Transfers- Departures and Arrivals

Every six weeks, change comes to the mission as Elders are released to go home after 2 years and Sisters after 18 months of rewarding and joyful service.  They fly out on Tuesday morning and that afternoon, new missionaries arrive from the Mission Training Center full of enthusiasm.  On September 13th, 7 went home and 13 arrived.
This is a very busy time in the mission office coordinating travel, collecting and/or issuing iPads and cell phones,  orienting arriving missionaries,  and helping with meals at the mission home.

Here are the departing Elders and the Evans' son, Tyler

Sister Jones' contribution was angel food cake topped with strawberries. 

Sister Jones had grown close to Sisters Barlow and Oliva in the short time we have been here.  Sister Oliva returned home to the Philippines.

 The exodus and influx requires the reassignment of most of the companionships and of leadership positions.  So the mission office is the focal point for matching up new companions and beginning a chapter in the missionary's journey. 

Sister Jones does her angel food thing again for the arriving missionaries the next night. 

The missionaries get up at 3 am in Provo to catch the flight to New York.  When they arrive, President Evans gives them a chance to place a Book of Mormon on the way from the airport to the Mission Home.  Most all were successful in the 20 minutes allotted!   So they were ready for the ham dinner.   

President Evans with the Elders

The new companionships get right to work.  Elder Case, a new missionary, and Elder Peterson, his companion and Zone Leader, had a teaching appointment Friday evening.  Sister Jones and I were invited to go along to teach an 81 year old lady who has been investigating for several years.  We enjoyed dinner with the Elders after the discussion.