We're Thankful for... Transfers!

The November Transfers happened the three days before Thanksgiving, and provided a perfect occasion to express some of the things for which the Great Kentucky Mission is grateful. To name a few, we are thankful for:

1) a wonderful batch of new missionaries, all fresh from the MTCs in Provo and Mexico City.

At the airport
The Elders: Elder Thomas, Elder Thompson, Elder Prows, Elder Garman, Elder Martin, Elder Aranda, Elder Seymore, Elder Anderson, Elder Hancock, Elder Polson, Elder Hicken
The Sisters: Sister Goodrich, Sister Neser, Sister Austin, Sister Wu, Sister LeFevre, Hermana Wadley, Hermana Porter,

2) the flight was on time with no lost bags.
3) an uneventfully journey to the Mission Home where they had their Welcome Interviews with President Woodbury and Orientation and Training from Sister Woodbury.

Sister Wu

Sister Goodrich

Sister Neser

Elder Seymore

Elder Aranda

Hermana Wadley

Elder Hancock

Elder Polson

Elder Garmon

Sister LeFevre

Elder Martin

Hermana Porter

Sister Austin

Elder Thompson

Elder Prows

4) a delicious dinner, and a terrific Testimony Meeting, which began with the Assistants to the President doing a skit about a Missionary's first day in the GKLM.

The Trainer (Elder Thomas) trying to wake up the new Elder
(Elder Hicken) on his first day in the mission

Exercising, doing the "Baptism Squat"

Elder Thomas telling Elder Hicken all the delicious varieties
of Ramen dishes they can eat during the day

Elder Hicken trying to stay awake during Personal Study

Elder Thomas going over the Baptism Commitment
with Elder Hicken during Companionship Study

Out tracting and getting rejected time and time again

One the day's contacts, a man (President Woodbury)
who only speaks Japanese

The last door - the man (Elder Anderson) who was praying for help
at the exact time the Elders were praying for someone
to listen to their message.

5) a good night's sleep, after a very long day which began at 2:00 or 2:30 am at the MTCs,
6) a hearty, hot breakfast to begin the next day,
7) a great Companionship Study and training led by the Assistants and instruction on finances by Elder Moulton from the office,

Top row: Elder Martin, Elder Seymore, Elder Polson, Elder Prows

Fourth row: Sister Austin, Hermana Porter, Elder Aranda, Elder Garmon

Third row: Elder Hancock, (President Woodbury)

Second row: Sister Wu, Sister LeFevre, Hermana Wadley, Elder Thompson

Bottom row: Sister Nesor, Sister Goodrich, (Sister Woodbury)

8) pictures of each missionary with the President and Sister Woodbury, as well as a group shot on the front porch,

Elder Seymore with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Goodrich with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Thompson with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Garmon with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Hancock with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Martin with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Neser with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Prows with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Aranda with President and Sister Woodbury

Elder Polson with President and Sister Woodbury

Hermana Porter with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister LeFevre with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Wu with President and Sister Woodbury

Sister Austin with President and Sister Woodbury

Hermana Wadley with President and Sister Woodbury

9) an inspiring Transfer Meeting over at the church adjacent to the Mission Office, where everyone who was being transfered gathered to meet their new companion, the new missionaries were introduced to the Trainers, the departing Elders and Sisters gave their Words of Wisdom, "Called to Serve" was sung GKLM-style for the new missionaries and "God Be WIth You" for those going home,

Elder Thompson, Elder Jacobson, Elder Aranda,
Elder Hawes, Elder Seymore, Elder C. Larson

10) the 12-Week Training Program on which the freshly arrived Sisters and Elders were instructed along with their Trainers,

Hermana Adams, Hermana Hansen, Hermana Lawrence,
Hermana McDonald, Hermana Wadley, Hermana Porter

Standing: Elder Jonas, Elder Souza, Elder Martin, Elder Hathaway,
Elder Burdge, Elder Van Beekum, Elder Faudree, Elder Whitehead,
Elder Hansen, Elder Day-Nuah, Elder Prows
Kneeling: Elder Wood, Elder Kidd

Sister Egbert, Sister Galloway, Sister Priebe, Sister Goodrich

Sister West, Sister Thorne, Sister Loveless, Sister Black

Elder Hancock, Elder Barker, Elder J. Anderson

Sister M. Peterson, Sister Smith, Sister Jaco

Sister Child, Sister Clark

Elder Jonas, Elder Van Beekum

Sister West, Sister Dickerson

Sister Woodbury

Sister Child, member - Sister Robinson, Hermana Marsden

Documenting the Transfer on their phones

Sister Moskot, Sister Rickords

11) sixteen awesome Trainers who were called to get the new missionaries off to a good start,

Outside the Mission Office

Sister Woodbury, Elder Hathaway, Elder Martin, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Goodrich, Sister Priebe, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Barker, Elder Hancock, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Hansen, Elder Prows, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Jacobson, Elder Aranda, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder C. Larson, Elder Seymore, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Miller, Elder Polson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Anderson, Sister Wu, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Saunders, Sister Neser, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Thorne, Sister LeFevre, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Spencer, Elder Garman, President Woodbury
Elder Garman is in a trio with Elder L. Davis (not pictured)
as co-trainer with Elder Spencer

Sister Woodbury, Sister Reeder, Sister Austin, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana McDonald, Hermana Wadley,
President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Burdge, Elder Thompson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Lawrence, Hermana Porter,
President Woodbury

12) Elder J. Anderson who worked so valiantly as an Assistant to the President, and Elder

Hicken newly called to replace him and work with Elder Thomas

Out Departing Missionaries with President and Sister Woodbury
President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Sister Ward, Elder Manzano, Elder J. Anderson, Sister West, Elder Forsgren, Hermana Messerly, Elder Seegmiller, Elder Cox, Elder Rollins

13) a great parting shot of the departing missionaries

Transition of the Assistants to the Presidents

Elder J. Anderson and Elder Thomas
to Elder Thomas and Elder Hicken

Pictured: Elder Hicken, President Woodbury, Elder J. Anderson, Elder Thomas

Their reaction when I told them it was time to leave the GKLM

14) a temple in our midst where they have a session reserved just for us,

At the Louisville Temple
President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Elder Seegmiller, Elder Cox, Elder Manzano, Sister West, Elder J. Anderson, Elder Forsgren, Elder Rollins, Sister Halvorsen, Hermana Messerly, Elder Halvorsen,
Sister Moulton, Elder Moulton, Sister Ward

15) And we're thankful for the nine amazing Elders and Sisters themselves, who have served faithfully and well and have now been transferred to another part of their lives.