Happy Mothers' Day

The Cordon family was invited to speak today in the Jardim Florenca Ward in Ponta Grossa.  Dallin bore his testimony afterwhich Sister and Presidente Cordon spoke.  After the meetings the Sister missionaries and our family had the honor of having Sunday lunch with Bishop Camargo's family.  It is always a blessing to be with them.

Sister Hammon, Margareth Camargo, Sister Bonnie Cordon, and Sister Lima Celebrate Mothers' Day.

Baptisms of Giovanna and Rafaela Botega

On this beautiful, sunny May afternoon two beautiful young women were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by President Cordon.  Giovanna and Rafaela Botega, 13 year old twins, are the first in their family to join the Church.  Several members of the Campo Magro branch were in attendance as well as President and Sister Hepworth from the Temple Presidency.

Sisters Cavalcante and Sposito, Rafaela and Giovanna Botega, Sister Cordon, Araldo and Edna Botega.  Presidente Cordon is in the back.

Boqueirao Zone Meeting

Today the mission is having zone meetings.  I attended the Boqueirao zone meeting which was attended by missionaries serving in the Boqueirao and San Jose dos Pinhais Stakes.  It was held in the Boqueirao Stake Center.  Great missionaries with lots of faith!

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Our First Mission Leadership Council

The Church has implemented a new leadership meeting, the Mission Leadership Council Meeting, which will be held once a month and replaces the Zone Leader Council Meeting.  This will be just great to now have our new Sister Trainers involved in this monthly leadership meeting and we look forward to their input and involvement.  This council will include all of our zone leaders, the mission assistants, the Sister Trainers, and the President of the mission and his wife.

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Our New April Missionaries Have Arrived!

We happily welcomed our new missionaries from 4 different countries to the Curitiba Mission today.  4 of them arrived after a very long flight from the United States and 9 came direct from the CTM in Sao Paulo.  We are very excited to have them here and know that they will work miracles amongst the great people of Parana. They are Elders Bestenlehner (Vernal, Utah, USA), Olmos Rios (Antofagasta, Chile), Batista (Maceio, Brasil), Jeppson (Sandy, Utah, USA), Rico (Chillan, Chile), Blanco (La Rioja, Argentina), K. Silva (Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brasil), Merrill (Grass Valley, California, USA), Ramos (Maceio, Brasil), V. Silva (Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brasil), Nilsen (Eugene, Oregon, USA), Young (Vernal, Utah, USA),  and Christensen (Parker, Colorado, USA).

April Departures, Part II

Today we said goodbye to 15 missionaries from 4 countries.  Two left this morning for Argentina and Uruguay. The rest left this afternoon after a lunch with us in the mission home.  We have grown to love each of them so much.  We will miss them terribly and look forward to hearing of their life adventures in the future. Pictured front row, left to right: Sister Miranda da Silva, Presidente & Sister Cordon, Sister Barbosa da Silva; Back row, left to right: Elders Reynoso, R. Smith, Cruz, Oliveira, Borges, Serrano, Bruce Fernandes, Joas Oliveira, Diamond, Brooksby, and Miranda.

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Sister Cordon is sad to see these two dear Sisters, Miranda da Silva and Barbosa da Silva, leave.  They have fulfilled their calling and their families are anxious for their arrival.

Assistants, from front to back Elders Schmidt, Arriola, Gabriel, and Barkdull, rearrange the mission board in the mission home following the transfer meeting.  We have four assistants now in order to prepare for the mission division in July.

April 2013 Transfer Day, Part I

Today's departures started early as we had two Elders returning to other Latin American countries that had to catch flights before their counterparts.  Elders Palacio Ancheta (Uruguay) and Barrios Luna (Argentina) served well and will be missed.  It was great to have had them with us and learn from them. Hasta luego mis amigos y companeros!