"I will go I will do": Catching Up

October and November flew by. Here are some photos to highlight our experiences. Robby and I went with Bruce to Albany, a town on the southern tip of WA. These granite rocks were an impressive site. I loved seeing the countryside - grazing sheep and yellow canola fields.


We had two Sisters arrive in October. At King's Park with the Assistants and President

Zone Meetings involve inspiration, training, and lots of "modeling" where the missionaries practice new teaching skills in front of each other. This one also involved some fun, as the Senior missionaries set up a contest for the Zone with the cleanest automobiles. The cars have never looked better! The Southern River Zone leaders were overjoyed to win the coveted trophy (made from packages of Tim Tam cookies, the Australian favorite cookie!)

Zone meetings involve serious training, not pictured here.

Fabulous sack lunches prepared by Relief Society Sisters in the Doubleview Ward

Four sister missionaries at a Friday District Meeting

The following photos show a bit of transfer week.

On Tuesday - we hold a farewell dinner followed by testimony sharing for the departing missionaries. This is a tender time for them, and very inspiring to me. Clearly, they have grown and learned so many new things, and share strong testimonies. President Lindsay and the Assistants go with them to the airport, usually about 10:30 pm. This night is getting more bitter/sweet for me, as I have known the missionaries that are leaving, even better as time goes by.

The next morning is Transfer Day! All the missionaries with new assignments meet in the Mission Office/Chapel parking lot and unload and load suitcases, bikes, (an amazing number of stuffed animals), pillows, etc. Making sure everyone is with a companion while the changes happen, that they get train or plane tickets, and the right car, and the right phone is mind-boggling. Thus the Assistants figure all that part out! President just has to know who the new trainers are, and the new companionships. It is pretty big.

Following the parking lot extravaganza, we go to the Airport to meet the incoming missionaries! This group arrived from the New Zealand MTC, and another two arrived an hour later from the Provo MTC, exhausted!

We do dinner Wednesday evening for the brand new missionaries. It is so fun to meet them and feel their excitement. However, Perth is a long way from anywhere, and by dessert they are falling asleep!

These next three photos show the brand new missionaries meeting their trainers (first companions) for the first time!
As you can see, the new missionaries are slightly anxious, and the Trainers (below) are looking to see who they will train. President Lindsay announces both names, and the cities where each come from. It is awesome. Mexico City, Taylorsville, Tuvalu, Brisbane, Sydney, London, and South Jordan, to name a few!
Needless to say, this is quite a week!