Spencer and Sharon Atkinson have some major challenges, but they are enjoying the blessings of having five children serve full-time missions at the same time.

The five children - two sets of twin sons and one daughter - were born to them within two years. They recognized it would be a challenge to send the boys on missions. What they didn't expect, however, was for their daugther to serve a mission also.The Atkinsons earn their living from the dairy farm they operate in Samaria, Idaho, eight miles southwest of Malad. The five Atkinson children worked alongside their dad and mom from the time they were each 7 years old. Working on the dairy farm not only prepared them for the rigors of full-time missions, but also resulted in sizeable mission funds for each child.

But Brother Atkinson doesn't want to use these funds. "Their money is available in the bank if we need it, but we want some of the blessings too," he explained. "This is a family affair. As of yet we're taking care of the situation. When number five gets out there after going through the Missionary Training Center, we'll find out if we can support them. But our plan is to do it.

"I've always said the Lord takes care of us if we're doing what we're supposed to be doing," Brother Atkinson continued. "So far we're afloat."

The five missionary children of Brother and Sister Atkinson, members of the Malad 2nd Ward, Malad Idaho Stake, have been called to missions in Thailand, the Philippines, Tahiti, Virginia and Michigan.

Douglas, serving in the Michigan Detroit Mission, began his mission Feb. 15, 1989. William began his mission Oct. 4, 1989, and is in the Virginia Roanoke Mission. Paula began her mission July 5, 1990, and is serving in the Thailand Bangkok Mission. Dee entered the Missionary Training Center Oct. 3, 1990, preparing for the Tahiti Papeete Mission; and Alan, the latest missionary from the family, entered the Missionary Training Center Oct. 31 and will be going to the new Philippines Ilagan Mission.

A sixth child, Phillip, 12, is looking forward to following in his siblings' footsteps.

The Atkinson missionary zeal sprouted deep roots when Brother Atkinson served in the Eastern Atlantic States Mission from 1963-1965. "It was a tremendous experience, so much so that my boys have known that's what they were going to do since they were tiny," he said.

Spencer Atkinson and Sharon Reading were married in the Logan Temple in 1967. Both hold bachelor's degrees from Utah State University in Logan.

As the children began arriving, Brother and Sister Atkinson began planning for missions. "Whenever missions were discussed, it was a matter of when, not if," Sister Atkinson related.

"The boys always figured they were going but Paula didn't," Brother Atkinson noted. "I told her the Lord's wasn't going to leave her on the sidelines. She was going to be a participant."

When Paula decided to send in her mission papers in February of this year, it didn't alter the financial plans of the family. "They've all had their own mission funds since they were little," Brother Atkinson explained.

"We started out when they were small," he said. "We gave them all a cow and, of course, they got the offspring from that cow. Every year we gave each a calf and it was fattened and sold for beef. They had their chores. We gave them allowances comparable to working for wages."

He added that the children invested their money by buying animal stock at sales. "They own about half the herd," he continued.

Balancing school and morning and evening chores only better prepared them for mission life, Sister Atkinson commented. "They have never known a more busy time. They were up by 4:30 a.m., helping their father milk the cows," she said. "Getting up at 6 a.m. is a vacation."

In a Church News interview prior to entering the Missionary Training Center, Alan said working on the farm and serving a mission just seemed natural. "I really didn't have to decide to go on a mission. It's just something to be done," he said.

Doing chores isn't all the children have done to prepare for missions and life. Doug was president of Malad High School's honor society when he was a senior and was president of the Future Farmers of America chapter in Malad, both his junior and senior years. Bill was seminary president his senior year and was Doug's vice president in FFA his junior year.

Paula was attending Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, on an academic scholarship when she left for her mission. She was also an exchange student to Germany for six weeks during