Hello and Good-bye: The July 2012 Transfers

        It never ceases to amaze me, how each and every time we go to the airport to meet our new missionaries, I have butterflies in my stomach, so excited and anxious to get a first glimpse of them, and a minute later to shake hands or hug them and welcome them to the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission. This newest group arrived beaming, likewise excited to be here.  It was wonderful to be able to see the real faces that match with the photos that were sent from their missionary papers. And right from the start, I/we instantly loved them, one and all. 

Here they come!
Elder Carly, Hermana Messerly, Elder Downs, (another passenger),
Sister Mickelsen, Sister Jensen, Elder Crook

Sister Mickelsen, Hermana Messerly, (definitely not a missionary!),
Sister Jensen, Elder Crook, Elder Crichton, Elder Lowe, Elder Carson

Sister Jensen, Elder Crook, Elder Crichton, Elder Carson, Elder Lowe

Elder Crook, Elder Downs, Elder Carson, Sister Jensen, Elder Clark, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Roberts, Elder Shaffer, Hermana Messerly, Elder Bradford, President Woodbury, Elder Carly, Elder Lowe, Elder Crichton

Elder Downs

Sister Roberts 

Elder Crichton

Sister Mickelsen

Elder Lowe

Elder Carly

Elder Crook

Sister Jensen

Elder Carson

Hermana Messerly

        The Warners and the Lewises from the Mission Office joined us for dinner, then we went downstairs to the Training Room for a sweet and spiritual Testimony Meeting. Before the testimonies, the Assistants did their customary "First Day of the Mission/Welcome to the Best Two Years (or Eighteen Months)" skit which included humor, inspiration, and miracles. 
 

Elder Shaffer and Elder Bradford 

Elder Clark 

        After a good night's sleep, all were up and ready for Belgian waffles at 7:15, followed by Companionship Study led by the Assistants, and a meeting with Elder Warner who handles finances for the mission. Individual pictures with President Woodbury and I, and also a group photo were taken, then it was off to the church that is adjacent to the Mission Office, about ten minutes away.

Elder Crook and President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Jensenand President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Carsonand President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Mickelsenand President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Carlyand President and Sister Woodbury

Hermana Messerlyand President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Crichtonand President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Downsand President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Robertsand President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Loweand President and Sister Woodbury

Above: President Woodbury, Elder Lowe, Elder Downs, Elder Crichton, Elder Carson, Elder Crook Elder Carly
Front: Sister Woodbury, Hermana Messerly, Sister Jensen, Sister Roberts, Sister Mickelsen

        In the Transfers Meeting, the Departing  Missionaries gave their "Words of Wisdom," the new arrivals met their enthusiastic Trainers, "Called to Serve" was sung, GKLM-style,  and the rest of Transfers were announced. Afterward there were lots of cameras shooting pictures of new and outgoing missionaries, friends, former companions, and whoever else was nearby. 

Elder Hubbell, Elder Gill, Elder Leake

New Companions: Sister Jensen and Sister Noakes

Elder Clawson, Elder Crichton, and Elder Murphy

- Old friends reunited -
Sister Okey (right) didn't know Sister Mickelsen (left)
had been called on a mission, let alone that she was coming to the GKLM!

Elder Lowe, Elder Peterson Elder Wood, Elder Robison

Elder Cook, ELder Musgrave, Elder Nielson, Elder Berube

Elder Carly, Elder Dimter, Elder DeYoung, Elder Lush,
Elder Mason(?), Sister Jensen, Elder Cook, Sister Noakes

Elder Haws, Elder Lawrenson

Elder Cook, (Elder Biddle), (Elder Clark), (Elder Warren), Elder Bowman, (Sister Roberts), Sister Jensen,
(Sister Ford), Sister Noakes, (Sister Velasquez)

Sister Mikami, Sister Woodbury, Sister Beukers, Sister Waite

Sister Taylor, Elder Mason, Elder Ham

Elder Mason, Elder Simms, (Sister Mikami, Sister Ash), Sister Beukers, Sister Jensen, .... Elder Christopherson, Elder Biddle, Hermana Guerra, Elder Robison...

Elder Lowe, ... Elder Seegmiller, Elder Ipson, ... (Elder Warren), Elder Lipsh, Elder DeGraw, Elder Hubbell, ... Elder Hicken, Elder Carson, Elder Clarke, Elder Dansie

Elder Cook, Elder Peterson, Elder Seegmiller, Elder Musgrave,
Elder Day, Elder Wight

Hermana Taylor, Sister Okey, Sister Gomm, Sister Woodbury,
Hermana Guerra, Hermana Gardner

        After a Training Meeting and lunch, more pictures were taken in front of the Mission Office, then the Trainers and Trainees took off for their new areas and the Departing Missionaries headed over to the Mission Home. 

Sister Woodbury, Elder Anderson, Elder Carly, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Holt, Hermana Messerly, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Murphy, Elder Crichton, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Wood, Elder Lowe, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Noakes, Sister Jensen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Webb, Elder Crook, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Clemons, Sister Mickelsen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Walker, Sister Roberts, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Starks, Elder Downs, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Hicken, Elder Carson, President Woodbury

Elder DeYoung, Elder Hubbell, Elder Wiggins, Elder Corry, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury,
Sister Beukers, Sister Mikami, Sister Waite, Sister Taylor, Sister Provost
Front: Elder Hart, Elder Cook, Elder Dewey, Elder Henderson

After our special Temple session

Top: Elder Lewis, Elder Dewey, Sister Lewis, Elder Hubbell, Elder DeYoung, Sister Warner, Elder Warner,
Elder Wiggins, Elder Corry
Middle: President Woodbury, Elder Hart, Elder Cook, Elder Henderson, Hermana Taylor, Hermana Provost
Bottom: Sister Woodbury, Sister Beukers, Sister Waite, Sister Mikami

        Later in the afternoon, we attended the Temple together on a special session just for us, then returned to the Mission Home for dinner, Final Interviews with the President, and a touching and tender Testimony Meeting. There was also a round-robin ping-pong tournament, rounds of "Apples to Apples," and parlor games, as well as Elder Dewey's piano creations until the wee hours of the morning. 

Apples to Apples

Elder Wiggins

Hermana Provost

Elder Corry

Elder Hart

Elder DeYoung

Hermana Taylor

Elder Henderson

Sister Beukers

Sister Mikami

Elder Dewey

Sister Waite

Elder Cook

Elder Hubbell

        Saying good-bye on Wednesday morning, is always the tough part of Transfers. We love them when the come, and love them as they go, and all the way in between. We've got the best missionaries in the Church!