Transfer Week and Leadership Counsel

My how time flies.  Didn't I just post a blog yesterday?  It seems like it anyway.  Life in the mission is a continuous fast track adventure, but wonderful.  The other day after making final preparations for the day of transfers this week, including making 4 dozen muffins for a snack for the new missionaries, I could hardly climb into bed my back was hurting so bad.  The next day one of the Elders said, "So, how are you Sister Andrew?"  I actually stopped in my tracks, thought for a moment, and realized that I was physically, totally great!  So for us with old bodies, but young spirits,  a miracle occurs each night and we awaken strengthened in every way and ready for the next adventure.

Transfer day is a very busy day.  We were at the office by 7:30 and didn't get home until about 11:00 pm.  We received 14 missionaries of which there were 3 American Sisters,who received their visas at the last minute before they were to leave the Provo MTC.  Also included in the group were two Brazilian Elders, one who had served here previously but had to return home 15 months ago because of a belated confession, and the other who will be with us for only one transfer. He also had a belated confession and a health issue in his mission in Brasilia.  We will monitor him to see if the health issue has been resolved and he can stay.  They come in all shapes and sizes and we love each one.

We said goodbye to 16 missionaries, one of whom served as an Assistant since we arrived here.  He has been a great help to us in the transition period, and we look forward to introducing him to our family when we return home as he has been accepted at BYU and will begin his studies in January.  Another interesting thing about a Sister missionary who was leaving - she had been serving a 3 month short term mission, and in the morning of her release, she received her call to serve full time,, where else?,

Our mission!  So, she will return home and then begin her "new" mission in early December, when she enters the Brazil MTC.  We'll get her back on December 16th. It was so exciting that she could open her call in front of us.   After a missionary serves a short term mission, we (being her mission president and her companions) have to send in an evaluation of her performance, health and attitude.  It appears that we gave her high marks to be able to have back with us. 

Transfer day itself was much better organized and seemed to be less chaotic.  You have to realize that we had 14 new missionaries coming in, about 140 being effected by transfers around the mission and 16 others going home.  This for us was a major transfer to move missionaries and leadership around in the mission.  So transfer day goes something like this:

7:30  The van from the MTC arrives with the new missionaries.  We greet them with open arms, take individual pictures with each one and President starts interviewing them while the office staff and I prepare a snack for them and visit with them.

10:00 The trainers of the new missionaries arrive and President gives them about an hour training on what is expected of them as trainers in this 12 week training period that they have with the new missionaries.  During this time the secretaries and I train the new missionaries on finances, health insurance and basic health issues.

11:00  The trainers and new missionaries meet one another, are given more directions by the President and they are off to their mission areas for lunch and to get settled into their apartments and new surroundings.  

2:00  All other transferees arrive with their bags, we have a meeting in the chapel where zone by zone they receive their new companions and new assignments, such as Zone Leaders, Sister leaders, District Leaders etc. and areas.  It sort of reminds me of how the Missionaries were called in the early days of the church at a General Conference.  We kept all of the assignments secret until this meeting, which hadn't been done before, so there was a great spirit of excitement and enthusiasm there.   We began the meeting by singing "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go".  It was great!!

5:00 President begins his interviews with the departing missionaries.  We have a Pizza Dinner (next time we will change to a more formal complete meal)  and then a final testimony meeting.  Our plans always are that we are finished by 930pm at the latest but it doesn't always happen that way.  Actually the majority of them don't want to leave at all.

All those going home stay with other missionaries for the night.  The Brazilians leave early the next morning and the Americans at night.  Our wonderful office staff takes care of all of the travel arrangements.  

This is I'm sure more than you wanted to know.  But at least the next time we say it is transfer week you will know what's involved.   

Friday we had Leadership Council where all of the Zone and Sister Leaders come in for training.  It is exciting to see them involved in "Counseling Together"  to resolve problems and to  share ideas and testimonies of the work.  This too is a new concept for most of them and a necessary learning experience as we look to train them for future church leadership callings. 

Who could ask for a more invigorating, challenging and inspirational life at our age.  We are so grateful for this privilege and blessing. 

Dad at his first Coordinating Council Mtg. with our area Stake Presidents