17 New Missionaries!

Wow! This is the biggest group of missionaries we have ever received at one time! It was a crazy day with 10 missionaries departing and these 17 coming in. We thought we had everything organized until we found out our new missionaries had plane problems in SLC and all had to be rerouted. Instead of arriving all together they came at three different times during the day. Not only that, we had numerous pieces of lost luggage! I think the worse thing that happened was when one of our innocent elders got pulled aside by security in SL, taken to a room and strip searched for suspicous luggage. That was definitely an exciting beginning to his mission! However, once we got them all taken care of, interviewed, fed and their Visa appointments done we all breathed a sign of relief. They were so excited to be here. Figuring out the Transfer board was a big job this time and it took lots of prayers to decide where the Lord wanted these new warriors to serve! Wednesday afternoon we took them to transfer meeting and asigned them their new companions. This is a very musical group and we had them sing two songs to introduce themselves to the other missionaries. Our new Elder Williams has a gift of accompanying music by making great beats with his tongue and cheek. It was really fun and the missionaries loved it. There was a lot of energy in that transfer meeting. The group is now dispersed throughout the country! They have great companions and are into the work! We are so thrilled to have them. Everytime we lose a great group of missionaries (when their missions are over), we are so sad. They have developed into such powerful teachers and leaders. But then we get the new group....we see how eager they are to serve and it is really evident that this is the way it is supposed to be...the Lord is really in charge.

 

One hour before Transfer meeting they all "crashed"! Jet lag had definitely set in! There were so many of them they spread out where ever they could find a spot. I don't think a single one of them cared whether it was on a bed, the floor or a chair! All they wanted was a few minutes of shut-eye!