TRANSFERS

Every six weeks the mission president shuffles the deck and some missionaries are given new companions and sent to new areas. This is also the day that incoming missionaries from the MTC arrive and those that have finished their mission leave for home. We got a call from the sister missionaries in our ward, asking if we could take them to the Independence stake center for transfers on Thursday.  Sister Romero is going home and so she needed a ride and we also needed to pick up Sister Rowley's new companion and all her stuff. Sister Romero was one of 15 who were finishing their missions and going home.  They were being replaced by 12 new elders and sisters having arrived from the MTC.  There must have been over 100 missionaries in the parking lot receiving new companions and being transferred to new areas.  It was fun to see and feel all of the excitement and energy in the group.

Sister Romero's last day

Sister Hunt is Sister Rowley's new companion.  We are learning that most missionaries don't travel very 'light'.  Our Prius was riding low to the ground after we crammed all of Sister Hunt's luggage and boxes and bags and other assorted paraphernalia into the car along with two sister missionaries.

Outside their apartment
they live on the 2nd floor - my aching back

 FAMILY HOME EVENING

Merritt family - Fabia, Melissa, Tommy and Bill

We are in the process of trying to get around to the families in the ward and share a Family Home Evening with them. Most families don't have regular family home evenings, so we try and model what can be done each Monday.
Tommy Merritt is turning 12 in a couple of weeks and so the lesson we prepared was on the Aaronic Priesthood and the duties of a Deacon.  Robyn always brings the refreshments - usually vanilla ice cream topped with fresh bananas and strawberries and covered in homemade lilikoi syrup.

MTC CONNECTIONS

Sister Burris

While at the MTC, Robyn made a point of trying to say hi or talk to every young missionary she could.  One of the young sister missionaries headed for Canada that she met in the MTC was Sister Burris.  They really hit it off.  Robyn would look for Sister Burris at meal time and make a point of talking to her whenever she could.  What made it fun was the fact that Sister Burris' family lives near Independence and told us all about what it was like. She told Robyn that we needed to call her folks after we got here and go visit them.  We finally made connections with them and Brother and Sister Burris invited us out to eat.  It was so neat to be able to hear how their daughter is doing and get to know them.

Mellaine Burris

OLD TIME TRAIN RIDE

The last requirement for the scouts to earn their Railroading merit badge was to take a train ride. Saturday we drove down to Baldwin and took the train to Ottawa and back. The boys had fun riding in the cupola of the caboose. A great time was had by all. I brought along a couple of cub scouts to enjoy the ride and scenery.

Conductor

Mike Albrechtsen, Bishop Scott Miller, Paul Nielsen