided into 9 teams and each team prepared to sing and act out a segment of The Lion King. A favorite activity is an evening of line dancing. Our sister missionaries taught nine 45-minute dance classes throughout the day and and by the evening dance had nearly lost their voices and strength from their grueling day. But they persevered, and the dance was a wonderful culmination of their efforts enjoyed by all.

Departing Missionaries

A fond farewell to Sister Sarah Healey, Elders Jordan Hill and
Tyler BennettElder Jordan McCort stayed a few extra days to help out with
English Camp!

We were teaching a lesson at the mission home a few nights ago with the Sister missionaries, and the investigator asked why we are sad when someone dies if the next life is such a great place. She had just been telling us about how her mother was sobbing and sobbing because she was moving out of the house for the first time to go to college. She was able to see the similarity of how painful it is for those left behind when someone they love moves on, even though the separation may be temporary. It's same way I feel when these missionaries who are so dear to my heart go home. Their futures are exciting, and I will see them again, but oh, how I will miss them!