August 2016

 In the first week of August, President Kohler finished up interviews.  On this day we got to meet with the Göppingen & Heilbronn Districts...

 and on this day we met with the Stuttgart District.  It was great to be with these missionaries!

 We were very pleased to welcome Elder Kitsell into the mission--he joined us from India!

 On the first Sunday in August our Brixen Group was made into a Branch.  And they were also officially turned over to the Italy, Milan Mission.  Elders Price, Moreno, Smith and Leinberger have been faithfully serving the people there--they will be missed!

 We had another great Mission Leadership Council.  It was fun for us to have our daughters Tosha and Erika with us this time!

 It was also wonderful to have President Kohler's counselors with us--President Höferl and 

President Gappmeier.

 Mid-August we had to say goodbye to Tosha as she headed back to Provo and BYU.  We sure have enjoyed having her with us for the summer :)

 Another Sunday in the month we visited our Basel & Pratteln Wards.  It was nice to see Elders Kallenborn, Melville, Larson & Letort.

 Erika turned 16!

 We were excited to receive 20 missionaries into the mission on this transfer!

 One of them was Sister Wonson, whom we happily welcomed back!

 Our Goldens reported after their first chance at contacting on the bahn.

 The next day they were ready to go to their new areas!

 Our Office Elders always have a big job to do on transfer days.  At the München Hauptbahnhof Elders Shauperl & Staheli helped missionaries get everybody on and off the right trains--Erika got to help too.

That evening we had a nice dinner with our going-home group of 12.

 We also had an uplifting testimony meeting.  We will miss these missionaries!

 And we said goodbye to Elder Larson.

 Sister Gilmour and Sister Gach helped out in primary in our München 2nd Ward. 

We enjoyed a visit from our former Sister Jest and our future Elder Jest!

On the last Sunday in August we visited Haag am Hausruck and loved seeing Elders Walter & Hadfield.

And to finish out the month, it was a wonderful surprise to run into Elders Kilgore & Hartle at the Bern Temple :)

July 2016

At the beginning of July we got to visit the Wien 5 Ward with Elders Carter & Seewer. 

Also in this ward is President Kohler's counselor President Höferl.  It was nice to see him!

On the same Sunday we went over to another building in Wien and saw our Zone Leaders--Elders Hale & Lyman.

We went to church in the Wien 4 International Ward in the afternoon with Elders Threlkeld & LaPlant.

And we also saw Sisters Price and Lundgreen there with an investigator.

That evening the entire Wien Zone got to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert in a beautiful concert hall.  The music was spectacular!

Then it was back to Munich for the transfer.  Erika's friend Bridget joined us from Provo for three weeks.  She got to see firsthand what a transfer includes.

Loading the luggage into the office van.

Here is a wonderful new group of Goldens!

And off they go to ride the bahn back to the mission office--and to do their first contacting!

That evening we enjoyed dinner together at the Mission Home--then they found out where they would be serving.

In the morning, at the hostel, they were already talking to people about the Gospel!

After some final training with President Kohler we walked them to the bahnhof to go to their new areas and trainers.

Some of our wonderful Sisters!  Did I mention that our daughter Tosha is with us for 2 months?

Our angels--Sisters Fischer Laudenbach and Gildner prepared a delicious farewell dinner.

It was great to eat and visit with our going home group.

A group picture after our testimony meeting.

The next morning, at the airport, everybody was excited and nervous.

Goodbye Elder Threlkeld...

and Elder Redmond.  We will miss you both.

After the transfer, President Kohler began the next round of interviews.  He started in Munich.  Here is the Landshut District.

On that Sunday we visited the ward in Esslingen--it was great to be greeted at the door by Elders Adam and Hudson!

And it was always fun to get visits from our former missionaries--like Sister Mehr and her family!

On this day, President Kohler interviewed and trained in the Wien Zone.

And on this day it was the Salzburg Zone.

Back in Munich Elders Staheli & Maw kept things running in the office.

On this day President was interviewing and training in the St. Gallen Zone.

And in Munich we had more former missionaries come to visit--Sister Motto...

Elder Bellersen...

Sister Zink.

At the end of the month we were in Switzerland at the Temple.  We got to see our Aarau District.

It was a nice time for our family to be able to be in the temple together :)

That evening President Kohler spoke at a Swiss Mission Reunion and we ran into four of our wonderful Elders serving in the area--Elders Lucas, Ashcroft, Elwell and Kilgore.

The next day we attended church in the Zollikofen ward.

And just to keep you updated, Tanner is thriving in Moldova!