It's October in Missouri!

During the weekend of September 29th, we were able to return to Georgia for Maddy Eileen's baby blessing.  The blessing by Adam was beautiful; the time with family was outstanding; the weather was ideal; and the flights to and from Georgia were smooth and uneventful.  We are so grateful we were able to participate in this wonderful occasion!  What a beautiful addition to our family!

Grandpa and Grandma reunited with our good little buddy, Alec Joshua Pyne.  Alec is being a kind and loving big brother to his new little sister.

 Grandpa and Grandma with Maddy, Jessie, and Adam.  Proud new parents and grandparents.

 Maddy surrounded by the Evanson Family to her left and the Pyne Family to her right.

The Coleman Family with Grandma and Grandpa, while Mike is working at the Emergency Department at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.  What handsome grandsons!

Grandpa and Grandma with the Goulding Family.  What gorgeous granddaughters!

Jessi and Audra at Kyle's football game on Saturday, September 28th.  Jordan was unable to play because he broke his arm playing football earlier in the season.

 Chloe and Josh at Kyle's football game.

McKenna, Lydia and Tanner at Kyle's football game.

Elder and Sister Bollinger with Elder and Sister Pyne.  We were able to rendezvous with the Bollinger's at the Independence Visitors Center and then go to Square Pizza in downtown Independence for dinner.  The Bollinger's were on their way home from their 12-month mission to Louisville, Kentucky.  Katherine Bollinger is Michelle's cousin once removed.

  

 Michelle at Powell Gardens, which is located 30 minutes southeast of Independence on Highway 50.

 Mel at beautiful Powell Gardens.

Elder Pyne surrounded by Sister Missionaries.  The Sister Missionaries had seen in our photo album that I had worn a mustache prior to my mission, so they requested this shot.  From left to right the missionaries are:  Sister Vance from Utah, Sister Reyes from Colorado, Sister Allen from Utah, Sister Lettig from Utah, Sister Luening from British Columbia, and Sister Heylen from California.

 Sister Pyne surrounded by lovely Sister Missionaries.

 Sister Heylen, Sister Lettig, Sister Allen, and Sister Luening.

Upon completing a very successful mission, Sister Allen is returning home to Utah on October 4, 2014.  We will miss her!

Sister Grange and Sister Luening convalescing from ankle and foot injuries.

September 2013 in Missouri

Posing with Claron Twitchell who walked from Salt Lake City, UT to Independence, MO, crossing over a thousand miles of Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.  To learn more about his experience, go to his blog, follow.claront.com

Claron Twitchell, upon his arrival, received a nice reception from the missionaries who were on shift at the Independence Visitor's Center.

Sister Dodd previously served in the Missouri Independence Mission, and visited for the marriage of a man she taught while she was on her mission.  The man is a physician specializing in neonatology and met our daughter, Abbi, and talked to her husband, Chad, who is a pediatrician, while attending the wedding reception for Maddy in Salt Lake City.  Maddy Dodd is a cousin of our son-in-law, Chad Cox.

 Mark Pope, a man we are helping teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, with Sister Matta.

Sister Wood is one of the lovely sister missionaries serving at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Southern California.

 Sister Rackam, another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Wisconsin.

 Sister Jorgenson, another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sister Raymer, still another lovely missionary at the Historic Liberty Jail, from Mapleton, Utah.

Photos from July 2013

One of the highlights in July 2013 was having Jessi Pyne Goulding and the girls visit us in Missouri!  This photo includes, left to right, Grandpa Pyne, Emily, Summer, Lydia, Chloe, McKenna, Grandma Pyne, and Jessi.

 

The Goulding's preparing to sing a hymn at the Christus when they visited the Independence Visitor's Center.  They sang beautifully and harmoniously!

The Pyne's and the Goulding's at the Historic Liberty Jail in Liberty, Missouri.

Another highlight in July 2012 was visiting Abbi, Chad, and new little Anna Rose at their home in the mountain setting of Alpine, Utah!  Anna Rose is a beautiful infant, with fine features and a peaceful disposition.  She also loves to be held!  Here she is being held by her Grandpa Pyne.  Anna Rose also has her own song (go to Anna Rose by Vienna Teng on YouTube).

 Anna Rose being peacefully held by her Grandpa.

Three generations of wonderful women!  Michelle Pyne, Abbi Pyne Cox, and Anna Rose Cox.

Anna Rose with her grateful and happy parents -- Abbi and Chad Cox.

Sister Pyne, Sister Diederich, Sister Lettig, and Sister Jones, in their matching clothing for the day.

Sister Vance, Elder Pyne, Sister Diederich, Sister Pyne, Sister Erikson, Sister Brenchley, Sister Altier, and Elder Brenchley, at the Brenchley's home after an enjoyable Preparation-Day Luncheon. 

July 2013 in Missouri

Sister Vance is a new missionary from South Jordan, Utah.  She has an amazing adoption story.  After being adopted as an infant, sealed in the temple, and raised by wonderful LDS parents, she sought out her birth parents when she was 18.  Her birth mother had since met a righteous man and was sealed in the temple and was anxious to meet her daughter.  Her father had also met a righteous woman and was sealed in the temple and was anxious to meet her daughter.  As it is, she now has three caring sets of parents, but is devoted most deeply to her adoptive parents.  Sister Vance is 6 foot 1 inches tall, and her younger adopted sister is five foot 4 inches tall.

 The Independence Visitor's Center is surrounded by beautiful flowers this spring and summer.

In addition to flowers around the front and entrance, there are flowered pots that surround all sides of the Independence Visitor's Center.

Sister Alder is from Mesa, Arizona and as a new missionary worked hard to be effective and valiant.  She suffered from mono and eventually had to go home to recover.  We are hoping she will be able to return to her mission after she fully recovers.

Some of the Sister Missionaries from the visitor centers sang at a special conference when the Missouri Independence Mission was split to create a new mission -- the Kansas Wichita Mission.  The Elder playing the piano - Elder Top - wrote an inspiring mission song for the new mission.  The Sisters are singing this song to the missionaries called to the Kansas Wichita Mission.  The choir is being directed by Elder Brenchley, Director of the Visitor Centers, who served 24 years as Choir Director of the Missionary Training Center Choir in Provo, Utah.

As always, we enjoy going out to lunch with other missionaries on Preparation Day.  From left to right, the Pyne's, the Brenchley's, Sister Altier, Sister Dalsing, Sister Erikson, and Sister Ewell.

Sister Pyne and Elder Pyne enjoyed a Preparation-Day in Weston, Missouri, northwest of Kansas City.  It is a historic town with lots of antique shops.

Sister Pyne on the streets of Weston, Missouri.

Storm clouds gathering around the Community of Christ temple, across the street from the Independence Visitors Center.  The weather can change quickly and dramatically in Missouri.  The winter was cold and snowy, the spring was pleasant, and the summer is starting to be hot and humid.  Missouri is known as a state of extreme weather patterns. 

Elder Pyne's older brother, Doyle, passed away on Sunday morning, June 30, 2013, a few days prior to his 71st birthday.  We flew to Utah to attend his funeral in Lehi, Utah.  It was a very fitting funeral for a very good man.

 Doyle's siblings next to his casket in the Lehi Cemetary.  Left to right, Roger, Lola, Elaine, and Mel.

Doyle's wife, Judy (in the purple), and their children, left to right, Gary, Stephanie, Stephen, Jay, Kimberlie, Diana, and Greg.

Brea (Lola's daughter), Lola, and our daughter, Abbi.  This is one of the few photos we have of Abbi being pregnant.  We are excited about flying to Utah for a few days on July 30th to see the new baby.  The expected delivery date is July 22nd.

Abbi and Chad at Cascade Springs outside of Midway, Utah.  We enjoyed an extra day with Abbi and Chad after the funeral on Friday, July 5th.  We watched the Wimbledon championships, enjoyed each other's company at their beautiful home, and drove to the Homestead in Midway.

 

Sister Pyne, Abbi, and Chad at Cascade Springs.

Elder Pyne and Sister Pyne at Cascade Springs.

Sister Litteg, Sister Rogers, and Mark, an investigator we are helping teach.  This photo is outside the Independence Stake Center, which is located just east of the Independence Visitor's Center. 

Three of our wonderful Sister Missionaries who have completed their missions.  Left to right, Sister Castellano, Sister Peterson, and Sister Sant.

 Sister Zito from Draper, Utah, and Sister Call, from Newport Beach, California.

Sister Moon (left) will be taking the place of Sister Sant as a Sister Leader in the Missouri Independence Mission.  We will miss Sister Sant.  She has served at the visitor center for the past 11 months, including all of our time on our mission.  She has been a superb missionary and an excellent leader.  We wish her the very best as she returns to her home in Virginia.

A new senior couple, Elder and Sister Jones, who we helped orient to their calling at the Independence Visitor's Center.  They are from Santaquin, Utah.  He worked over 30 years as a locomotive engineer.

Many of the Independence Visitor Center sister missionaries in the frontier cabin of the visitor center.

Sister and Elder Stevenson, and Sister Thurston.  The Stevenson's are from Alpine, Utah, just north of where Abbi and Chad live.