We Love Transfers!

        With February being the month of love, and the new missionaries coming in to the GKLM February 17th, just three days after Valentine's Day, it seems appropriate that we should declare that we just LOVE Transfers! Having the new missionaries Monday night in the Testimony Meeting, exhausted, excited, bewildered, some homesick, some with a deer-in-the-headlights look. Then the next night, the departing missionaries, seasoned, experienced, strong, men and women of God. It just makes one's heart soar, to see what the Lord can make of His servants. 

        So picture the scene at the airport on Monday, this time the 17th of February, where President and Sister Woodbury and the Assistants to the President, at that moment three in number, were anxiously awaiting the change in status on the board, of the Delta flight from Atlanta. 

Transition of the Assistants to the President:
Elder Hicken and Elder Evans to
Elder Evans and Elder Whitehead

Elder Evans, Colonel Sanders, Elder Hicken, and Elder Whitehad

        The flight was delayed, but finally the ARRIVED notice appeared. The five, standing together, started craning their necks, hoping to see people coming down the terminal wearing dark suits and/or wearing nametags. Sister Woodbury spotted them first and in no time they came around the corner, all smiles and excitement. We instantly fell in love with them!

        After gathering their suitcases downstairs and taking a group picture in front of the Louisville sign ("Louisville... It's possible here!")...

At the Louisville sign at Baggage Claim
Elder Dayton, Elder Evans, Elder Whitehead, Sister Matthews, Sister Meadows, Sister Hindman, Elder Hicken, Elder Morrow, Elder Bennett, Elder Caskey, Elder Koenig, President Woodbury, Elder Arnold

...it was off to parking garage and the twelve-seat Mission van and trailer with GKLM boldly printed on the side.

        A short ten-minute drive found the weary but dedicated travelers at the Mission Home where President and Sister Woodbury live. Taking only what they needed for the evening and morning inside, they settled in, the Elders in the twelve bed bunkroom on the left and the Sisters in one of the two bunk bed bedrooms on the right. The President began Interviews with one of the Sisters while Sister Woodbury led the others over to the serving area for a snack of cheese, crackers, and grapes, and passed out personalized Welcome Folders. The almost two hours was filled with orientation and some training by Sister Woodbury, continuing Interviews with the President, and Driver Licenses copied and pictures taken for the Photo Board by the Assistants.

Sister Meadows

Elder Caskey

Sister Hindman

Elder Bennett

Elder Arnold

Elder Dayton

Elder Koenig

Sister Matthews

Elder Morrow

Two matching and a third pretty close.
Elder Hicken, Elder Evans, Elder Whitehead

Joined by the Moultons and Halversons from the Mission Office, we all sat down to a dinner of which Sister Woodbury had mostly prepared beforehand, with two member ladies coming in to finish the salad, serve, and clean-up afterward. 

        Going downstairs to the Training Room (aka family room) we had a wonderful Testimony Meeting which began with the customary skit by the Assistants about a missionary's first day in the GKLM. Newly called Elder Whitehead played the new missionary and Elder Evans, his trainer, with Elder Hicken, going home on Wednesday, playing the part of the man who is praying for help at the same time the missionaries are praying for someone to teach. 

The skit:
Before the alarm rings

Exercising, going "baptism squats"

The skit: Morning study

The skit:
After a day of not finding anyone, the Trainer suggest they pray

Going around in a circle, each missionary, including the Assistants and President and Sister Woodbury, bore their testimony, expressing their love for the Savior and His Church. Then it was off to bed for a much deserved good night's sleep. (They had arisen at the MTC between 2:00 and 2:30 a.m.)

       Sometime before morning, President Woodbury made his assignments regarding Trainers. They were already specially chosen for the responsibility, but, as he always has done, hadn't put which new missionary with what Trainer until after he had interviewed them.

        A hot breakfast of ham and egg casserole, warm muffins, yogurt, juices and chocolate or regular milk, greeted the six Elders and three Sisters, after which they returned to the Training Room for a Companionship Study and training time with the Assistants, and a talk about finances from Elder Moulton. Lots of pictures were taken then everyone loaded up their suitcases once again.

Sister Woodbury, Elder Morrow, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Matthews, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Meadows, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Koenig, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Caskey, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Arnold, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Bennett, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Hindman, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Dayton, President Woodbury

Above: Elder Morrow, Elder Koenig, Elder Caskey, Elder Bennett, Elder Dayton, Elder Arnold, President Woodbury
Below: Sister Hindman, Sister Matthews, Sister Meadows, Sister Woodbury

Another ten minute drive in the Mission van and everyone arrived at the ward building on Eastern Parkway across the parking lot from the Mission Office.

Elder Dursteler, Elder Fackrell, Elder Wood

Sister Vikari, Sister Brown, SIster Thorne, Sister LeFevre,
and member - Sister Blackwell

        Transfer Meeting included the departing missionaries giving their Words of Wisdom, President Woodbury introducing the new missionaries and announcement of their Trainers, "Called to Serve" GKLM-style, the call-out of all the other Transfers, a message and some Tune-Ups by President Woodbury, and singing "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again" for the missionaries soon to be leaving us.

Elder Edwards and Elder Hicken

Elder D. Davis, Elder J. Johnson, Elder Morrow

Elder Edwards, Elder Caskey, Elder Earl, Elder D. Davis, Elder Bennett

(Elder Seal) Elder Jacobson, Elder Beecroft, Elder Vidaure, Elder Lynch,
Elder Martin, Elder Loser, Elder Staheli, Elder Hathaway

Sister Byers, Hermana Graham, Hermana Evans
Hermana Jensen, Hermana Hansen

Elder Edwards, Elder Caskey

Sister Webster, Sister Matthews, Sister Tripp, Elder Co. Johnson,
 Elder Langford, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Heslop,
Elder Loser, Elder Whitehead, Elder Jacobson

Elder Inga, Elder Hawes

Hermana Evans, Hermana Marsden, Hermana Hansen

Elder Arnold and Elder Pritchett

Sister Child, Sister Webster, Sister Lewis, Sister Newton, Sister Loveless

Sister Heywood, Sister Loveless, Sister Ct. Hall,
Sister Newton, and member Sisters

Sister C. Goodrich and Sister Kerr

Sister Bauer and Sister C. Goodrich

The new arrivals and their Trainers met with the President for an orientation about the 12-Week Training Program and lunch their at the church for them and the returning Elders and the members who were waiting to provide transportation back to theirs. Pictures of these first companionships were taken in front of the Mission Office then they were off, on their first day as real missionaries!

Sister Woodbury, Elder Davis, Elder Bennett, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Bailey, Sister Meadows, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Edwards, Elder Caskey, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Hildebrandt, Elder Dayton, President Woodbury

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

Sister Woodbury, Sister Vikari, Sister Hindman, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Tripp, Sister Matthews, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Pritchett, Elder Arnold, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Lynch, Elder Koenig, President Woodbury

        The departing missionaries had a group shot taken... 

Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Elder Clarke, Elder Hicken, Elder Frisby,
Elder Green, Elder Allen, Elder Lawrenson

then after a short stop at the Mission Home they, the President and Sister Woodbury, and Elder and Sister Halvorsen and Elder and Sister Moulton traveled to the Louisville Temple in Crestwood, KY. Meeting with the Temple President and Matron, President and Sister Lunt, before the session in a Sealing Room was as always, a tender and sweet, and the session likewise. 

At the Louisville Temple
Top: Elder Lawrenson, Elder Frisby, Elder Halvorsen, Sister Halvorsen, Sister Moulton, Elder Moulton, Elder Hicken
Middle: Elder Allen, Elder Green, Elder Clarke
Front: President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury

        Back at the Mission Home it was time for dinner followed by a touching Testimony Meeting. While President Woodbury did Exit Interviews with each Elder in turn, the others weighed their luggage, looked at the photo books on the table, and played Apples to Apples until bedtime.

        After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to those dear Elders that we have grown to love so much, namely Elder Hicken, Elder Clarke, Elder Frisby, Elder Lawrenson, Elder Green, and Elder Allen. They hold a special and warm place in our hearts, and will, always...

        Yes, from start to finish, we love Transfers...