Sisters' Training, Day 2

The Sisters arrived at the Mission Home at 8am for "Breakfast with the President".  Presidente Cordon and the assistants made pancakes and waffles for the Sisters.  Following breakfast we all went to the Barigui Ward building for training on Finding and Planning.  We had a special musical number and returned to the Mission Home for a late lunch and pictures before heading out to work.  It was a fantastic day full of testimony, training, and the Spirit.

Sisters Ecker and Galindo play the piano while waiting for breakfast.

Elders Schmidt and Gabriel and Presidente Cordon busy making pancakes.  Actually I think the Elders were more critiquing the president's cooking abilities.

 Breakfast of pancakes is always a good way to start a day of training.

Sisters Milani and Sposito.

(Click to expand) The Sisters of the Mission!

President & Sister Cordon with all of the Sisters of the Mission.

Sisters' Training, Day 1

All of the Sisters of the Brasil Curitiba Mission met at the Barigui Chapel today for a specialized training.  As a group, our Sisters defined their culture and what they stand for as representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ in this mission.  The day was full of trainings and practices led by Presidente & Sister Cordon.  Following the trainings we all had the opportunity to attend a session in the Curitiba Temple.

Como Sisteres na Missao Brasil Curitiba Brasil, Nos...

It was inspiring to see how the Sisters see and define their culture.  "Batizamos"  was the first declaration made!

Yum!! Pizza and Salad!

Click to Open

LDS Church creates 58 missions in response to surge in missionary applications

Deseret News, SALT LAKE CITY — In response to the enthusiastic reaction of young Latter-day Saints to last October’s announcement lowering the eligible age for full-time missionary service for both men and women, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is establishing 58 new missions of the church around the world.

An exclusive article in Saturday’s LDS Church News,available online, indicates that the "immediate and unprecedented" response to LDS Church PresidentThomas S. Monson's October announcement lowering the age of full-time missionary service to 18 for young men who are high school graduates and 19 for young women has pushed the total number of LDS missionaries currently serving around the world to more than 60,000 for the first time in more than a decade.

The number of young men and women applying to serve missions jumped nearly 500 percent after the change.

"We are thrilled with the response," Elder Russell M. Nelson of the church's Quorum of the Twelve told Church News reporter R. Scott Lloyd. "Our first feeling is one of deep gratitude for the commitment and the consecration of these missionary families."

The church is opening the 58 new missions in July, bringing the total number of LDS Church missions in the world to 405, to accommodate all of the new missionaries — including the surge expected following high school graduation this spring. Seventeen of the new missions are in the United States, including three in California and two each in Arizona, Idaho and Washington. Other locations around the world receiving multiple new missions are Mexico (eight), Brazil (seven), the Philippines (four) and western Africa (three).

February 2013 New Missionaries

Front row, l to r: Sisters Cordon, Carbone (Argentina), Elders Vojtek (Argentina), Vieira & Gomes (Brasil), Sister Freitas (Brasil); Back row: Elder Pereira, Vighetto, Lima, Diniz, Bastos, Ferreira (Brasil) and the Assistants, Elders Gabriel & Schmidt.

We received 11 new missionaries today including 9 Elders and two Sisters.  9 of the missionaries are from Brazil and two hail from South of the Border in Argentina.  We are super excited to have them here adding to our "Lord's Army."  

Great Looking Group of New Missionaries!

Going Home!

Elders Clift, Dornelles, Lopez, Palmer, Black, Aparecido, and Lopes with President and Sister Cordon at the Mission Home before heading to the airport.  They will all be missed.

Elder Finato from Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, and Elder Sandoval from Argentina ate breakfast with us this morning and then had to leave, having flights that left earlier than the rest.  They will be missed tremendously.

Familia Udagawa

We were able to attend the Udagawa's sealing a few months ago and now we had the privilege of attending their son's baptism.  We love this family a lot and will miss them!

New Missionary Training

We had an awesome opportunity to be with our new missionaries and their trainers as they are now finishing their first transfer.

Planning with the Sisters

(Click to Expand) Sister Cordon with Sisters Miranda and Silva outside their apartment.  We visited them this evening to participate in their daily planning session.

Click to Expand

Sister Cordon planned with Sisters Miranda and Silva and I had the opportunity to plan with Sisters Lysenko and Galindo.  While we were planning, the sisters received a text from Fiona, an English woman they are teaching.  They were so excited to hear from her.  Missionaries really grow to love those they serve!!

Boa Vista Zone Meeting

This morning we attended the Boa Vista Zone's monthly meeting and had the opportunity to do some interviews and just spend time with our Elders and Sisters.  Elder Pereira from Santarem received this very cool ship from his father and gave it to me as a gift.  Awesome!!

Elder Keaton Heads Home!

Elder Keaton stayed an extra transfer in order to complete the training of his new missionary.  He headed home today happy, tired, and fully ready to take on new challenges and adventures.  He will be greatly missed.

Presidente Cordon with Elder Lima and Elder Keaton.

EFY 2013

We drove out into the country past Colombo to speak at EFY.  We took the assistants with us.  The location has an old castle that was built back in the early 1900s furnished with antiques from Europe.  There were some 500 youth from Curitiba, Pinhais, Ponta Grossa, Guarapuava, and Joinville in attendance.  Elder Petla, Area 70, and his wife presided over the event.  Dallin had the opportunity to attend the fantastic event.

Elder Schmidt from Germany, Pres. and Sister Cordon, and Elder Gabriel from Rio enjoying this unusual castle.

We even found Dallin here.

Zone Leader Council Meeting - February 2013

Elder Gabriel, Presidente Cordon, and Elder Miranda

Elders Twitchell, Hobbs, Taylor, Barkdull, and Woodruff

Elders Martinez and Rios

Elders Schmidt, Taylor, Sudweeks, Diamond, Joas, and Knowles

Elders Schmidt and Barkdull participating in Sister Cordon's activity, "The Lost Sheep"

Elders Miranda and de Menezes

Elders Alves and Guimaraes.

Putting the ties back on

Time to ponder and reflect on the messages received.

Our zone leaders