Two remarkable families have produced 14 missionaries each, and in one, the parents followed to make it 16. The parents of the other family are looking forward to serving.

Courtesy Evans family

All 14 children and the parents in the Leigh R. and Fern Evans family of the Salt Lake Big Cottonwood Stake have completed full-time missions. A tight budget at times was no sacrifice, they said.

Courtesy Bahr family

Fourteen of 15 children of the A. Lee and Carol Ann Bahr family of Bountiful, Utah, accepted mission calls. The last of the 14, Kallie, is serving in the Family and Church History Mission.

Representative of the many devoted families in the Church who contribute to missionary service are the families of Leigh R. and Fern Evans of the Cottonwood 7th Ward, Salt Lake Big Cottonwood Stake, and A. Lee and Carol Ann Bahr family of the Mueller Park 9th Ward, Bountiful Utah Mueller Park Stake.

Both large families have many parallels. In both, family home evening was held regularly, scriptures were studied and parents and children attended Church services together. Thrift and work were practiced and education was a prized value — nearly all in both families have or are pursuing college and post-graduate degrees. For both sets of parents, as Sister Bahr observed, "Children were our occupation."

And in both families, literally decades passed with children receiving calls, buying clothing and luggage, leaving without seeing siblings for years, and constant letter writing as one returned and another left. Both families had three missionaries serving at the same time on at least one occasion, and neither said the financial obligation of missionary work was a burden, though they did without. By contrast, both expressed gratitude for "so many" blessings that had come to them through the missionary work of their children. All of the children were eager to serve. In both families, parents were diligent about writing weekly letters. After their missions, the children of both families remain close and support each other.

In the Evans family, whose father was a research chemist for the Veteran's Administration, 14 of 14 children served full-time missions.

"We're not perfect. We had the normal struggle with teens," said Sister Evans. "We loved them through it and supported them." A savings account set up for the first small boy gathered a few dollars on birthdays and Christmas and became popular as it was followed for other children. On Sunday evenings, Brother Evans held interviews and Sister Evans helped the little ones write in their journals.

"There is no school on earth that will give the kids the development a mission will," said Brother Evans. "Nothing."

Holly, the last of the Evans children to return from a mission, said, "I loved coming from a big family — there was always someone to hang out with. When I was younger, I saw my brothers and sisters leaving, and coming back so much stronger. It was weird at first, but it was a good kind of weird.

"I always wanted to serve a mission, and I had to wait a little bit. When I got my call, all my brothers and sisters were trying to give me advice: 'Follow the Spirit,' 'Love it because it goes by way fast,' 'Be bold and don't be afraid."'

In the field, that same kind of weird descended on her, too, as she plunged into the work. "I wasn't homesick," she said. "And you should love every minute of it because it goes by so fast."

Now the grandparents of 34, the Evans' decision to leave their family to serve "was very difficult. It was so hard to leave." But serving "really opened my eyes," she said. When their mission ended, surrounded by good friends, she found it difficult to leave.

The Bahr family, whose parents wanted 12 children, were blessed with triplet daughters, and then one boy, bringing their number of children to 15. Brother Bahr, a physician, said it was always the family's plan that the children would go on missions. Despite a busy practice, he managed to attend Church on Sundays and coach the children in their sports during the week.

All the children were active in sports and school activities, and several were student body officers. Four are or will be physicians, one is a nurse, one a dentist. Some are still in university. The one who didn't serve is one of the triplets who, at 20, married a returned missionary. Another of the triplets, the last to serve, was called to the Family and Church History Mission. All 10 of the sons are Eagle Scouts.

"Our attitude is that this is not just something you should do, it is the right thing to do and you should want to serve," said Brother Bahr. "Where much is given, much is required."

"That was our expectation for our kids," said Sister Bahr. "They have risen to their expectations — I really believe in expectations. We are so grateful for the hundreds of Primary, Young Men and Young Women teachers who helped our children, and for their mission presidents. They played such a huge part."

They explained that the missions were not easy, as some struggled to learn the language — predominantly Spanish — and, as each returned home with a positive attitude, "it made it easy for them to see that ... so much good comes from missionary work."

"They are grounded in the faith, they are diligent in Church activities and they have strong testimonies," said Sister Bahr.

"To have these missionaries has been the biggest blessing of our lives," said Brother Bahr.

The Evans children

Gary, Spain Barcelona, 1977; Linda Kay, Washington Spokane, 1988; Clark, Argentina Cordoba, 1980; Mark, Philippines Baguio, 1983; Stephen, California San Bernardino, 1984; Bruce, Chile Osorno and Chile Vina del Mar, 1987; Sally Ann, Montana Billings, 1990; John, California San Bernardino and California Riverside, 1990; Daniel, Minnesota Minneapolis, 1991; Cindy Ann, El Salvador San Salvador West, 1995; Brenda LeAnn, Chile Osorno, 1997; Matthew, Peru Chiclayo, 1997; Angela Judy, Argentina Neuquen, 2000; Leigh R. and Fern, England Bristol and England London South, 2001; and Holly Ann, South Carolina Columbia, 2006.

The Bahr children

Erick, Colorado Denver South, 1987; Mary Lynn, Washington DC North, 1988; Robby, Canada Winnipeg, 1990; Kathy, Argentina Buenos Aires North, 1991; Jeremy, Ecuador Guayaquil North, 1991; Cameron, New York New York South, 1992; Micah, Costa Rica San Jose, 1994; Brooks, Mexico Hermosillo, 1996; Christian, Argentina Buenos Aires West, 1998; Brady, Argentina Bahia Blanca, 1999; Brigham, Russia Samara, 2001; Adam, Texas McAllen, 2005; (Klarissa, married 2005); Kiera, Argentina Cordoba, 2006; and Kallie, Family and Church History Service, 2006.

jhart@desnews.com