The May 2014 Transfers

The above is from our first greeting and meeting with the wonderful new missionaries that came to the GKLM May 12th. All were happy and excited to be here, and amazingly bright and energetic considering that they had gotten up at 2:00 a.m. and traveled for thirteen hours from the Provo or Mexico City MTC. After they collected their bags, we loaded up the mission van and trailer for the ten minute drive to the Mission Home where they would spend the night.
Wasting no time, President Woodbury began individual interviews while Sister Woodbury served a snack and began orientation.

Having orientation in the living room

While the interviews and orientation were going on, the Assistants took photos to be used on the Transfer Boards at the Mission Home and Mission Office (see previous post).

Hermana Hopwood

Elder Loveall

Elder Champ

Sister Baker

Elder Follett

Elder Kovalov

Elder W. Evans

The Halvorsens and Moultons from the Mission Office joined us for dinner, then we went downstairs for a special Testimony Meeting. But before the testimonies, started, as is tradition, the Assistants did a skit about a missionary's first day in the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission. Those of us in the audience chuckled, laughed, and in the end were touched by the Spirit as at the end of a tiring and frustrating day, the Elders knelt down to pray to know where to find someone to teach and then find someone who had been praying at the same for guidance and help from God.

Elder Dopp was the Trainer and Elder Tuttle was the new missionary

Discussing their personal study topics

Getting the greenie ready to go out

Praying with the contact, played by Elder Whitehead

Teaching a powerful lesson on the Restoration
wherein the investigator agrees to prepare for a baptismal date

The testimonies that followed were sweet, strong, and heartfelt. With only seven people to interview, President Woodbury finished talking to everyone before dinner, so the exhausted Elders and Sisters were able to go to bed right on time.

Bright and early the next morning, showered and dressed, and having changed the sheets and remade their beds, the refreshed new missionaries came upstairs for a hot breakfast before having Companionship Study and Training led by the Assistants and a visit by Elder Moulton to talk about finances. More pictures were taken, individually with President and Sister Woodbury, and as a group,

Sister Woodbury, Sister Baker, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Kovalov, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Champ, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Evans, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Follett, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Hopwood, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Loveall, President Woodbury

Above: Elder Loveall, Elder Evans, Elder Follett, Elder Champ, Elder Kovalov
Sitting: Sister Baker, President Woodbury, Hermana Hopwood

then it was time to re-load the van and trailer and drive over to the church across the parking lot from the Mission Office, about ten minutes away.

Before Transfer Meeting

Transfer Meeting began about 10:00 with the usual song, prayer, and welcome from the President. The departing missionaries had their chance to give their Words of Wisdom then it was time for the newly arrived missionaries to take the spotlight. Assisted by the Sorting Hat, voiced by Elder Tuttle, President introduced each missionary and told who their Trainer would be. Each missionary got a warm and enthusiastic welcome hug and went to sit in the center front section with their Trainer to sing, with everyone else, "Called to Serve"GKLM-style. The long list of transfers were called out, then President Woodbury addressed the assembly. Lastly, everyone sang "God Be WIth You 'Til We Meet Again" especially for the eight Elders who were returning home.

Elder Behling, Elder Jonas

Sister Hindman, (member) Sister Jones, Sister Ewell, Sister Oliverson

Elder L. Davis, Elder Shelley, Elder M. Arnold, Elder Gerard

Elder Forrest, Elder Moon, (Elder Gallagher), Elder Fackrell,
Elder Dursteler, Elder Jones, Elder Hill

Elder Whitehead, Elder Loser, Elder Kidd

Elder Tuttle, Elder Dayton, Elder Moon

Hermana Evans, Hermana DeLaVega,
Hermana Christensen, Hermana Hopwood

Hermana Wilkinson, Hermana Penman, Hermana Bunkall,
Hermana Carnahan, Hermana Jensen, Hermana Porter

Elder Rasmussen and Elder Behling

Elder Z. Evans, Elder Stohel, Elder Loser

Sister Watson, Sister Woodbury, Sister Basil
Sister Watson and Sister Basil are some of the wonderful
members who provided rides for the missionaries

After a meeting for the Trainers and new missionaries and lunch for them, the returning missionaries and those members who provided rides and had to wait, pictures were taken in front of the Mission Office then the Training companionships took off to their first areas.

Sister Woodbury, Elder Lynch, Elder W. Evans, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Cody Johnson, Elder Loveall, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Magleby, Elder Champ, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Hermana Christensen, Hermana Hopwood,
President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Wallace, Elder Kovalov, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Kerr, Sister Baker, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Vidaure, Elder Follett, President Woodbury

President and Sister Woodbury

Those about to go home had their picture taken with President and Sister Woodbury,...

Above: Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Elder Z. Evans, Elder Loser, Elder Rich, Elder Whitehead,
Elder Tg Johnson, Elder Anderson
Below: Elder Earl, Elder Gallagher

stopped by the Mission Home, then took off for the special Temple session the Temple Presidency has arranged for us every six weeks

At the Louisville Temple
Top: Elder Moulton, Elder Halvorsen, Elder Lemmon
Middle: Elder Rich, Sister Moulton, Elder Gallgher, Sister Halvorsen, Sister Lemmon, Elder Whitehead, Elder Evans, Elder Loser
Front: Elder Anderson, Elder Johnson, Elder Earl, Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury

Back at the Mission Home afterward we enjoyed dinner together then went downstairs for a Testimony Meeting. These dear Elders have served so valiantly and well, and have grown and changed so much since the night two years ago when they sat in the same seats for our first Testimony Meeting together. They've gone from good but inexperienced, pretty much adolescents, some with a bit shaky testimonies, into strong, powerful, and noble men of God. When I (Sister Woodbury) was in the Tabernacle Choir we sang a song with words taken from the Old Testament, that I feel applies. "And the Father will dance over you with joy! He will take delight in whom He loves. Is that a choir I hear, singing the praises of God? No, the Lord God Himself is rejoicing o'er you in song!" I think the Lord is dancing and singing in joy over these fine missionaries for the work they have done and who they've become, and likewise those who went before them and will come after. The Lord's mighty army is alive, strong, and doing well in the GKLM!