Week 12


The most exciting event of the week was the arrival of 19 new missionaries.   They arrive at the mission office "excited, scared and exhaused" as one missionary replied after being asked how she was feeling.  




 The first thing we do is get them fed lunch.  Chicken sandwiches and chips (fries) from Pogos are always a hit.  


 After eating, they meet with the Finance Secretary (Diana, my roommate) to get their money and instructions on what it is to be used for.  They also meet with the Tech Elders to get their phones and instructions on how to use them so they don't run out of data and air time.



The missionaries from Africa meet with me to determine their English proficiency and given the option of meeting with me on Zoom for help with their listening and speaking skills.  Most of them want to improve their English so they can be able to enroll in BYU Pathway after their mission.


They come in all sizes.

After interviews with President Judd and an orientation with the Zone Leaders, they have dinner of pizza and watermelon.  Then they leave to go to their apartments, get some sleep and begin their new life as a missionary.  



Earlier in the week was transfers when missionaries are assigned to new areas with new companions.  It happens every 6 weeks.  We had these 4 sisters over to dinner on Saturday night before transfers on Monday.  At the end of the meal, the transfer list came in a message to their phones.  They excitedly opened the message and were thrilled that the four of them were still going to be together.  It was so fun seeing their excitement and watching them comment on who was going where .
Transfer day is fun for us and for the young missionaries.  They all come into the office in the morning and unload their belongings from the truck.  They are excited to see old companions and missionaries they have not seen for a while.  Then their suitcases and bedding bags are put on the truck going to their new zone and off they go. 


President and Sister Judd finish their 3 year mission at the end of this month.  Diana and I attended a surprise party for them at the home of one of the Stake Presidents in the mission.  Those in attendance were a few of us senior missionaries, Stake Presidents and their wives and a few more leaders.  


The Stake President whose home we were at has 7 daughters.  These three warmed our hearts 
with a hymn sung in beautiful harmony.  


Sister Judd sang a duet at one of the wards today.  Diana and I went after we attended our ward.  They sang Softly and Tenderly.  It was beautiful.  After the meeting, I told her it reminded me of my days attending the Baptist Church.  This hymn was frequently sung at the end of the meeting as the Invitational Hymn.  We woud sing it while those  in the congregation would come forward and express to the pastor if they wanted to be baptized, rededicate their lives to Christ or move their records from another church. It was a sweet memory.  Little children love Sister Judd (everyone loves Sister Judd).  Here she is at the end of the meeting.




On Saturday, Diana and I had to go to the office for a few minutes.  While there, two of the young sisters were there for an appointment to teach a lesson to the guard, Abigail.  There is a guard at the gate of the office 24 hours a day.  They asked if I would like to sit in.  What a fabulous experience!  I was able to relate my experience of joining the church 48 years ago and testify of our Jesus Christ and the joy I have found in being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

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