Merry Christmas from the Welch Family

Aaron and Steph Welch have something new coming in June.  Hint - check out the steps.  Congratulations!

Merry Christmas from the Lyons

Melissa and Russell moved into their first house in Syracuse, Utah this year.  Melissa ran her first half marathon.

Merry Christmas from the Palmers

               Tiva, Ryan and Abby celebrate the birth of the Savior and the new baby girl yet to be born.

Merry Christmas from the Hess Family

                           Gabriel Hess and his lovely wife send greetings from Denver, Co

Merry Christmas from the Nield Family

                                                Kahler, Lyndsy, Paige, Karter and Autumn

Merry Christmas from the Kesler's

                                                           Virginia, Steve and Kate

Merry Christmas from the Hardy's

                                                                  Ellie sees the star!

Christmas 2014

                                                      The Steve and Jesse Pierce Family

Merry Christmas 2014

Dear Missionaries,

Yes, we will forever call you our missionaries although time and space have moved your lives in many directions since the time you formally served full time missions.  The impact of those mission years works its way into our daily lives still.  We think of you often.   A memory will flash into our thoughts and then we are off to a string of remembrances that put smiles on our faces.

Many of you are now in the trenches of your careers, providing for family and fashioning your talents to make your contribution to humanity.  We get great pleasure hearing about your plans and decisions.  What a variety of paths your choices in compass.  We feel that we are in good hands and can now hand the world over to you.

This past year has been bound up with doing whatever we figured we could not do for another three years.  That meant lots of travel both for pleasure and interest as well as an abundance of time spent with children/grandchildren.  From the Isle of Capri to the shores of the Pacific instilled in us a renewed love and appreciation for this beautiful world.  We are now two months in with serving as President and Matron of the Washington, DC Temple.  We never guessed how much we would enjoy this service.  It has been wonderful.  We see some of our missionaries from time to time which is pure joy.  We even see some of your parents.  We would love all of you.  Come to DC!!!

Our commitment to Jesus Christ grows ever deeper as we bind our lives to Him.  We are grateful for his love and desire to help us be more than we could hope to be without Him.  To one day return to Heavenly Father through the merits of Jesus Christ is a goal worth striving for.  We are grateful for the long view of life beyond mortal life to secure perspective and direction beyond the norm.  Remember, we used to say in the mission field, "Keep your eye on the ball" -  meaning look to eternity.

 Please forward this on to any missionaries you might know who may not get this.  We have an incomplete email contact list to our sadness.  We love being connected to you.  And do let us know what is in your lives.

Much love,
President and Sister Colton

 

Former FTM Tends Colton Granddaughter

Eric and Kalli Sorensen stepped to the plate to tend baby Naomi, daughter of Ann and Dan Oakes.  President and Sister Colton were speaking at the Christmas Devotional at the Washington, DC Temple and Ann and Dan wanted to be there to lend family support.  Kalli and Eric to the rescue!!!  Little Naomi was in good hands with the Sorensens.  Living in the apartment building just above the Oakes, the Sorensens have made Washington, DC home for the last few years.  We love seeing our paths cross in such lovely ways.

Austin Wheat and Maria Jose Marry in the New Year

Austin and Maria have chosen Saturday, the 3rd of January as their wedding date.  They are marrying in the Gilbert LDS Temple.

Stake Conference in Maryland

Can you guess who we saw at Stake Conference?  Chad Goodman, his wife and beautiful daughter.  Little by little we are getting Western transplants here in the East.