Leaving Provo and arriving Cyprus!

 We had a great tutor at the MTC.  Craig Meister really inspired us to at least try to understand Greek and speak it enough to get around in Cyprus.

 We went with Forrest, Bryan, Lawrence and wives to a great little restaurant in Provo called El Salvadors--delicioso and cheep!

 My brother Bryan gave us some tickets to attend the BYU basketball game the day we left the MTC.  Here are Brian and Michelle in the Delta Center enjoying a Cougar victory with us.

 Temple Square is the perfect place to visit before going off on a mission for the Lord.

My brother Dennis has twin grandsons, Carter and Parker, who were at Uncle Lawrence's house on Sunday night for a family party with their parents.  Hope I am not making you too jealous, Denny!

 Amelia and her husband along with lots of neices and nephews and their adorable babies were also at Lawrence for the delicious feast!

Proud Daddy.

It was sad to leave these two newlyweds and travel the next morning, Monday Dec. 5 to Chicago, London and then on to Larnaca Cyprus. We arrived there on Tuesday the 6th, very tired and with no troubles--14 hours in the air, 18 with layovers.

 In Larnaca airport with too much stuff!

 Our great welcoming committee, Elder and Sister Maxwell, the Niebehrs and Smiths--all couples serving in different branches in Cyprus. They were all so, so good to us.

We had fun talking to our first Cypriots (pronouced sip pre etts) our landlady and her son!  They taught us a lot of Greek we didn't learn in the MTC! Nice people, but very strong Orthodox.

Our wonderful district: Elders Norgarrd (district leader), Rahal, DeMeyers and Held (ZL) with Virgil in our apartment.  Elder Psota (ZL) was on an exchange. We will love working with them and helping to bring those the Lord has prepared to "Come unto Christ!"
WE LOVE OUR MISSION!!!!!!!

First Few Days MTC

Sunday night we traveled up to have a pre MTC Christensen party at Dearden's in Henefer Utah. Here are Uncle Joe, Stephen and Darell right before the taco feed.

Rachel showed up with her cute twins, Halli and Carli.  Proud grandma Julie is holding the cutie pies!

Grandpa Roger does scary tricks with one of the baby girls.

I had to do a small remember when with the twins too!  They are way cuter than Aaron and Bryan are!

We arrived at the MTC on Monday only to find our favorite security guard, Vaughn, there to greet us.

We always wanted to be able to do this!  Pointing to our small island of Cyprus is a thrill.

The MTC is one amazement after another.  It is so organized and well run, to say nothing of totally spiritual every minute of the day.

The MTC remembers every detail, down to the decorations for Christmas, just to make the missionaries remember the reason we are all here--to learn to bring souls to Christ.  What an honor to be a part of such a cause!

Last days in OK

We had some Thanksgiving parties and company this week.  Here are Maren and Kim comparing their size, Kim due in Feb. and Maren in June.  We are so thankful for the coming babies, even though we won't be home for their births.

Poor little Brooklyn broke her leg at the dodge ball tournament.

Stoddard and Beckham with Grandpa before the setting apart for our mission.

Travis and Johanna with their youngest child, Tuff.



Grandkids singing at the setting apart.



Sarah and Carmen with Twister.

Carter and Chandler looking and singing like little tiny angels.

I love these cute boys!

Mark can really ruin a perfectly good picture!

JR and Carol Brown came to the setting apart for our mission.  What good friends they are to us.

GETTING Close to DEPARTURE DATE

Love these pretty grand daughters, Gretchen, Whitney, Shantelle and Brooklyn Waltman.

We had a birthdayparty for Lance and a little missionary fireside for us at Bryan's house last Sunday.  It was wonderful having all the kids ask questions and give us advice.  So touching for us.

Here are Emma Waltman and Brooklyn.  Cute little cousins!  How they will change while we are gone!

Here is Darren waiting to give his advice about writing home and being good to the young elders in Cyprus.  He told us our example in serving would do more for our family than anything we could do here.  Thanks Darren!

We had the oldest grandkids to breakfast this morning after seminary.  Grandpa makes the best light hotcakes known to man--or at least the grandkids!

Crazy kids dancing for us after breakfast. Lyndon, Whitney, Wesley, Gretchen and Shantelle break fast brake dancing.  We are going to miss these kids!
If I did this right,  the next thing should hopefully be Lyndon jumping the rope!

I found some pics to practise blogging and to keep us remembering on the mish!

Mark holding Reese Miller, Jennifer's youngest. She and her mother came for a visit in October.

We wined and dined Jennifer shown here with Aaron.

                     Strange brothers, Aaron and Dennis.

Cute newly weds--actually a year already!  Mark and Samantha.

Not so cute, but ready to serve the Lord in 3 short weeks.

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 Reese loved being at Grandpa's house without all her brothers and sisters. She got pretty spoiled!

Trying to perfect a hotdog, Samantha and Jennifer!

Scared D. Cat and Dennis' dog.

 Carter and kitty. I am going to love these cat pics on the mish! JK.  It's really the grand kids I will miss!

Maren, Grant, Dennis, Erica and Bryan at Texas Road House. It seems like we are forever eating!

Our other young married couple here in Oklahona, Grant and Maren.

Flake Sisters Retreat Oct 30-Nov 2, 2011

 So my fantastic sisters planned a wonderful retreat/birthday party for me in Utah last weekend.  We went to a resort northeast of Ogden called Wolf Creek. We took some great walks, hot tubbed, watched a scary movie, (The Village) romantic ones too, and ate ourselves sick.  We didn't get much sleep, but the bonding, advice and spirit was enough to last me at least 18 months!

 Here we are: RaeAnn, Jolynne, MayLynn, Claudia, Lova, Elaine and me!!  Carolee took the picture.

What a wonderful 62nd Halloween birthday, replete with games, gifts, spooks and loads of love and best wishes for my future mission to Greece.  I am now all ready to be the best companion my husband will have on his mission!