Goodbye to the GKLM

Transition of the Presidents: Welcome to the Broughs, Farewell to the Woodburys  
        A day after the last group of our missionaries left, we, too, found it was time for us to depart. Spending our last hours together with our amazing Assistants, Elder Dopp and Elder Tuttle, was tender and sweet. 

Sister Woodbury, President Woodbury, Elder Dopp, Elder Tuttle, President Brough, Sister Brough

     President and Sister Brough arrived at the airport in the late afternoon brimming with enthusiasm and excitement to begin their time presiding over the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission.

After a brief stop at the Mission Home, the four of us traveled over to the Mission Office to show the Broughs around, then returned to tour the Mission Home together before splitting with the two Presidents in the MIssion Home study/office and the two wives in the living room to go over essentials. 

With only a few hours allotted to meet, we could only brush over key matters, then hand over the keys and cell phones and walk away into the hot and humid Kentucky night and our hotel.

The next morning we dropped off our mission car at the office (the Brough’s got a new one the night before) and were driven to the airport by Elder Moulton. Our three years were over and we left a big part of our hearts behind us as we boarded the plane for our flight home...

“Sweet is the work, my God, my King.

To praise thy name, give thanks and sing.

To show thy love by morning light

And talk of all thy truths at night.”

“God be with you ‘til we meet again...”

Beginnings and Endings - the June Transfer

Beginnings and Endings - The June Transfer

Sixteen were coming in, and eight about to return home - this summarizes the exchange of missionaries that occurred the last week of June. Those who were experiencing their last few days in the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission were six wonderful Elders who had served and led well in the mission. In addition, the President and his wife were set to leave a few days later. On the other had, those arriving, fresh and eager to begin being real missionaries, were two Sisters and fourteen Elders, one of which, Elder Scott, was returning after twelve months receiving medical treatment at home. 

Elder B. Hansen, Elder J. Hansen, Elder Memmot

Elder B. Hansen, Elder Memmot, ELder Davidson,
Elder Russell, Elder Steadman

At the Louisville Airport
Sister Spencer, President Woodbury, Sister Bush, Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Hansen, Elder J. Jensen, Elder Butikofer, Elder Jergensen, Elder Memmot, Elder James, Elder Watmough, Elder Steadman, Elder James, Elder B. Hansen,
Elder Gough, Elder Russell, Elder Davidson

Featuring Elder Hansen

Elder Gough

Sister Bush

Elder Jergensen

Elder Memmot 

Elder Russell

Sister Spencer

Elder J. Hansen 

Elder James

Elder Davidson

Elder B. Hansen

Elder Holley

Elder Butikofer

Elder Watmough

Elder Steadman

Elder Joe Jensen

         The course of events Monday, June 23rd, was pretty much what it has been during Transfers the last three years: meeting the new missionaries at the airport, interviews with the President and orientation and training from Sister Woodbury, dinner with the office couples added into the mix, and a Testimony Meeting and welcome to the mission before going to bed. 

After a hot breakfast Tuesday morning, the Assistants led companionship study and Elder Moulton from the office talked about financial matters. 

Sister Woodbury, Sister Bush, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Watmough, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Butikofer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Hansen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder B. Hansen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Steadman, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Jensen

Sister Woodbury, Elder Holley, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Scott, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Gough, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Spencer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Davidson, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Memmot, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder James, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Russell, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Jergensen, President Woodbury

Top: President Woodbury, Elder Holley, Elder Butikofer, Elder Scott, Elder James, Elder Gough, Elder J. Jensen,
Elder Memmot, Elder Jergensen
Middle: Elder Watmough, Elder Davidson, Elder Steadman, Elder Russell, Elder J. Hansen, Elder B. Hansen
Front: Sister Woodbury, Sister Bush, Sister Spencer

        Moving over to the church across the parking lot from the Mission Office we had Transfer Meeting where everyone being transferred in the mission gathered to hear the departing missionaries give their Words of Wisdom, have the new Elders and Sister introduced and meet their Trainers, sing “Called to Serve GKLM-style, and hear from President Woodbury and this time additionally Sister Woodbury, as a final farewell.

Elder Prows, Elder Carson, Elder Hansen, Sister Woodbury,
Elder J. Johnson, Elder Souza, Elder Gough

Sister Brook, Sister Hall, Sister Myler, Sister Woodbury,
Sister Peterson, Sister Tripp

Hermana Penman, Hermana Wadley, Hermana DeLaVega, Hermana Arancibia, Hermana Binks, Sister Woodbury, Hermana Carnahan, Hermana Evans, Hermana Luke, Hermana McDonald, Hermana Bailey, Hermana Wilkinson, Hermana Barajas, Hermana Hansen

Sister Brooks, President Woodbury

Elder Kaegi, Elder Tuttle, Elder Carly,
Sister Ward, Sister Kankamp

Sister Ward and Sister Woodbury

Sister Woodbury and a one of our wonderful members

There was a meeting of the new missionaries and their trainers, lunch, and pictures in front of the Mission Office before sending the new companionships off to their first areas. 

Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Jensen,  Elder Watmough , President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder K. Jensen, Elder B. Hansen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Stohel, Elder Jorgensen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Swenson, Sister  Bush, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Langford, Elder Butikofer, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Eastin, Elder J. Jensen, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Moon, Elder Holley, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Hugg, Elder Russell, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder J. Hansen, Elder James, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Sister Munk, Sister Spencer,  President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Holt, Elder Memmot, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury Elder Souza, Elder Gough, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Grant, Elder Watmough, President Woodbury

Sister Woodbury, Elder Seymore, Elder Steadman, President Woodbury

After having their picture taken in front of the Mission Office, 

President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury, Elder Carly, Elder Crook,
Elder Downs, Elder Lowe, Elder Crichton, Elder Carson

the departing missionaries, along with the office couples, and President and Sister Woodbury attended a special session at the Louisville Temple 

Above: Elder Crichton, Elder Moulton, Elder Carly, Sister Moulton, Elder Downs, Elder Carson
Below/front: Elder Lowe, Elder Crook, President Woodbury, Sister Woodbury

President Woodbury and Elder Carson

President and Sister Woodbury

followed by dinner at the Mission Home, a testimony meeting and Exit Interviews with the President.

Elder Crook

Elder Carly

Elder Lowe 

Elder Crichton 

Elder Carson

Elder Downs

Wednesday morning we had a hot breakfast together and then it was off to the airport for the Elders’ journey home. “Well done thou good and faithful servants...”