Transfer week is ALWAYS exciting!
We had Darwin, Alice Springs, Mildura and Broken Hill missionaries arrive Monday afternoon in preparation for transfer meeting at 10:00 am Tuesday. Lee collected some from the airport and others drove 5 hours into the city. President didn't have the May calendar ready to print until Monday night so I went in early Tuesday to make copies to combine with the Zion Rescue and Best Practices and sort by zone to be distributed after the meeting.
We had seven leavers and ten arrivers this transfer.
Tuesday was hectic in the office as soon as the door opened. Lots of luggage piles and other leaver "stuff" is everywhere. Bikes and phones come into the office with issues, cars are traded to accommodate repair schedules, and replacement helmets, lights, tubes, and locks run out the shed door.
The vault is a busy place too as leavers shop for a new suit to go home in, or a whiter white shirt. The vault is also storage for those going to or coming from Alice Springs or Darwin who are only allowed one suitcase. Tuesday at 4:00pm one of the leavers asked if we could let out his suit pants. Sister Goodrich and I both said we won't get home till 10 pm and you need them early Wednesday for travel.......sorry. A discussion followed about a sister in another ward that would probably fix them, but by the time they took them to her, then return to the city after they were fixed etc, I decided I'd run home to give it a go. I left Sister Goodrich in charge of the office and walked home to do the work on my machine. It helped that I could press them afterward and the Elder was very thankful.
Transfer meeting is held in the adjacent church building at 10 am on Tuesday of transfer week. Missionaries do not know their destination area but have only been told if they are "packing" or "staying" (hence the piles of luggage, bikes, and other belongings in the parking lot, in the office or in cars) Only companionships affected by a transfer are invited to transfer meeting with President and Sister Carter, the assistants, and all of the office staff.
The leavers are invited to share 3 things they have learned that will benefit remaining missionaries who are listening, along with their testimony. Transfer meetings might be my favorite thing about the mission. It's two hours filled with feeling the spirit and observing the growth of young men and women from all over the world as they speak of testimony, faith, and gratitude. We always come away uplifted and inspired!
Leaver dinner was scheduled for 6 pm but it was much later before we started without President. He does individual leaver interviews and because this group was " special" meaning they were all leaders and wonderful missionaries who leave huge shoes to fill, it took longer than usual to finish interviews.
We served roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, with green salad and steamed veggies for dinner. I made two chocolate Bundt cakes (thank you Elisa Ludwig) with chocolate drizzle served under vanilla ice cream for dessert. It was a hit!
Testimony meeting following dinner was beautiful. Leavers were Sister Lucas, Elders Vanisi, Lisati, Stirling, Rapana, Redford, and Barlow. This group is so loved! As usual they bore testimonies, the Carter's both spoke, and then sang the parting song. Pictures followed and then all 6 leaver Elders were staying overnight with the assistants, so we took a van full to their flat a few blocks away. We were home in bed by 10pm so Lee could be back to the office at 5 am for his first of three trips to the airport.
Leavers with President and Sister Carter:
Leavers with Seniors:
(leavers are Elders Rapana, Vanisi, Barlow, Redord, Stirling, Lisati and Sister Lucas)
Wednesday the 7 leavers, 10 arrivers, and 2 transferred to Alice Springs were flying. It took Lee's 3 trips, Elder White's 2 trips, and Elder Goodrich a trip to the airport to get travelers and baggage where they needed to be when. The Carters always meet the arrivers at the airport and take the scenic route by the Adelaide Temple before getting to the office to start personal interviews with president preceding dinner after which arrivers meet their trainers. Once adjourned, bedding and bikes were distributed, luggage piles and personal items collected from the office, and they were off to start life as a missionary. The poor kids are always beat after a long day of travel.
We served 4 different kinds of soup in crockpots, with rolls and cut fruit, and ice cream sundaes for dessert at the arrivers dinner. I made taco soup, Sister White made pumpkin (it's really squash)
Sister Carter made beef vegetable, and Siste Goodrich made a chicken noodle veggie. All were tasty and beautiful and disappeared. Seniors do the shopping, preparation and clean up and we are tired but happy at the end of the day. Lee was especially tired as he was up early running to the airport all day long!
Occasionally parents come to Adelaide to pick up their son or daughter at the end of the mission. Elder Barlow and Elder Rapana's parents both arrived Wednesday and it was fun to finally meet them! I spoke with LeeArn Rapana several times by phone through Elder Rapana's broken collarbone treatment months ago and I was anxious to put a a face with a voice.
Watching the tender reunion with her son had everyone in the office parking lot bawling....it was so beautiful and I visualized it happening 6 other times that day in Canada, Queensland, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and at the Adelaide airport when Elder Barlow met his incoming parents.
Families willingly sacrifice when they send their children to serve missions. We stand all amazed at the dedication, faith, and love for God that this requires of parents as well as the new missionary. We feel blessed to participate in this GREAT work of bringing people to JESUS CHRIST and we are grateful for the missionaries who share the Book of Mormon, the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the wonderful Plan of Happiness in Australia and the world over.
Thursday Lee made another trip to the airport for a new Elder assigned to Darwin. Remember I booked his travel for Wednesday morning and he didn't even arrive in Australia until Wednesday afternoon? He was thrilled to be going to Darwin!
Friday was quiet in the office. The Carters drove to Mildura for the zone conference Saturday and the assistants drove the Mildura Elders back as well. Goodrichs got into the office after noon as they did flat inspections in Murray Bridge area. The Whites went to visit friends in the afternoon out past Haundorf.
Friday was Anzac Holiday, similar to Veterans Day in the USA, so all banks, post offices and most businesses were closed and it was a long holiday weekend for many people. We were told that workers in Australia have 4 weeks paid vacation, plus they receive an additional 17% holiday pay on top of that.
Saturday after grocery shopping, Lee spent a large part of the day at the office preparing his talk for sacrament meeting on the Law of the Fast. We talked with some of the kids and my dad by FaceTime, and I did laundry and housekeeping as usual.
Saturday night we went out for our anniversary which is really April 28th. Since it's a regular day in the office Monday, we decided to celebrate 42 years this weekend with dinner on the Parade. Lee had calzone and I had spinach ravioli with con pollo sauce (chicken, capsicum, mushrooms, spinach). We enjoyed ice cream bars as dessert with our neighbors Elder and Sister White when we got home.
Sunday was church as usual and Lee did a wonderful job with his talk. Many people told him he SMASHED IT and I think that means it was good! We watched BYU men's volleyball Sunday afternoon on BYU TV after naps.
It was a loooooong but 'happy to have the arrivers and sad to lose the leavers' week. When we arrived in the mission we counted time by months but now have switched to measuring by transfers as the missionaries do. We have only six transfers left, can you believe that?
Until next time, here are some P-day pictures:
Elder Barlow...my computer guy (I will miss him!)
President Carter with Elders Sexton and Vanisi
Elders Rigby and Rapana
Elders Empey, Autele, Woodfield and Hobbs
We had Darwin, Alice Springs, Mildura and Broken Hill missionaries arrive Monday afternoon in preparation for transfer meeting at 10:00 am Tuesday. Lee collected some from the airport and others drove 5 hours into the city. President didn't have the May calendar ready to print until Monday night so I went in early Tuesday to make copies to combine with the Zion Rescue and Best Practices and sort by zone to be distributed after the meeting.
We had seven leavers and ten arrivers this transfer.
Tuesday was hectic in the office as soon as the door opened. Lots of luggage piles and other leaver "stuff" is everywhere. Bikes and phones come into the office with issues, cars are traded to accommodate repair schedules, and replacement helmets, lights, tubes, and locks run out the shed door.
The vault is a busy place too as leavers shop for a new suit to go home in, or a whiter white shirt. The vault is also storage for those going to or coming from Alice Springs or Darwin who are only allowed one suitcase. Tuesday at 4:00pm one of the leavers asked if we could let out his suit pants. Sister Goodrich and I both said we won't get home till 10 pm and you need them early Wednesday for travel.......sorry. A discussion followed about a sister in another ward that would probably fix them, but by the time they took them to her, then return to the city after they were fixed etc, I decided I'd run home to give it a go. I left Sister Goodrich in charge of the office and walked home to do the work on my machine. It helped that I could press them afterward and the Elder was very thankful.
Transfer meeting is held in the adjacent church building at 10 am on Tuesday of transfer week. Missionaries do not know their destination area but have only been told if they are "packing" or "staying" (hence the piles of luggage, bikes, and other belongings in the parking lot, in the office or in cars) Only companionships affected by a transfer are invited to transfer meeting with President and Sister Carter, the assistants, and all of the office staff.
The leavers are invited to share 3 things they have learned that will benefit remaining missionaries who are listening, along with their testimony. Transfer meetings might be my favorite thing about the mission. It's two hours filled with feeling the spirit and observing the growth of young men and women from all over the world as they speak of testimony, faith, and gratitude. We always come away uplifted and inspired!
Leaver dinner was scheduled for 6 pm but it was much later before we started without President. He does individual leaver interviews and because this group was " special" meaning they were all leaders and wonderful missionaries who leave huge shoes to fill, it took longer than usual to finish interviews.
We served roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, with green salad and steamed veggies for dinner. I made two chocolate Bundt cakes (thank you Elisa Ludwig) with chocolate drizzle served under vanilla ice cream for dessert. It was a hit!
Testimony meeting following dinner was beautiful. Leavers were Sister Lucas, Elders Vanisi, Lisati, Stirling, Rapana, Redford, and Barlow. This group is so loved! As usual they bore testimonies, the Carter's both spoke, and then sang the parting song. Pictures followed and then all 6 leaver Elders were staying overnight with the assistants, so we took a van full to their flat a few blocks away. We were home in bed by 10pm so Lee could be back to the office at 5 am for his first of three trips to the airport.
Leavers with President and Sister Carter:
Leavers with Seniors:
(leavers are Elders Rapana, Vanisi, Barlow, Redord, Stirling, Lisati and Sister Lucas)
Wednesday the 7 leavers, 10 arrivers, and 2 transferred to Alice Springs were flying. It took Lee's 3 trips, Elder White's 2 trips, and Elder Goodrich a trip to the airport to get travelers and baggage where they needed to be when. The Carters always meet the arrivers at the airport and take the scenic route by the Adelaide Temple before getting to the office to start personal interviews with president preceding dinner after which arrivers meet their trainers. Once adjourned, bedding and bikes were distributed, luggage piles and personal items collected from the office, and they were off to start life as a missionary. The poor kids are always beat after a long day of travel.
We served 4 different kinds of soup in crockpots, with rolls and cut fruit, and ice cream sundaes for dessert at the arrivers dinner. I made taco soup, Sister White made pumpkin (it's really squash)
Sister Carter made beef vegetable, and Siste Goodrich made a chicken noodle veggie. All were tasty and beautiful and disappeared. Seniors do the shopping, preparation and clean up and we are tired but happy at the end of the day. Lee was especially tired as he was up early running to the airport all day long!
Occasionally parents come to Adelaide to pick up their son or daughter at the end of the mission. Elder Barlow and Elder Rapana's parents both arrived Wednesday and it was fun to finally meet them! I spoke with LeeArn Rapana several times by phone through Elder Rapana's broken collarbone treatment months ago and I was anxious to put a a face with a voice.
Watching the tender reunion with her son had everyone in the office parking lot bawling....it was so beautiful and I visualized it happening 6 other times that day in Canada, Queensland, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tonga, and at the Adelaide airport when Elder Barlow met his incoming parents.
Families willingly sacrifice when they send their children to serve missions. We stand all amazed at the dedication, faith, and love for God that this requires of parents as well as the new missionary. We feel blessed to participate in this GREAT work of bringing people to JESUS CHRIST and we are grateful for the missionaries who share the Book of Mormon, the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the wonderful Plan of Happiness in Australia and the world over.
Thursday Lee made another trip to the airport for a new Elder assigned to Darwin. Remember I booked his travel for Wednesday morning and he didn't even arrive in Australia until Wednesday afternoon? He was thrilled to be going to Darwin!
Friday was quiet in the office. The Carters drove to Mildura for the zone conference Saturday and the assistants drove the Mildura Elders back as well. Goodrichs got into the office after noon as they did flat inspections in Murray Bridge area. The Whites went to visit friends in the afternoon out past Haundorf.
Friday was Anzac Holiday, similar to Veterans Day in the USA, so all banks, post offices and most businesses were closed and it was a long holiday weekend for many people. We were told that workers in Australia have 4 weeks paid vacation, plus they receive an additional 17% holiday pay on top of that.
Saturday after grocery shopping, Lee spent a large part of the day at the office preparing his talk for sacrament meeting on the Law of the Fast. We talked with some of the kids and my dad by FaceTime, and I did laundry and housekeeping as usual.
Saturday night we went out for our anniversary which is really April 28th. Since it's a regular day in the office Monday, we decided to celebrate 42 years this weekend with dinner on the Parade. Lee had calzone and I had spinach ravioli with con pollo sauce (chicken, capsicum, mushrooms, spinach). We enjoyed ice cream bars as dessert with our neighbors Elder and Sister White when we got home.
Sunday was church as usual and Lee did a wonderful job with his talk. Many people told him he SMASHED IT and I think that means it was good! We watched BYU men's volleyball Sunday afternoon on BYU TV after naps.
It was a loooooong but 'happy to have the arrivers and sad to lose the leavers' week. When we arrived in the mission we counted time by months but now have switched to measuring by transfers as the missionaries do. We have only six transfers left, can you believe that?
Until next time, here are some P-day pictures:
Elder Barlow...my computer guy (I will miss him!)
President Carter with Elders Sexton and Vanisi
Elders Rigby and Rapana
Elders Empey, Autele, Woodfield and Hobbs
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