The October 2012 Transfers

        How is it that every time we go to the airport to greet new missionaries we are met with more amazing and wonderful young men and women who are prepared and excited to be here and start being missionaries for the Lord and His Church?  You would think just for variety (I'm being tongue in cheek here) that maybe one time the group we find coming around the corner would be reclusive and shy, hesitant and indifferent. But, that has yet to happen and hopefully never will, and the band of Elders plus one Sister that arrived October 8th proves it. Beginning with Elder Brook and Elder Evans who headed off the pack, everyone approached energentically and shook hands and/or hugged the Assistants, President Woodbury and myself. There were six others in this group: Elder Butcher, Elder Blauer, Elder Hawes, Elder Kidd, Elder Sainsbury, and Sister Van Horn, and all eight were eager and earnest and we instantly came to love them.

Elder Brook, Elder Evans, Elder Butcher meeting
Assistants to the President Elder Shaffer and Elder Bradford

Elder Sainsbury and Elder Hawes being met by
President Woodbury and the Assistants to the President Elder Gardner and Elder Bradford

Elder Brook, Elder Shaffer, Elder Blauer, Elder Bradford, Elder Sainsbury, Elder Evans, President Woodbury, Elder Butcher Elder Blauer, Sister Van Horn, Elder Kidd, Elder Gardner

        

        Once at the Mission Home, President Woodbury began interviews while the new arrivals filled out a few forms, I did an orientation, and the Assistants took pictures to be used on the Picture/Transfer Board at the Mission Home and also the Mission Office. 

Elder Hawes

Elder Kidd

Sister Van Horn

Elder Sainsbury

Elder Evans

Elder Blauer

Elder Brook

Elder Butcher

        At dinner we were joined by Elder and Sister Lewis from the Mission Office and for the first time by Elder and Sister Bolliger, newly arrived replacements for Elder and Sister Warner, likewise from the Office. At the Testimony Meeting that evening, held downstairs in the Training Room, the Assistants to the President did the traditional skit about a missionary's first day, (there were temporarily three Assistants with Elder Bradford about to retire, Elder DeVere Gardner newly called, and Elder Shaffer carrying through), 

Elder Shaffer and Elder Gardner studying in the skit

Elder Gardner in the skit

after which everyone in turn bore their testimony, a very touching and spiritual experience. Then it was off to bed after a long, long day.

        After breakfast the next morning, Companionship Study, instruction from Elder Bolliger about financial matters, and more picture-taking,

Elder Butcher with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Brook with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Blauer with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Sainsbury with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Hawes with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Kidd with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Evans with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Van Horn with President and Sister Woodbury

Our Brand-New Missionaries
Back: Elder Butcher, Elder Blauer, Elder Evans, Elder Hawes, Elder Brook
Front: Elder Kidd, Elder Sainsbury, Sister Van Horn, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury

we all travelled to the church building next to the Mission Office for Transfer Meeting. The departing missionaries gave their "Words of Wisdom" then the new missionaries met their Trainers, and all the other Transfers were called out. After experiencing my first Transfer Meeting fifteen months ago, I commented that it had felt a little like the Sorting Ceremony at Hogwarts, so now our own GKLM Sorting Hat sits on the side of the podium as the names and companionships are called out.

Elder Wharton and Elder Sainsbury

Elder Kidd and Elder Fry

Elder Lawrenson, Elder Rueda, Elder Price, and Elder Wilson

Elder Leake and Elder T.  Johnson

Elder Quick and Elder Freestone

Elder Duran, Elder Howard, Elder Blauer,
Elder Gonzalez, Elder Warner, Elder Simms

Four Generations:
Elder Simms trained Elder Duran
Elder Duran trained Elder Howard
and now Elder Howard is training Elder Blauer.
That makes Elder Simms Elder Blauers' "Great-Grandfather!"

Elder Gonzalez and Elder Lipsh

Sister Earl and Sister Ash

Elder Haws, Elder Z. Evans, Elder Ty Johnson, Elder Thomas, Elder Kidd

Elder Crook,  Elder Webb

The Sisters and Hermanas at Transfers:
Sister Ford, Sister Hunt, Sister Whiting, Sister Clemons, Sister Van Horn, Hermana Okey, Hermana Mickelsen
Sister Nelson, Sister Earl, Sister Ash

President Woodbury laughing with Sister Ford and others

Elder Duran looking very dignified

Elder Roskelley and Elder Colling

Elder Gallagher, Elder Lowe, Elder S. Cox

          After a meeting with the Trainers and Trainees and lunch, still more pictures were taken in front of the Mission Office, 

Sister Woodbury, Elder Rigby, Elder Evans, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Miner, Elder Brook, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Clemons, Sister Van Horn, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Fry, Elder Butcher, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Thomas, Elder Kidd, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Fry, Elder Hawes, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Howard, Elder Blauer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Wharton, Elder Sainsbury, President Woodbury

Elder Brook and Elder Miner got right to it
and while they were waiting to get their picture taken,
crossed the street to contact a woman walking by.

Elder Brook and Elder Miner coming back after Elder Brook's first street contact in the missionfield.

Elder Butcher giving Elder Brook a sending off hug

The Departing Missionaries
Sister and President Woodbury, Elder Whetman, Elder Bradford, Elder Evans,
Elder Freestone, Elder Warren, Elder Price, Elder Molleman, Elder Gaastra
(Missing Elder M. Tolman who left three days ealier and Elder Smith)

At the Louisville Temple
Top: Elder Price, Sister Bolliger, Elder Bolliger
Middle: Elder Gaastra, Elder Bradford, Elder Warren, ELder Molleman, Elder Whetman
Front" Elder Evans, Sister Woodbury President Woodbury, Elder Smith

then the new missionaries took off with their Trainers to their first areas. The departing missionaries stopped briefly at the Mission Home then travelled to the Louisville Temple in Crestwood for a special session just for us preceded by a gathering in a Sealing Room to hear from the Temple resident and Matron as well as President Woodbury and myself. 

        Back at the Mission Home Tuesday evening, President Woodbury held Exit Interviews and we had dinner together before having another Testimony Meeting. This time it was just the President and I with the outgoing Elders (no Sisters this time) and it was remarkable. Seeing what the Lord has made of these missionaries over the past two years was inspiring and heart-warming.

Elder M. Tolman

Elder Smith

Elder Bradford

Elder Gaastra

Elder Whetman

Elder Warren

Elder Price

Elder Evans

Elder Molleman

Elder Freestone

        I served a hot breakfast at 5:00 a.m. and by 5: 40 the Elders were aboard Gus, the Mission bus/van to go to the airport. Actually, there were only six of the ten returning missionaries in the van.  Elder Smith was picked up by his mom and grandma at the Mission Home, Elder Tolman flew home a couple of days beforehand, and Elder Freestone and Elder Bradford are staying for two more weeks as Traveling Trainers in the mission. 

       Regardless of how or when they departed or will depart, these fine, valiant Elders  have left a mark on the GKLM and will be missed greatly.