June 2012 Transfers

This was a really good Transfer.

As we were going to bed after the first night with the new missionaries, both President Woodbury and I commented on what a good group it was; solid, faithful, and eager Elders and Sisters who are here for the right reasons. The next night, we said much the same thing about the departing missionaries, that they were a really good batch of wonderful, committed and strong missionaries who had served valiantly and well. And those that were involved in the Transfer between? They were good, too!

The President and his Assistants
Newly-called Elder Bradford, Elder Clark, and ELder Morriss who was about to leave for home

We had seventeen missionaries round the corner in the terminal at the Louisville airport, thirteen new Elders, three new Sisters, and Sister Nelson, returning to us after going home for surgery. They were eager and excited, and I think if able, would have tried to I.Q. (Inspired Question) every single person in the airport. Sadly, we've been asked not to do that, so they had to quench the fire a bit until the next day.

Waiting at Baggage Claim
Elder Johnson, Hermana Lawter, Elder Knudsen, Elder Despain, Elder Whitehead, Sister West, Elder Gonzalez, Elder Gallagher, Elder Earl, Elder Rich, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Evans

With it being a sizeable entourage, ten rode with the Assistants in Gus, the Mission Van, which was pulling the GKLM trailer, four went with President Woodbury, and the four Sisters went with me, Sister Woodbury, for the short ride to the Mission Home.

Unloading the van at trailer at the Mission Home

After settling in for the evening, everyone congregated in the living room, had a snack, then started in to fill out papers, had their pictures taken by the Assistants for the Transfer Boards at the Mission Home and the Mission Office, and had Orientation, by Yours Truly (Sister Woodbury again.) While this was going on and through the evening, President Woodbury met individually with each missionary for an introductory interview.

Hermana Lawter

Elder Andersen

Elder Despain

Elder Gonzalez

Sister West

Elder Whitehead

Elder T. Johnson

Elder Loser

Elder Earl

Elder Knudsen

Elder Rasmussen

Elder Bosen

Sister Ward

Elder Rich

Elder Gallagher

Elder Evans

Joined by the two couples from the Mission Home, Elder and Sister Warner, and Elder and Sister Lewis, we sat down together for dinner, then moved downstairs to the Training Room, aka. family room for Testimony Meeting.

Stuffed shells with meat sauce, strawberry spinach salad,
garlic bread, Frog's Eye fruit salad
and Skor Bar cake for dessert

Elder Clark, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Loser, Elder Johnson, Elder Andersen, Elder Whiehead
Elder Bradford, Elder Gonzalez, and Elder Knudsen int the background and Sister West in the foreground

Sister Nelson, Hermana Lawter, Elder Clark, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Loser, Elder Knudsen,
Elder Whitehead, Sister West, Sister Ward

Elder Earl, Elder Rich, Elder Evans, Elder Bosen

Elder Despain, Elder Bradford, Elder Whitehead, Elder Knudsen

The gathering began with a humorous but also meaningful skit about the first day of a missionary in the GKLM, which was done admirably by the Assistants, Elder Morris, Elder Clark, and Elder Bradford. (This was Elder Morriss' last official function as he was among the departing missionaries going home Wednesday. It was Elder Bradford's first official duty and Elder Clark's Who-Knows What Number activity.) Testimonies were born then after a kneeling prayer everyone went to bed, with the exception of a couple of people who still needed their interviews with the President.

The skit:
The new missionary and his Trainer before the alarm in the morning

The skit:
Doing morning companionship study

The skit:
Contacting in the park

Musical number:
Elder Rasmussen, Elder Bosen, Elder Evans, Elder Earl, Elder Johnson, Elder Gonzalez

Back: Elder Gallagher, Elder Knudsen, Elder Anderson, Elder Loser, Elder Evans, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Rich,
Elder Johnson, Elder Gonzalez, Elder Whitehead, Elder Earl
Front: Elder Bosen, Sister Ward, Sister West, President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Hermana Lawter, Elder Despain

Morning came early as it always does for missionaries, but after a hot breakfast, all were ready for Companionship Study with the Assistants and a short meeting with Elder Warner from the office regarding financial matters. A group picture was taken and also shots of each Sister or Elder with the Woodburys, then it was off to the church on Eastern Parkway, next to the Mission Office, for Transfer Meeting.

Elder Bosen with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Gallagher with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder T. Johnson with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Despain with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Whitehead with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Knudsen with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Ward with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Rich with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Rasmussen with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Evans with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Loser with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister West with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Gonzalez with President and Sister Woodbury

Hermana Lawter with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Despain with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Anderson with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Gonzalez loading the trailer back up for the trip to Transfer Meeting

The departing Elders gave their "Words of Wisdom," the new missionaries met their Trainers, "Called to Serve" was sung GKLM -style, the rest of the Transfers were called out, and lots of pictures taken, before the Trainers and Trainees met for orientation on the 12-Week Training Program, and the others took off with their new companions to their new areas.

Elder Earl, Elder Quick, Elder Rasmussenm Elder Bowman,
Elder Beagley, Elder Rost, Elder Bosen

Elder Morriss and Elder Taylor

Elder Whitehead and Elder J. Tolman

Elder Ferguson-Villegas, Elder Corry, Elder Loser,
Elder Olson, Elder Shutt

Sister Nelson, Elder Corry, Elder Shutt, Elder D Gardner. Elder Olson, Elder T. Johnson, Elder Taylor

New companions: Sister Walker and Sister Ford
with Hermana Lawter and Hermana Cross in the background

New companions: Sister Noakes and Sister Waite

Elder B. Day, Elder Allen, Elder Wharton,
Elder Schofield, Elder E. Neilsen, Elder Wight

Member, Elder Anderson, Elder Rowley, Elder Christopherson,
member, Elder Daynes, Elder Rich

Elder Lipsh and Elder Fegan

Elder Whitehead and Elder Quick

Elder Lund and Elder Potter

Elder Lipsh and Elder Hicken

Elder Casteneda, Elder Schofield, Elder Waddell, Elder Howard
Elder Duran, Elder Ferguson-Villegas
Elder Wharton, Elder Leake

Elder Kowallis, Elder Rueda, Elder Broomhead,
Elder Stevenson, Elder Jolley, Elder Moorhouse

Elder Bradford, Elder Morriss, and Elder Clark

Elder Bradford and Elder Clark
sending Elder Morris on his way

After lunch, more pictures were taken by the Mission sign in front of the Mission Office.

The Training companionships went off, and the outgoing missionaries went to the

Mission Home for an hour and a half, before traveling to the Louisville Temple in Crestwood, about twenty-five minutes away.

Sister Woodbury, Elder Shutt, Elder Loser, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Daynes, Elder Rich, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Bowman, Elder Rasmussen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister West, Sister Earl, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Thomas, Elder Evans, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Rowley, Elder Anderson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Cross, Hermana Lawter, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Warner, Elder Knudsen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Mikami, Sister Ward, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Blake, Elder Despain, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Tolman, Elder Whitehead, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Adams, Elder Gonzalez, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Taylor, Elder T. Johnson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Quick, Elder Earl, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder DeYoung, Elder Gallagher, President Woodbury

Elder Rost and Elder Bosen

Elder Fegan, Elder Christensen, Elder Schofield, Elder Morriss, Elder Knighton, Sister Woodbury,
President Woodbury, Elder B. Day, Elder Kowallis, Elder Humes, Elder Lund, Elder Everett

Thanks to special arrangments, we now have a special session just for us during Transfers. The Temple is not otherwise open until the evening, so we have it to ourselves. As is customary, we met with the Temple President and Matron, President and Sister Lunt, in a Sealing Room before the session, and gathered outside afterward for still more pictures.

Top: Elder Day, Sister Lewis, Elder Humes, Elder Lewis, Elder Lund, Sister Warner, Elder Warner
Middle: Elder Knighton, Elder Kowallis, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Elder Everett
Front: lLder Schofield, Elder Christensen Elder Fegan, Elder Morriss

Dinner back at the Mission Home ensued, along with a moving and tender Testimony Meeting and final interviews with the President, the latter of which went on until past midnight.