Saturday, June 30, 2012

Church News Article

Missionary Reunion
Parents, Daughters Meet at the MTC
Published: Saturday, June 23, 2012

PROVO, UTAH

President Paul R. Lovell, who is the new president of the Argentina Neuquen Mission, and his wife, Sister Brenda T. Lovell, were among mission leaders attending the 2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents, held June 24-27. They received counsel, guidance and words of inspiration from President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, as well as from members of the Quorum of the Twelve, Quorum of the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric.

Gerry Avant, Church News
President Paul R. Lovell, who will be new president of the Argentina Mission, and his wife, Sister Brenda T. Lovell, attended the 2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents. While there, they spent a few moments with their daughters, Sister Ashley Lovell, who is assigned to the Chile Compecion Mission, and Sister Brittany Lovell, assigned to the Spain Malaga Mission.

Added to all these blessings was being able to see the two youngest of their nine daughters, Brittany and Ashley, who were also at the Missionary Training Center. The daughters, fraternal twins, entered the MTC on Wednesday, June 20. The parents entered on Saturday, June 23.

Gerry Avant, Church News
Brenda and Paul Lovell meet daughters, Ashley, second from left, and Brittany, at the Missionary Training Center. The parents are going to Argentina, the daughters to Spain and Chile.

The daughters were members of a choir that performed on each day of the seminar. The parents and daughters first caught sight of each other on Sunday morning.
While all those attending the seminar were seated in a large room before the meeting began, members of the choir waited outside the room until it was time for them to sing and then left afterward.
"I just sat and looked at them when they came in," Sister Lovell said of catching a first glimpse of her daughters in the MTC setting. "Their faces were glowing. Their countenances were bright."

Gerry Avant, Church News
Brenda and Paul Lovell meet daughters, Ashley, second from left, and Brittany, at the Missionary Training Center. The parents are going to Argentina, the daughters to Spain and Chile.

President Lovell said, "When I saw them come into the room, I thought, 'What a great blessing.' When they walked out after they sang, I started crying."
Sister Brittany Lovell, assigned to the Spain Malaga Mission, said, "I felt so blessed to see my parents sitting before me and the First Presidency and the Apostles and other leaders sitting behind the choir."

Gerry Avant, Church News
President Dieter Uchtdorf and his wife Sister Harriet Uchtdorf meet with President Paul R. Lovell, who will be new president of the Argentina Mission, and his wife, Sister Brenda T. Lovell, at the 2012 Seminar for New Mission Presidents. While there, President and Sister Lovell spent a few moments with their daughters, Sister Ashley Lovell, who is assigned to the Chile Compecion Mission, and Sister Brittany Lovell, assigned to the Spain Malaga Mission.

The choir sang, "Consider the Lilies of the Field," said Sister Ashley Lovell, who is assigned to the Chile Concepcion Mission. "I looked at my parents and started crying as I was singing. It was a beautiful experience."
President and Sister Lovell, members of the South Jordan (Utah) River Ridge 7th Ward, have a third daughter who is a full-time missionary: Sister Erica Lovell left in March to serve in the Italy Rome Mission. Another daughter, Jamie L. Moss, served in the Chile Antofagasta Mission.
— Gerry Avant

Friday, June 22, 2012

Taking Ashley and Brittany to the MTC

Before taking our daughters Ashley and Brittany to the MTC on June 20, 2012, all of the grandkids said goodbye.  Everyone sent their balloon up into the air, like they'll be sending their love out to the five missionaries in our family over the next few years.




Our Setting Apart

On Tuesday, June 19th, 2012, Paul was set apart by Elder Niel L. Anderson as the Mission President of the Argentina Neuquen Mission and I was set apart by Elder Craig Christensen as a missionary in the Argentina Neuquen Mission.  We received a lot of important counsel from them both, the most important of which is to listen to and follow the Holy Ghost, because the Lord really directs Mission Presidents in His work.

They were both so wonderful to meet our family and made it a memorable experience for all of our family that were able to be there.



Family and Friends

We spoke in our Sacrament Meeting on June 10, 2012.  Paul and I, along with our daughters Ashley and Brittany, shared our testimonies of Jesus Christ in one of our last weeks in our ward.  Some of our wonderful family and friends came to support us and wish us well.














Mother's Day Chat

We loved chatting with our daughter Erica, who is on her mission in Italy, for Mother's Day.

Training at the MTC

After we received our call, we received training and information from a lot of sources, and we're grateful for all of it.  We have a big responsibility ahead of us.  We're especially grateful for our Spanish tutors from the MTC, Leticia Murillo and Sergio Palomec.




Erica MTC for Rome, Italy

Our daughter, Erica, entered the MTC in March to serve in the Italy Rome Mission.  We are spending time at the MTC, training and working on our Spanish, so we got to check in a few times with her.  She will be a great missionary.







Wonderful Missionaries

We were able to have dinner with Anita and Norm Ehmke, who will also be serving in the Argentina Neuquen Mission.  They are such wonderful people and we're excited to serve with them.





Call Publication


Our mission call was published in the Church News on January 28, 2012.  This is the start of a great adventure and we are excited for all of the wonderful experiences yet to come as we serve the Lord and the people of Argentina.


Paul Ray Lovell, 61, and Brenda Tew Lovell, nine children, River Ridge 7th Ward, South Jordan Utah River Ridge Stake. Brother Lovell serves as an assistant ward clerk and is a former counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, bishop, counselor in a bishopric, Young Men president and missionary in the West Spanish America Mission. President, National Benefit Services. Born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Rendon David and Maralyn Hill Lovell.  Sister Lovell serves as a Young Women president and is a former stake Young Women president, counselor in a stake Primary presidency, counselor in a Relief Society presidency, gospel doctrine teacher, Relief Society teacher and Primary teacher. Born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Wendell Hurst and Marjean Armstrong Tew.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The MTC

It was so fun taking Ashley and Brittany to the MTC. Ashley will be serving in the Chile Concepcion Mission and Brittany will be serving in the Spain Malaga Mission.  They were met by enthusiastic missionaries. It took the Elders a few minutes to realize that both Ashley AND Brittany were there ready to be missionaries!


It was only a short time before their suitcases were unloaded and they were on their way.  It felt very good to see them so excited to serve the Lord.  We could feel the wonderful spirit that is at the MTC and we were so excited for them to be there.


Paul and I went home to finish packing and say goodbye to our family.


Saying Goodbye was a little hard!  We love our family so much but we know that the Lord will bless each of us while we are apart. 


The MTC was a wonderful experience.  We learned so much and met many wonderful people.  We were on our way to meet the missionaries that were going to our mission when we met Brittany and her district waiting to meet their Mission President and his wife, President and Sister Deere!


Another time I went outside during a break and found Brittany and her cute companion walking by.


Our good friend Francene Spencer let the Church News know that we were going to be at the MTC with Ashley and Brittany. They decided to come to the MTC and do an interview about all of us being there together.  Gerry Avant, the wonderful church news photographer, met us in the lobby and introduced us to President and Sister Uchtdorf.


What an amazing expereince to share together.


We loved seeing Ashley and Brittany whenever we could.  We were also able to see our niece, Sister Ritter, on the day she arrived at the MTC on her way to serve in the California San Diego Mission.


We had such a wonderful experience being with the other Mission Presidents and their wives.  We were all excited and a bit nervous. There was a wonderful feeling as we got to know each other and find out where we were each going to serve. We were taught by the apostles and the First Presidency and the very experienced missionary department.  It was a spiritual feast! 


Now it was time for the final good bye and we were off to Argentina!