Another Gift Arrives - The September 2013 Transfer

        We're getting to be pros at this - having an extra large group arrive and get them around and situated. And its made it ever so much easier having everyone come in on the same plane, unlike a few previously, with all the luggage arriving with them! Hurrah!

        This group of twenty-six isn't the largest we've had, but it's one of them, actually what appears to be last  of the "surge" big numbers. Next Transfer we'll only have nine coming in. We won't know what to do with ourselves, or them... But back to this wonderful arrival package, another gift to the GKLM.

        It was the afternoon of September 2nd. We didn't see the dark suits, white shirts and ties, and the lovely skirted ensembles, until most every one from their flight had come through from the other side of Security. We finally spotted them coming up the concourse, and the excitement levels rose... 

There they are!

It's them!

Ready to get going!

        Loading up suitcases and people into five vehicles, we quickly made our way to the Mission Home, about ten minutes away from the airport. Interviews with the President began, and after a snack, everyone else gathered in the downstairs family room, aka Training Room, for Orientation by Sister Woodbury. The Assistants to the President took individual pictures to be used on the Transfer Boards and made copies of Drivers Licenses. 

Elder Geary

Sister Rickords

Sister Clark

Elder Trost

Elder Clark

Elder Naylor

Elder Wood

Elder Spencer

Sister Peterson

Sister Airmet

Sister Bauer

Elder Beecroft

Sister Bready

Hermana De La Vega

Elder Eastin

Sister Ewell

Sister Galloway

Sister Gates

Sister Heiner

Sister Hall

Sister Bradley

Elder Plumb

Sister Sperry

Elder Grant

Sister Phillips

Elder Staheli

        The two couples from the Mission Office joined us for dinner then we met once more downstairs for a "Welcome to the Best Two Years (or Eighteen Months)" Skit by Elder Anderson and Elder Quick, assisted by Elder Bolliger, and a stirring Testimony Meeting.

Those who had had their interview with the President got to go to bed, with the others waiting their turn, filling out forms, and visiting. 

The alarm rings

The new missionary falling asleep in morning prayer

New Elder falls asleep during Personal Study

Elder Anderson

Elder Quick

Watching the skit

Meeting the man (Elder Bolliger) who had been praying for
help at the same time they had been praying to find someone to teach

Fourth row: President Woodbury, Elder Grant, Elder Geary, Elder Naylor, Elder Wood, Elder Eastin, Elder Clark
Third row: Elder Beecroft, Elder Plumb, Elder Trost, Elder Staheli, Elder Spencer, Sister Bauer, Sister Galloway
Second Row: Sister Woodbury, Sister Rickords, Sister Heiner, Sister Peterson, Sister Gates, Sister Sperry, Sister Bready
First row: Sister Hall, Sister Airmet, Sister Ewell, Sister Clark, Sister De La Vega, Sister Bradley, Sister Phillips

        Everyone was up at 6:30 or earlier, per the Missionary Schedule. Those that opted to get up earlier went out to get in a good run in time to get showered and ready before a hot breakfast.  After Companionship Study and a talk on finances by Elder Bolliger, more pictures were taken and once again, suitcases and missionaries were loaded for another ten minute drive over to the church next to the Mission Office.

 Elder Clark with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Peterson with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Sperry with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Heiner with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Gates with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Bauer with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Staheli with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Trost with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Bradley with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Gates with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Rickords with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Bready with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Phillips with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Ewell with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Airmet with President and Sister Woodbury

 Sister Hall with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Clark with President and Sister Woodbury

 Hermana De La Vega with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Naylor with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Spencer with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Plumb with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Grant with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Geary with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Wood with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Eastin with President and Sister Woodbury

 Elder Beecroft with President and Sister Woodbury

        Coming into the driveway between the two buildings, the new missionaries were greeted by the following sight, of Elders and Sisters involved in the Transfer, mingling before going inside.

        Transfer Meeting began a little after 10:00, with several companions not arriving until thirty minutes into it because of construction traffic. It was an especially sweet and spiritual meeting, thanks to the tender tone set by the Departing Missionaries seated in front, facing the rest. They each had their turn to give their parting Words of Wisdom, with many tears shed then and at the end when everyone sang "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again", standing on the last chorus. But there was a lot in between those agenda items on the program, the most exciting begin the introduction of the new missionaries and announcement of their Trainers. After a big hug, the new companionships sat together in the reserved center area, and then all stood to sing "Called to Serve" GKLM-style. The rest of the Transfers were announced and President Woodbury spoke and did a few Tune-Ups, as they are called. Then the meeting was over, and lots of pictures taken, as usual when the missionaries get together.

Elder Rueda, Elder Lawrenson, Elder Wharton, Elder Harshman

Elder Pradera and Elder Singleton

Elder Edwards and Elder GrANT

Sister Galloway, Sister Jaco, Sister Bready, Sister Dickerson,
Sister Heiner, Sister Hall, Sister  Heywood

Sister Baldwin, Sister Bayles, Sister Bauer

Sister Vikari, Elder Bolliger, Sister Brooks, Sister McInnis,
Elder Whitehead, Sister Ewell, Sister Davidson

Sister McDonald, Sister Jensen, Sister Arreola, Sister Kearsley

Sister Galloway, Sister Jaco, Sister Loveless, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Pope

Sister Dickerson, Sister Rounds, Sister Singleton

Elder Burdge, Elder Burns, Elder Rueda, Elder Larsen,
Elder Stevenson, Elder Miller, Elder Lawrenson
aka The Wolf Pack

Hermana Hansen, Hermana Penman, Hermana Christensen,
Hermana McDonald, Hermana Navarro

Elder Naylor and Elder Burdge

Elder Taylor, Elder K. Jensen, Elder Faudree

Elder Manzano, Hermana Arreola, Elder Rueda

Elder Rueda, Elder Taylor, Elder Cox, Elder Burns, Elder Holt

Elder Sainsbury, Elder Wharton, Elder Singleton,
Sister Singleton (no relation), Sister Ward, Sister Vikari, Sister Jensen,
Sister Mickelsen, Sister Kuenzle

Sister Vikari, Sister Jensen, Sister Mickelsen, Sister Kuenzle,
Sister Arreola, Sister, Sister Kearsley
Sister Jensen and Sister Kuenzle are new Sister Training Leaders,
Sister Kuenzle going with Sister Mickelsen to form the West STL's
and Sister Jensen going with Sister Vikari to form the Central STL's.
Sister West and Sister Hodges, not pictured here, are the West STL's.
Sister Arreola and Sister Kearsley are the Spanish STL's
covering the entire mission. 

Elder Wharton, Elder Singleton, Sister Ward, Sister Vikari

        After a meeting of the new missionaries and Trainers, we had lunch there at the church, then crossed the parking lot for pictures in front of the Mission Office sign.

Standing: President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Sister Whiting, Elder Barlow, Elder Berube, Elder Rueda, Elder Harshman, Elder Singleton, Elder Wharton
Sitting: Elder Stevenson, Elder Taylor

Sister Woodbury, Elder Pradera, Elder Plumb, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Greenup, Elder Clark, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Egbert, Sister Gates, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Heiner, Sister Dickerson,
Sister Bready, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Thorne, Sister Sperry, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Marsden, Hermana De La Vega,
President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Davis, Elder Spencer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Edwards, Elder Grant, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Burdge, Elder Naylor, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Black, Sister Peterson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Durfee, Sister Clark, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister M. Peterson, Sister Bradley, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister McInnis, Sister Ewell, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Newbold, Elder Geary, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Crook, Elder Eastin, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Pipe, Elder Trost, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Heywood, Sister Hall, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Jaco, Sister Galloway, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Stacey, Sister Phillips, President Woodbury
*Sister Stacey is now training Sister Rickords.

Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Johnson, Elder Beecroft, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Forsgren, Elder Staheli, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Airmet, Sister Roberts,
Sister Rickords, President Woodbury
*Sister Rickords is now being trained by Sister Stacey.

Sister Woodbury, Sister Bayles, Sister Bauer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Kidd, Elder Wood, President Woodbury

A lovely insect, looking like a member of the bee and hornet family,

that was on the Mission sign.

        The Trainers and Trainees picked up mail and packages at the Mission Office then took off to their respective new area.
        Then it was time for the departing missionaries to get their time in the spotlight.

(I told them they have to go home...)

Taking pictures of where they've served

Kind of like the traditional MTC shot

        A brief stop at the Mission Home to drop things off then it was off to our special session at the Louisville Temple, joined by Elder and Sister Halverson and Elder and Sister Bolliger.

Above: Elder Stevenson, Elder Halverson, Elder Bolliger
Middle: Elder Rueda, Elder Barlow, Sister Halversen, Elder Taylor, Elder Harshman, Elder Berube, Sister Bolliger
Below: Elder Wharton, Sister Whiting, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Elder Singleton

        Back at the Mission Home there was dinner to be eaten, Exit Interviews with the President, journals and flags to be signed, a touching Testimony Meeting, and a few parlor games to be played. 

Writing in each other's journals, signing a UK flag, and other activities

Sister Whiting

Elder Taylor

Elder Harshman

Elder Barlow

Elder Wharton

Elder Stevenson

Elder Rueda

Elder Berube

Elder Singleton

Elder Baker and Elder Musgrave, left for home one week earlier. 

Elder Baker

Elder Musgrave

         The next morning, these dear missionaries departed for home, leaving a big hole in the mission and in our hearts. "Well done, thou good and faithful servants..."