going bananas...

I googled to find out the meaning of going bananas and here are a few of the

 idiom definitions I found:

go bananas ...Sl. to go mildly crazy. 

If you go banans, you are wild with excitement, anxiety, or worry.

Going crazy, losing your mind. A lack of mental stability. 

To go bananas is symptomatic of doing irrational things, a lack of reason.
"Going bananas" means to react in a overly excited or emotional manner 
(good or bad).

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At any given moment I would say that this is a perfect description of a mission presidents life (or maybe just his wife's)!

BUT...every three months when interviews roll around

Here is what going bananas really means in our mission:

LOTS AND LOTS OF BANANA BREAD!!!

From the 14th to the 26th of January we have been on the road visiting every zone and every missionary for interviews.

(and enjoying Stake and District Conferences on the weekends).

One of my promises to the missionaries is 

Banana Bread 

at each interview.  

With only 20 loaves we fed 176 missionaries...

that sounds like some kind of miracle!

We have incredible missionaries!

Here is a little look into our crazy life these last 2 weeks...

Elders Mendez and Jara

Left:  Elders Rosario & Calvillo with Hermanas Guzman & Medina

Right:  Elders Karren, Jolley, Lucana, & Rivadeneira

Lunch with the office...Ajiaco, Juice and Apple Crisp...YUM!

 We love our missionary couples!

 trying to talk Elder Fuentealba out of his apple crisp!!!

Saying Good-by to Elder Coy!

He has been reassigned to the Provo MTC call center

to receive the medical treatment he needs while working.

What an incredible young man!

On the Road to Ipiales...exhausted...

Left:   With Elders Mosqueira, Solórzano, Calle, & Welling

Right:  Our Ipiales Zone Leaders - Elders Calle & Welling

So grateful to our Pasto Zone Leaders - Elders Lamoreaux & Avalos -

 who saved the day for Ipiales.

Our suitcase that contained the Banana Bread did not make it on our flight.

Arriving to interviews in Ipiales without Banana Bread was NOT a happy moment.

You see... the missionaries, as much as they love seeing us, 

are really waiting for their Banana Bread.

Our Pasto Zone Leaders picked up my suitcase (that came in on the later flight), boarded a bus, and took the 2 hour trip to Ipiales to make sure the Elders in that zone did not go without their Banana Bread....we have REALLY gone bananas (doing irrational things!)

PASTO

We got to spend 2 days with our Pasto Elders and Sisters as it was also

 the Sake Conference in Pasto.  

The Pasto Stake has lovingly been labeled by our missionaries:

"the envy of the world"!

The missionaries and members work HARD together and keep all their commitments!  

The cold weather of Pasto is tempered by the warm friendly people!

Here we are with a few investigators and converts 

who came to the conference:

President and Sister Groberg from the Guayaquil temple 

were also at the conference

 The new Stake Patriarch and his family...a wonderful brother from Ipiales!

 Our incredible assistants...Elders Paez and Camacho

Not a minute wasted as we wait for our flights back home!

I may be "mildly crazy" and there may be times when I am 

"wild with anxiety and worry" in behalf of my missionaries...

But when I get to spend time with them I ALWAYS

Go Bananas (get overly excited and emotional...in a good way!)

the perfect transition...

As Elder Carillo finished his mission, he handed over the job of assistant to the newly called assistant, Elder Camacho.

It was a perfect transition...

 Elder Camacho and Elder Paez

Hard at work and making a difference!

Off to change the world...

Two more missionaries have completed their missions with honor.

They are now off to change the world 

and 

apply all they have learned in changing their own lives and those of others.

We will miss them

Their families will rejoice

The cycle continues and it never gets easier

Until we meet again...well done 

Elder Chavez

Elder Tauaese

 

Noteworthy

Some things just don't belong in the same posts 
with the others

but they are still worthy to be noted!

Elder Rendón, after just 12 weeks in the mission,

was just recognized as having had 10 baptisms you do the math!

What a marvelous beginning to his mission...

here is one to keep your eyes on!!

Congratulations, Elder Rendón!!!!

A New Year...a new group...

Our first group of 2013 to arrive...

Elder Lopez...after a volleyball injury in the MTC!!

Back:  Elders Marquez, Peterson, Chavez, Gallardo, Mina, Dearing, Didericksen, Lucana, Joglar, Peterson, Antonio, and Miranda

Front:  Elder Arista, Hna Quispe, Pdte y Hna Prince, Elder Lopez, and Elder Robbins

After a Welcome Lunch...a trip to Cristo Rey

There is no better shadow to stand in than that of our Savior!

Here we go...a New Year, a new group, and a new opportunity!

DAY 2...training, new companions, and off to new areas...
Our new missionaries arrive at 8:30am on Day 2

They start with a good breakfast 

then they are trained by all of the office secretaries...

important things like:

obedience, health, safety, finances, obedience, baptism registries, housing, obedience, packages, documents, obedience, mission rules, robberies, obedience

While they are learning all these important things, their trainers are in

a meeting at the office with President Prince

At 12:30 we have our meet your trainers presentation...always a lot of smiles!!

Then it is time to eat again...and get acquainted!

Afternoon is more training and then off they go...

A new group...a new beginning...so much new to learn and experience!!