First Week

Debbie and Eric are so excited that we got to stay with them between our stay in the missionary training center and leaving for Hungary.


Is Bridal Veil Falls a romantic way to start a mission?


But pay attention so you don't fall.


Here we are getting on the airport bus at 5 a.m. on Monday.


Our mission president was gone to a conference in Poland so the office couple, the Garners met us at the airport and watched out for us for the first week.


Here's the combination mission home, young single adult center, and ward chapel on the Buda side of Budapest.


We stayed in the attic bedrooms. Does it look like the Seven Dwarfs live here?


We were in the bedroom next door.


Here we are with President and Sister Baughman on Friday, when we were assigned to go to Sopron on the Austrian border.


Before we left, we consulted with our Hungarian ancestors Arpad, who lead the Hungarians into the area ...


Andras II, the crusader...


and Bela IV.


The mission ran out of cars so this is the rental car we got. Can you see that they got a special deal?


Actually, when the president found out that we'd be advertising a business, he got us another car for the same price. Here's the countryside on our way to Sopron. More later.

We're on our way!

Isn't the last step in getting ready for your mission to get a missionary haircut?


Then we're off with Debbie and Eric for one last visit with relatives. Here's some of my side of the family at Aunt Gwen's.


Don't Spencer and Gene look excited to read the family history "Letter's to Grandma"?


Isn't that an appropriate message for missionaries?


That's cousin Randy at his bakery with his parents, Gene and Gwen.


Time to get some more family history stories to share with Hungarians.


Then we're off to see Caroly's side of the family.



Let me see, riding in a cart isn't the same as riding a horse, is it? We wouldn't want to be breaking mission rules.


Here's a family history stop at the Logan Temple. My ancestors lived nearby when they came from Scotland and Germany in the 1800's.


We're all packed and ready to go.


Here's where we're going--Hungary!


Now we have our missionary badges and are ready to serve.

New Missionaries

Here are Thompson Elder and Thompson No"ver about to be set apart for their missions in Hungary.

Grandma Hugs

When the grandkids hear that grandma is going on a mission to Hungary, of course they have to come give her a farewell hug. Here's a tiny hug from Spencer, Stephen and James.


Grandpa isn't doing quite as well with James, Stephen and Bryce.


The dads seem to do all right though.


Here's a bigger hug for grandma from almost all the grandkids. Only Carrie's three are missing.


Here are the parents asking grandpa for an autograph on the new family history book "Letters to Grandma."


As long as everyone is here, we might as well celebrate Rob and Grandpa's birthdays with our traditional watermelon cake. Yum, yum.


Boy, the Hungarian paprikas csirke (paprika chicken) looks good.

New Bathroom

Here's a look at the new "Boys" bathroom--no more blue and no more leaks.

Note the new dual flush toilet, new molded sink and cabinet, and new tile floors.

Celebrating the 4th--Wilcox Style

Are David and Troy trying out some new wrestling moves?


Nope. They are just practicing getting baptized. The neighbor Johnny decided he wanted to get baptized too.


The next day Stephen was blessed.


You can see that Wilcoxes helped fill the chapel.


What better way to celebrate all this than to stand in the waves at the beach and watch the fireworks!

Separated at Bird (whoops-Birth)?

Move over Seagullman...

the competition has arrived.