Bio of Christine Ellis / Payne

Family: Married Gary Shelton Payne. Children: Alyssa, daughter, age-almost 15 years old She is our Foster child that came to us when she was 5 1/2 years old. We have full legal custody and will adopt her when she is 18 years old. (Her Biological father won't sign the papers so we can adopt her now.) Her middle name is Joy and she has been a joy to us. She was in soccer for 6 years and dance (Jazz) for 7 ½ years. She plays the piano and plays the clarinet in the school band. She does well in school and can't wait to get her driver's license!

For me, everything has come with patience!! And usually a little late!! I went on my mission when I was 26 years old and didn't find my true love until I was 37 1/2! We met at a Single Adult Fireside. We got to know each other more at a Halloween Party when I had to cover him with toilet paper to be a mummy! We won the contest and he won my heart. He was a "dry" Mormon then and we dated for 7 months before he was baptized.

We got married in May, 1987 and were sealed in the Temple in May, 1988. Four months after we were married, I had to have a hysterectomy. I had a severe case of Endometriosis. Because of this, we couldn't have children of our own. My husband has two older children from his first marriage but they have never lived very close to us. My husband and I looked into adoption and found they aren't very cooperative if you are pushing forty! I cried when I was around babies too much and felt a void in my life as I had always wanted children. After we were married about 6 years, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had 3 positive lymph nodes and it didn't look good. I know that through the love and support from my husband, family and friends and all the prayers of my ward family I was able to pull through. I also had great doctors! It has been 10 years and it has not returned.

During the last of my Chemotherapy treatments, another miracle occurred! A woman in our ward was having mental and physical problems and had to give up her 5 daughters to Foster care. They had placed all but the youngest daughter. My husband wasn't sure he wanted to start over again but was willing to try for me. We also weren't sure we could handle being Foster parents with the possibility of having to give the child back. Alyssa Joy came to our home on Father's Day when she was 5 1/2 years old. Although we have had, and still have many emotional ups and downs, we have enjoyed every day. Even though we can't legally adopt her yet, she feels like she is adopted. We have full legal custody and after some court battles with her Biological father, we will never have to worry about custody again. My mother lives with us and has been a real blessing - she helps with Alyssa and everything.

Church: I have had several church callings over the years, Co-chairman of Stake Single Adults, Counselor in Primary and Young Women's Presidencies, Primary teacher, Sunday school teacher, Relief Society teacher, Stake Missionary, Stake Activities Committee-Dance Specialist, (my husband and I were both Stake missionaries together and on the Stake Activities Committee together), Relief Society teacher for the Spanish Branch and Beehive Adviser. My husband has been in a Counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency, Ward clerk, Ward Historian, Ward Mission Leader, Secretary to the Bishop, Secretary of the High Priest Quorum, Stake Missionary and Stake Activities Committee-Dance Specialist.

Education: I attended Mt. SAC and Citrus colleges before my mission.

Work: After my mission, I worked for 20 years as a Senior Satellite Communications Operator for Comsat Corp. in Santa Paula, Ca. I processed calls from ships at sea and land terminals all over the Pacific Ocean. I sent telex and fax messages and handled urgent and emergency calls for the Coast Guard. I worked rotating shift hours for 16 years straight. That is changing shifts every 7 days. Day shift to swing shift to midnight shift, it was difficult to keep awake at times!! They laid us off when they decided to switch our calls to our sister Coast Earth Station in Connecticut. Then I went to work for Pindler & Pindler, a fabric distributor for high-end upholstery and drapery fabrics. I was the receptionist/switchboard operator for over 4 years and then an Order Desk Agent for 2 1/2 years.

My husband and I had talked about retiring in a few years to another state as California is wonderful but very expensive to live there. Some friends of ours sold their house for a huge amount so we decided to look into moving now! We found our home in St. George over the Internet! Neither of us had been here for years. It all happened very fast! We sold our home in less than a week and flew out and signed the papers for our home in St. George 2 weeks later. We moved here on June 29th of this year. We are able to retire early and pursue other interests!

Hobbies: My husband is going to start a business putting together 50^th Wedding anniversaries, etc., family pictures and stories on DVD's. We both love working in Community theater. We have both been involved in two stake plays, Gary with props and sets and me with small acting parts. We have been house managers and acted in plays and done backstage managing For the Santa Paula Theater Center. Last year my husband produced the play he wrote for the Santa Paula City Centennial. We all had a part in it. Currently, even though we have only been here for a month, my husband has a part as the beggar in Fiddler On The Roof at the St. George Musical Theater. Community: Soccer Team Mom, guide for Ghost Walk-fundraiser for the theater, guide for City Home Tour.

Comps: I served in 1975-1976, My companions were Sister Bliss, Sister Peck, Sister Burton, Sister Sandoval, Sister Palacios, Sister Johnson and Sister Whalen. I had Sister Bunderson in the LTM/(MTC now). I loved all of my companions. I learned so much from each one of them.

Areas served: I was in Panama City, Panama for 5 1/2 months, La Kennedy, Honduras for 6 months and San Jose, Costa Rica for 4 1/2 months.

Dichos: My favorite dicho was "Chuleta"!

My family wondered why I had so many pictures of cows when I came home! It was amazing to me how they would wander the streets in Honduras! I have so many wonderful memories of my mission. I know it strengthened my testimony of the Gospel and especially of Joseph Smith. I remember one time when I was ready to go home and have lunch but Sister Palacios said she felt we needed to knock on this one more door. The lady inside said she had been praying for someone to come and help her find the right church! I am so grateful for my mission. It was one of the hardest and most beautiful experiences of my life. I love the Central American people and love all my companions who have become eternal friends to me. I am looking forward to seeing all of the sisters and elders who were there around the time I was!