Costa Rica Mission Reunion

Death of President Muren

2009-07-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Joseph Carl Muren

Joseph Carl Muren 1936 ~ 2009 Joseph Carl Muren, 73, passed away peacefully in his home in Layton, Utah on Monday, July 27, 2009. Joseph was born February 5, 1936 in Richmond, California. He earned his BA and MA in History from San Jose State College and his Ph.D in Education Administration from USC.

Joseph served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Argentina from 1958-1960. In 1963, he married Gladys Smith in the Los Angeles Temple. Joseph was a gifted teacher. He taught LDS Institute at El Camino College, Long Beach State College, Stanford University and Weber State College.

Joseph was called as the President of the San Jose, Costa Rica Mission where he served with his family from 1977-1980. He worked as a Director of Temporal Affairs for the LDS church in Peru, Argentina, Australia, and England. Joseph served in the Second Quorum of the Seventies from 1991-1996. During this time, he was assigned to the Presidency of the Europe Mediterranean Area and as President of the Central American Area.

Before retirement, he worked in the Human Resource Department for the LDS church. His assignments and callings provided his family with a rich multicultural experience. Joseph was an avid stamp and antique book collector. He loved reading, bird watching, teaching and learning from the scriptures. Joseph was a member of the Italian-American Club of Utah and the American Philatelic Society.

He was a caring husband and wise father. He will be remembered for his enthusiasm for life and his witty sense of humor. Joseph is survived by his wonderful wife Gladys; his children: Cynthia, Michael (Marcy Smith), Michelle (Hyrum Rudolph), Tricia, Marshawn (Dan Merkley), and Natasha (Lynn Smith); nine grandchildren: Elise, Rachel, Megan, Kasey, Joshua, Jacob, Anika, Kaden, and Annecy; and his beloved sister, Janet Freer.

Joseph is preceded in death by his parents Joseph Stanley Muren and Alba Cairo Muren. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 11 a.m. at the LDS Stake Center, 2680 East Cherry Lane, Layton, Utah. Friends and family may call Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist's Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road and Saturday from 9:30 to10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment: Lindquist's Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Rd., South Odgden. Condolence may be shared at: http://www.lindquistmortuary.com/

Mission Reunion for 2008 postponed

2008-06-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

The proposed mission reunion scheduled for the fall of 2008 has been postponed, hopefully to the Spring of 2009. Several reasons were cited for this change, primarily due to lack of interest of anyone to take charge. If you would like to see this reunion still happen, the owner of this blog would be pleased to contribute publicity via email and blog updates. Thanks for all those who tried to get it together for this year. Economic conditions and prior travel arrangements were cited by some. Here's hoping things improve with the economy and the political climate in the next year.

2008 Bio Update from Raymond Race

2008-03-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

My favorite part of the last reunion was when we all stood out of respect for President Eager as he took his place on the stand. It was a frustrating weekend. I was packed ready to go with all the hotel and travel arrangements made to be to the reunion early and just enjoy the moment and all those who would be in attendance.

Two days before the reunion I received a surprise email from my brother asking for me to confirm him at his baptism on Friday night (Yes, the same night as the reunion!). His timing was I still don’t know what. Of course with this being his rebaptism after almost twenty years I certainly am not going to say no.

Between the extra miles on the rental and not knowing where I was going I kept it together pretty good. I finally made it to the reunion and was able to relax somewhat and try to make up for lost time from being away. It was a busy and exciting weekend.

With eight children and 13 grandchildren, including two due this year, it would unfair and boring to list everything that’s going on. Suffice it to say we love the love the grandchildren, they are our reward for not killing our own children.

We remain Faithful and active in the gospel. I serve as a Branch president to one of the largest federal prisons in California. We have four facilities located all together yet separated, 2 medium security, 1 minimum security (A Women’s facility), and 1 maximum security facility which I oversee and minister too every week with a pool of faithful volunteers.

My dear wife of thirty years serves as my Relief Society President in addition to teaching Seminary (10 years). Life has been good to us and we remain grateful to our Father in Heaven for all that we have been blessed with.

I still am fluent in Spanish and perhaps the greatest blessing came when I was invited to participate in the dedication of the Redlands California Temple. I was able to help translate for the Spanish session, and was assigned to translate for the prophet simultaneously. I was the only Chele at the table and wow! Talk about intimidation. The lord doth provide and it was a wonderful experience.

I look forward to seeing all in attendance and reconnect with friendships and brotherhood that long ago was so much a part of our lives. May the good Lord Bless and keep all of you. I’m in the directory. Hasta Pronto,

Raymond and Wanda Race, Oro Grande, California (Nov 73-75)

Hello from Tom Cavanaugh

2008-01-29T21:03:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow missionaries,

I am not sure what my favorite part of the last reunion is because I never got to talk to people trying to keep things flowing. Maybe I could say that my favorite part was seeing all the good people who helped organize and participate in the organization of it.

When we started I believe there were about six of us. Our motto became..."when we organize, they will come". Little by little with those few emails, the connections of each other turned into a successful mission of hundreds who came. It was a great reunion.

I am glad that this one will be in October of 2008 because as a former mission president we are having our ten year reunion in April 08....Colleen, my wife and I have five children...Christina the oldest with three children in Moab, Utah married to a seminary and institute teacher and use to be my first assistant when he was a priest.

Cameron, married to a former secret service fellow at the White House now both in Utah where her husband is working on a Master's degree in Criminal Justice; Crystal, a senior at BYU Idaho and just returned from her mission in Portugal; Tom Jr. a freshman at BYU, Provo and just returned from his mission in Argentina; and Tim, who is on his mission in Taiwan.

My Wife of 27 years is doing great and is stake relief society president. I am doing a second term in a newly called stake presidency. We live in Largo, Florida.

Tom Cavanaugh

Recent news from Nic and Honduras

2008-01-29T20:38:00.000-08:00

Hello to all the missionaries of the best mission in the world.

As a missionary from 78-80 walking down the dusty dirt streets of Central America, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would one day return, as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, to continue to serve these wonderful people who I had grown to love so much.

On many occasions as a missionary, I would sit in very humble homes and see the evidence of physical pain, suffering, and hunger. I often wondered how it was that these wonderful spiritual people could possibly have any interest in our message while living in such conditions. But yet more often than not, at least on some level, most accepted and a few embraced our message.

It was in December of 2003, just after our reunion, that I made my first trip to Honduras to use my skills as a surgeon to help alleviate, at least in a small degree, some of the physical suffering that I had seen as a missionary.

My wife and I had been looking for 3 years to find just the right project for our family to do humanitarian service - I don't know if it was because of the reunion or if it was just fortuitous timing but it was soon after the reunion that I was asked to join a group headed to Honduras to do the exact thing for which we were looking.

Since then our group has been going to Honduras twice a year to provide medical, dental, and humanitarian services to these people - many of whom are members of the church. In many instances we provided care for those young people preparing to serve missions and Latin missionaries.

Because of our work with "pre missionaries", we were invited by church leaders to go to Nicaragua in November to specifically do the work for young people who plan to leave on a mission within the next year. I just got back this past week.

During our 5 days of clinic we were able to get photos, physical exams, dental treatment, and all papers completed for 167 young Nicaraguans. As you are aware the church is growing exponentially in Nicaragua.

Hopefully by helping overcome some of the barriers to serving a mission, like medical, dental, and even photos for the mission papers (things we would not even give a second thought to here but can be a big barrier to people in Central America), for the first time Nicaragua will send out more missionaries than will be sent in to serve in their country.

The church members of Nicaragua are absolutely excited. They look forward to the day that they will have a temple. The church members in Honduras are literally jumping with joy that they will soon have a temple.

I never thought this would be possible as a 19 year old missionary. It just goes to show how little I know and just how great is the gospel plan.I feel very fortunate that I have been able, after all these years, to go back and serve these great people.

If you would like to know more, I can be contacted a drgcrawf@aol.com. Thanks to Tom and Phil and the other organizers. You are awesome. I look forward to seeing everybody in 2008.

Gary Crawford

First of the updated bios for 2008 posted

2008-01-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

Ralph Cornell was kind enough to update his bio and provide some new pictures. You can view his bio on the Bios page or directly from this link.

If you want your bio updated, just send me the new information and some new photos. I'll post them as I have time.

Several of you have already offered to help organize the reunion. I'm going to leave to organizing and planning up to others.

Brent Romney and Phil Wing were the primary instigators of the last reunion. I suggest you contact them to see if they are interested in taking over that responsibility again for 2008.

I will continue to update the web pages and the blog. You feed me the information and I'll post it.

The 2003 Mission Reunion Bios are back online

2008-01-05T19:47:00.000-08:00

In between putting away Christmas decorations today I re-posted all the 2003 mission reunion bios. I was once again impressed with how many of you submitted and posted your bios and photos. It was great to see your families once again. You are an impressive bunch.

If you are interested in updating your bio I will be happy to do so. Just shoot me an email with the updated information and I'll post it. It sure added a lot to have this information prior to our last reunion. Although President Muren couldn't be there he said how much he enjoyed reading about you in his video on the DVD.

You can view the bios here: http://www.3tcm.net/bios.htm

Death of President Eagar

2007-11-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

John Edward Eagar, a resident of Mesa, died Oct. 3, 2007 at the age of 90. He was born Dec. 6, 1916, in St. Johns, Ariz., to John Edward Eagar and Louisa Jane Brown, and graduated from high school in St. Johns. Mr. Eagar served in the National Guard, immigration service and in the military. He attended college in Flagstaff and Tempe when both were Arizona State Teachers Colleges. He worked for and retired from the National Border Patrol in 1969.

He was a writer, musician, scouter, historian and book collector. He also enjoyed serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has served as Bishop, Mission President in Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua, and Stake President of the Camp Verde, Arizona Stake from 1977-1988. He also served two church missions in Guatemala.

Mr. Eagar was preceded in death by his first wife, Ella Starley Eagar. He is survived by his second wife, Gwenna Farnsworth Ethington Eagar of Mesa, Ariz.; and sisters Mary Butler of St. Johns, Ariz. and Ada Gelling of El Mirage, Ariz.; sister-in-law, Tony Jones, and nephew, Clayton Peterson. He leaves behind four stepdaughters and one stepson; Kay Anderson (Johnny) of Flagstaff, Ariz.; Darla Chase (Nial) of Kileen, Texas; Sandra Rice (T. Richard) of Flagstaff, Ariz.; Mark Ethington (Jamie) of Coolidge, Ariz.; and Carol Sorenson (Paul) of Flagstaff, Ariz. He was also survived by 21 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mission Fund. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 8 in the Pine Ward Relief Society Room, with funeral services at 11 a.m. at the Pine Ward Chapel, 4641 N Willow Tree Lane, Pine, AZ 85544. Graveside services will be at the Fillmore City Cemetery, 350 E. 600 S., Fillmore, Utah at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007.

Health of President Muren

2007-11-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

A few months back I received these emails about President Muren:

Mon 5/21/2007 From: University Communications: Elder Joseph Muren, former member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy who served as our devotional speaker on March 27, has been hospitalized and is seriously ill. Sister Muren felt impressed that the campus community be told about Elder Muren's situation and that the students be invited to include him in their prayers. While university protocol usually precludes this type of invitation being extended, President Clark felt that in this case an exception should be made. Please include Elder Muren in your individual prayers as you have a desire to do so.

June 01, 2007: Buenos días, mi nombre es LEDA RAMOS, soy de Guatemala (Centro America) serví en la misión Costa Rica, únicamente le escribo para contarle que Pdte. Muren ha estado muy enfermo, como bendición la salud de Presidente está mejorando. Informé a mi hermano quien vive en Bountiful, Utah y es amigo de Pdte. Muren, por lo que lo visitó en el Hospital en Ogden, Utah. Su salud continúa delicada pero con mejoras, su esposa la hermana Gladys lo visita todos los días. Mi hermano me llamó hoy por la mañana para contarme que ayer lo fue a visitar y que aun enfermo conserva el buen humor. Si se me entero de algo mas, le informo.

Does anybody have any more recent news? If so, just add it to the comments. Thanks.

Organizing committee from last reunion

2007-11-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

Left to right: Tim Malone, Tom Cavanaugh, Mike Lacey, Phil Wing, Brent Romney, Loren Ashcraft.

Click on the picture for a larger image.

Brent chaired the committee. Phil did a ton of calling and emailing to locate as many of the missionaries as possible. Tom and his wife managed most of the arrangements the day of the reunion. Loren made the DVD - I'm still amazed. Mike arranged for the building and worked with Presidents Eagar and Muren. I did the web page and kept a master email list.

We also had a lot of help from others who I can't remember because it was so long ago. We had a great catered meal and some authentic Central American food. If you'll remember, the church was full - too full - with 400 people. The organizing committee communicated mainly via email with a half dozen conference calls over the last few months before the reunion. So many of you wanted to share your bios and family photos. That contributed so much. Even though President Muren couldn't be there he said he loved catching up with you by reading your bios.

This is an open invitation to anyone who wants to participate on this year's reunion planning committee. We only hold these every five years so there is lots to do to make this special. If you're interested in helping in any way, just post a comment here and we'll get started. You don't have to be registered to post comments - just use the 'other' or 'anonymous' buttons.

Is it time for the next mission reunion?

2007-11-07T23:10:00.001-08:00

You probably know that the LDS Mission Network hosts a nice web site for returned missionaries of the Costa Rica Mission. A lot of you are registered there and have used that to keep in touch with companions and members. You may also remember that at our last reunion in 2003 we had a web site where over 200 of you submitted biographies with photos. Some have emailed me asking, "Where did that web site go and how can I access or update my bio again?"

I've decided for this reunion to turn it into a blog. It is so much easier to maintain and lends itself to interaction with the instant comments on each post. I have all the old material and all your bios. I will be posting them one at a time over the next few months unless you tell me not to. We agreed to meet again in Oct 2008 somewhere in the Salt Lake area. So let's get the ball rolling and get this thing planned right. We want just as many to attend and promise to have a bigger building this time.

What is your favorite memory of the last reunion? Mine is the wonderful DVDs that Loren created for us. Thanks again Loren.