ANNOUNCEMENT

BRAZILIAN MISSIONÁRIA
ANNOUNCEMENT

     After consulting with Sister Geri Bangerter it has been decided to simplify our reunions by combining our efforts with the April, Brazil Mission Reunion.  As you may know the Brazil Reunion is held typically on the Thursday prior to general conference in the early evening.  It will continue to be held in the Alpine Stake Center near the Bangerter farm.  Kim Russell has all the sister contact information and will notify us of the details.  It will also be published in the Brasulista.
     In April there were more sisters that attended the reunion than has been typical.  We hope that you will all make an effort to continue to gather in Alpine to greet Sister Bangerter, renew friendships, catch up on news of Brazil and meet Brazilian guests that join with us each year. 

We thank you for your interest and support these many years and
look forward to continuing our friendships in April.

If you have questions please call or write to:
Maureen Daines Hodgen, 801-292-6182, plumbob@utahweb.com
Phyllis Merrell Miller, 801-295-8426, pmmiller@q.com
Mary Etta Watson Parkinson, 801-566-7563, mewparkinson@comcast.net

Spring 2011 Reunion

A delightful time among 60+ "re-emerging" friends.  How's that to describe our friendships that began 50ish years ago.  The big surprise for me was to figure out why a young woman (younger than me) looked so familiar.  She was  Eliana the infant daughter of our Santos branch president Saul Messias de Oliveira.  Now she and her husband Roberto Oliveira are about to embark on their mission to lead the Cabo Verde Mission.  Its enough to boggle one's already troubled mind.

So nice to reconnect with many and to hear from the recently returned.  Kim Russell conducted the meeting.  Cory Bangerter outlined the program and shared news.  Paulo was briefly in and out.   A few of the highlights:

• The new biography of William Grant Bangerter should be published in a year.  
• Robert Newman reported on their area medical advisor mission.  Their efforts successfully reduced from 15% to 3% the missionaries that return home for physical/mental health issues.  
• Nolan Steadman reported on their service with PEF.  60% of the church leadership in Brazil have benefited from PEF.  12,000 participants in Brazil.  30% of all PEF participants live in Brazil.   They will be returning for another go around.
• Daryl Hobson reported on their presidency in Cabo Verde.  Creole version of Portuguese is the language outside of school and I suppose, formal business.   Lots of progress there.
• Roberto Oliveira, new president of Cabo Verde Mission in July and his wife, Eliana, spoke of their anticipation of service and some of their personal lives leading to this calling.
• Sister Julie B. Beck spoke of her recent visits to The Congo and Mozambique which is now as Brazil was when she was baptized as a child in Sao Paulo.  That is a message few general officers are able to share. 
• Sister Geri Bangerter spoke on the pioneering they witnessed in Brazil.  This is just a sample--
• Sixteen U.S. sisters arriving over a short period of time prompting the calling of Brazilian sisters. 
• Building missionaries, the first Brazilian young men serving.
• Brazil MTC, first in their home to help one young man get ready to serve as well as have an LDS family setting experience, then their garage at Rua Itapeva 378.  
• $20,000 donors for PEF solicitied.  
• “Enjoy It”, Sister Bangerter's adjustment to life in Brazil and an inspiring assist to the rest of us.
• The beginning of the end of hepatitis.

With that brief summary of the evening here are a few photos to whet your appetite to join us next year in Alpine.  (Thanks to Kim and Marlene.)

Introductions from all in attendance.

Ross Andra speaks and . . .

the rest of us enjoy and . . .

anticipating more to come.

Greetings.                          

  

Sister Geri Bangerter and Rose Neeleman.

Foreground: The Scaddens and Roberto Oliveira. 

Background:  Chuck Carlston and Sam Morrison.

 

Eliana Oliveira and Sister Julie B. Beck

Sister Bangerter, Rose Neeleman and Kay Hamblin.

Refreshments headlined by Guarana which has become increasingly difficult to find.  

Kim is very, very good in rooting out the supply up and down the valley.

Spouses enjoy too.  Ramon Beck and Sister Carter.  Coxinhas e empadinhas.

Marlene Russell, Sister Bangerter and Carl Jensen.

Remember the "dart board"?  That's it on screen.  If you'd like your spiral-bound copy, contact Sister Bangerter.

Ann Hobson and Mac Bills.

More conversations, some more animated than others.

Glen Humphreys and Lola Gygi Timmins.

A Brazil PEF reunion--The Russells and the Cobras.

Thanks to all for a wonderful time.  

Saudades de todos os otros.

 For the sister missionaries, reserve the Saturday, 17th September for our annual gathering.  Program, location and other details will be announced in August.  See you then . . . .

2011 Brazil Misson Reunion

Queridos irmãos:

Once again a reminder of our reunion coming up this coming week before conference:

- Thurdsay, March 31st
- 6pm-8:30pm
- Alpine Stake Center, 98 E Canyon Crest Dr, Alpine, Utah

This will be our first meeting together since the passing of our beloved President Bangerter.  We hope to be able to continue meeting on a periodic basic for a long time.

In Thursday's meeting, we will be able to catch up on many items of interest; some Brazilian members will be speaking to us, as well as some of our own recently returned missionaries.

Also, over some fun Brazilian snacks and guaranã, we will have a good chance to visit once more with each other and with Sister Bangerter.  There will also be fun photos of us in our young missionary years to reminisce over. (See attached photos as examples!)

Since our last E-mail, several people have been working on updating our group's database of addresses and E-mails.  (We currently have over 530 names listed.)  Many have been found through their efforts, but we still have over half of our Elders and Sisters who we have not been able to contact due to discontinued E-mail addresses, invalid home addresses, and phone numbers no longer in service.  We will have these lists at the reunion and solicit your help in locating as many as we can.  Those we have been able to contact have expressed much appreciation that we have located them and made contact after many years.  There have had several uplifting experiences as we have found and conversed with some of our 'lost' friends.

Be sure to keep in touch with our website at ... therussells.net/brazil .  Also, announcements of our reunions are always listed in the Deseret News prior to conference(s). 

See you all there this Thursday.

Kim Russell