Mission Tour

We met some of our missionaries that serve in Colorado Springs area on our first Sunday in the mission at a Work of Salvation Fireside that the mission hosts occasionally and at which both President Stevenson and I spoke. And we met some  missionaries at the July 4th Monumeny Parade as previously reported. But we officially began meeting our missionaries on Wednesday July 5th at Mission Leadership Council. What an amazing group they are! We are so impressed. They're wise beyond their years. The spirit of counseling together was alive and well.

These are the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and the Assistants.

We had to take this photo because President Stevenson never looks short...He's 6'4". President Stevenson with our very large in stature Elders.
After the meeting we drove 3 1/2 hours south and spent Wednesday night in Alamosa to start our two-day mission tour to "meet the president". The next morning we met with...

The Alamosa and Manassa Zones

And then drove two hours to Pueblo to meet...

The Pueblo Zone Missionaries

Even though we didn't know any of the missionaries in our mission before we arrived... we discovered that this Elder is a good friend of the son of Danete Palmer Bennett, one of the friends I went to High School with in Germany.

We discovered President Stevenson and this Elder are 3rd cousins...their common ancestor is Joseph Leland Heywood....
Thursday evening we drove home from Pueblo (after a Stake coordination meeting with the Pueblo Stake President) and then on Friday morning we met the Elders and Sisters of:

 

Our Castle Rock, North, and High Plains Zones

When we saw the last name and home town (Upland, CA) of this missionary we asked if he knew King and Sharon Dalton. They are his grandparents!!! His grandmother catered 4 of our children's wedding receptions. Her food is delicious and she makes everything gorgeous. He's from such a wonderful family. We know he is wonderful too. His Stake President was a friend of President Stevenson's from high school.

...and last, but certainly not least, in fact our biggest group yet!  The East, Fountain, and Springs Zones.

 

This photo was taken after our mission tour. But it feels like this is the right place for it. I was visiting with these Elders...One asked if we knew any of the missionaries before our arrival. I informed them that we had only met 2 of our missionaries who will be arriving in our first transfer. One who lives in President Stevenson's sister Stake in So. Cal. and one at the MTC...As our conversation continued, I discovered that the Elder on the left was from San Jacinto California. Previously, he had said he was from Hemet (it's a bigger town, more people have heard of it) ...I happen to know just one family in San Jacinto, David and Vickie Holmes. ...I asked how many wards there were there...the answer 3...so I took a chance... His face lit up with surprise at the mention of their name. David Holmes was his Bishop when he was preparing to go on a mission!!!!
When I moved to Southern California, I was in the same ward with the Holmes. Very shortly after I moved there, Vickie arrived home from serving a mission in Barcelona Spain. She was so warm and sweet and friendly and became my instant friend. President Stevenson and I met in part because of her. She volunteered me to sing a solo at a "Missionary Homecoming" (it was 1980...), she was my accompanist. It was President Stevenson's first Sunday home from his mission. His father was in the Stake Presidency and knew me. He put his arm around my shoulder and walked me across the foyer and introduced me to his very tall and handsome son. The rest is history. My life was ever changed because of our friendship. So even though we didn't know each other, this Elder shares a love for that same wonderful family that we do.
We also have a sister whose father is in the military and she came here from Germany.  I'm an Army Brat...and lived in Germany for 4 years. There is also a Sr Sister Missionary from Athens Georgia, I know one family in Athens, Ty Fulghum and his family. She lived in the same ward with them. They lived in my ward in Killeen Texas...We also have missionaries from Wisconsin and Iowa, my Mom is from Sheboygan, Wisconsin and my Dad's family are farmers from Missouri and Iowa...It's such a small world in the gospel. 💕our missionaries.!


Our 1st Date Night in the Mission at Edelweiss in Colorado Springs. Glad we found a great German restaurant to satisfy President Stevenson's bratwurst addiction.


It looks authentic on the outside!


...and even more so on the inside! Such a fun night! And the food was delicious! Bratwurst, Veal Cordon Bleu, Chockate Raspberry and Fresh Fruit Tortes ...and the entertainment was wonderful! 💕
President Stevenson finished the week by speaking to the bishops and ward mission leaders in the CS North Stake at the invitation of the Stake President. It was a fantastic first week.