The January 2012 Transfers

   Our newest group of missionaries, fresh from the MTC, arrived in the late afternoon of Monday, January 30th. Several people who had been on the plane kept telling us they were coming, they were coming, and finally the did, all smiles and with high energy. With the exception of Elder Manzano, who was in the language program learning English, everyone had been in the same District and had grown very close. Elder Manzano had a lot of meal with them and felt like he was a part of them. They had all gotten along very well and had a great deal of mutual respect and appreciation. Indeed, as we met them, we felt a great deal of unity and support for each other.

Here they come!

Assistants to the President Elder Winn and Elder Johnson with Elder Fry behind

Elder Roth, with Sister Earl, Elder Bruin, Elder Dansie,

Elder Portter and Elder Fegan behind

Elder Dansie, Elder Potter and Elder Fegan

After retreiving bags, everyone loaded up the GKLM trailer, and the Elders got into GUs, the Mission Van, while Sister Earl came with President Woodbury and I in our car for the short ride to the Mission Home.

Elder Fry and Elder Winn loading the trailer

Elder Manzano and Elder Bruin (?)

After getting everyone settled in for the evening, we met in the living room to fill-out forms and papers and have an orientation meeting. President Woodbury started the individual interviews in his office and the Assistants to the President snapped pictures to be used on the Transfer Boards at the Mission Office as well as the Mission Home. 

Elder Roth

Elder Potter

Elder Dansie

Elder Bruin

Elder Thomas

Elder Fry

Sister Earl

Elder Manzano

By then it was time for dinner for which we were joined by the Lewises and Warners, the wonderful couples who run the Mission Office. After dining on giant baked potatoes with stroganoff, ham, brocolli and other toppings, spinach salad, and lime- filled berry pastry, we separated out ways, the Office Couples heading home and the rest of us going downstairs to the Training Room. After the Opening Song (ELder Thomas on the piano and Sister Earl leading) and prayer, the three Assistants to the President did a delightful skit about the first day in the mission field. For your information, the reason we temporarily had three Assistants is that this was the last of Elder Johnson's service before spending two Transfers to end his mission, back in the trenches, so to speak, as a Trainer. And this was Elder Fegan's figurative premier performance as an AP.

Elder Winn and Elder Fegan beginning the skit before the alarm goes off

Doing the "baptism, squat, thrust" for morning exercise

          After the skit, there was a beautiful musical number of "Nearer My God to Thee" with Elder Winn, Elder Fegan, Elder Johnson, Elder --, and Elder Thomas at the piano and also singing. Next, everyone took turns bearing their testimonies, concluding with Sister Woodbury and President Woodbury, who additionally told a bit about their call and their vision for the mission and for each of the wonderful new missionaries in the room. Following the closing song and a kneeling prayer, it was time for the missionaries to hit the sack, with chocolates on their pillows for sweet dreams.

        Actually, not everyone went straight to bed, as evidenced below Elder Thomas sat down to try his very talented hand(s) at the Mission Home piano, and soon he was joined for some beautiful singing. He, Elder Winn and Elder Fegan, and later, Elder Johnson, sounded fantastic together!

Elder Thomas at the piano with Elder Winn and Elder Fegan singing

and President Woodbury enjoying

Elder Johnson  joining in

Bright and early the next morning, the Elders and Sister were up and charged to go. After changing their sheets and bringing the laundry upstairs, they sat down to a hot breakfast, then packed up to go over to the church next to the Mission Office. But not before having a group picture taken and also individual shots with President and Sister Woodbury.

Elder Potter, Elder Manzano, Elder Fry, Elder Dansie, Elder Roth, Elder Bruin, Elder Thomas

President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, and Sister Earl

Sister Woodbury, Sister Earl, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Bruin, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Thomas, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Dansie, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Potter, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Manzano, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Fry, and President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Roth, and President Woodbury

For the moment, our three Assistants to the President

Elder Winn, Elder Johnson, and Elder Fegan

Elder Winn, and Elder Johnson

Elder Winn and Elder Johnson with President Woodbury

All those missioanries involved in this Transfer, were assembled in the chapel. THe new missioanarie came in and sat in thier speical section to the front side, the outgoing missioaries sat in a row at the fron facing the audience, and the President and Sister Woodbury, and the two Assistants took the stand. An opening song and prayer started the meeting, follwed by the departing Words of Wisdom by the outgoing missionaries. The new arrivals were each announced along with their Trainers, and the new companioinships took their place front and center. The GKLM-style "Called to Serve" was sung, and then the rest of the Transfers were called out. President Woodbury spoke to everyone, reminding them of recent things he had asked them to do and asking for renewed to commmitment and hard work. THe gathering ended with "God Be WIth You" with everyone standing, some tearfully, espcially among the retiring missoinareis, during the last chorus. And of course, cloisng prayer.

Lots of hugs, goodbyes, hellos, and pictures ensued, afterwhich a meeting was held with the new missionaries and their Trainers was held in the Relief Society Room.  Lunch was held afterward for the departing and new missionaries and Trainers, back in the main room.

Sister Edgerton and Sister Wood

Best friends and college roommates

Sister Edgerton was about to depart for home and Sister Wood

is a Temple Square missionary who is here for three months.  

Three generations

Sister Edgerton trained Sister Noakes who is training Sister Wood

Elder DeGraw, Elder Corry, Elder Lund, and Elder Potter

Elder Manzano, Elder Schofield, Elder C. Johnson, and

Elder Warren (caught in a blink)

Elder Singeton, Elder Schleske, Elder Baker, and Elder Simms

Elder Wilson, Elder  Morrison, and Elder Fegan

Elder Singleton, Elder Schleske, Elder Baker, and Elder Tuimoala

Elder Corry and Elder Eliott

Elder Lush, Elder Bratter, Elder A. Smith, and Elder Dansie

Elder Starks, Elder Roth, Elder Potter, Elder Lund, and Elder Lutz

Elder N. Johnson, Elder Biddle, Elder Daynes,

Elder B. Johnson, and Elder T. Gardner

Elder Miner, Elder Molleman Elder Morriss, Elder Biddle, and Elder C. Wood

Far back, Sister Noakes and Elder Edwards

Sister Earl, Elder N. Johnson, Sister Mikami, Elder Trease,

Elder Simms, Elder Harshman, and Elder Warren

Elder Baker and Elder Trease

Elder Tuimoala, Elder Hubbell, Elder Rost, Elder Fisher, and Elder Draney

Elder Estrada, Elder Moorhouse, Elder Schleske, Elder Singleton,
Elder J. Tolman, and Elder DeGraw

Elder Rowley, Elder Rigby, and Elder K. Wood

Elder Anglin, Elder Harper, and Elder Trease

Elder Molleman, Hermana Cross, and Hermana Holt

Elder Whetman, Elder Bradford, Elder Jacobsen, Elder Molleman,
and Elder Miner with Elder Olsen in front

Elder E. Nielson and Elder Schofield

Elder Lutz, Elder Morrison, and Elder Fegan

Elder Jacobsen, Elder Baker, and Elder Simms

Elder Tuimoala and Elder Hubbell

Left: ELder Fry and Elder Lund

Right, from back: Elder N. Anderson, Elder Singlton, Elder Dansie, and Elder A.  Smith

Elder Olsen and Sister Lewis in far background

New companions: Elder Thomas and Elder Blake

Left to right back row: Elder Thomas, Elder Fegan, Elder Harper, Elder Blake, 

Elder Starks, Elder Trease, Elder Lutz, Elder Morrison, Elder Winn,

President Woodbury, Hermana Cross, and Sister Hermana Guerra

Closer: Elder A. Smith, Elder Dansie, Elder Dye, Elder Fry

Pictures were taken in front of the Mission Office next door. The new arrials and Trainers then took off to their areas while the departing Sisters and Elders went over to the Mission Home for the night. 

The sign in front of the Mission Office

Elder Fry and Elder Dye with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Dansie and Elder A. Smith with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Thomas and Elder Blake with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Bruin and Elder N. Anderson with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Potter and Elder Lund with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Manzano and Elder Johnson with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Earl and Sister Mikami with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Roth and Elder Starks with President and Sister Woodbury

President Woodbury, Elder Anglin, Elder Harper, Elder Trease, Elder Tuimoala

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Gibson, Hermana Keller, Sister Edgerton

Like last Transfer, a special session had been arranged at the Temple for just us, joined by the Office Couples. Temple President and Matron Lunt met with us in a side Sealing Room then we had an Endowment Session all to ourselves, a sweet and special experience.

At the Louisville Temple

Elder Tuimoala, Elder Anglin, Elder Trease, Elder Harper

Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Hermana Gibson, Hermana Keller, Sister Edgerton

Pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, spinach salad, cheesy bread, and frozen key lime pie were on the menu for dinner, then we all went downstairs for a tender, emotional and very spiritual Farewell Testimony meeting which ended in kneeling prayer together. 

Sister Edgerton

Hermana Gibson 

Hermana Keller

Elder Tuimoala

Elder Anglin

Elder Harper

Elder Trease

Who knows when everone got to sleep since most were neervous and excited to be going home. But in the morning, all still arose and met for a hot breakfast at 5:15 am and were out the door by 5:45. Saying goodbye is getting harder and harder for President Woodbury and I. We have grown to know and love these dear and wonderful Elders and Sisters and will miss them terribly...