A fairly large group of new missionaries. We are happy to have them. It will allow us to open some new areas--growing is good. A group anxious to get to work.
It was a beautiful day to be at the temple. We had a great time being out on the beautiful grounds. There weren't many flowers though. Most of the beds were in preparation mode for the winter flowers.
We had fun showing President's family around the area. We also went out to the coast. It was mostly just good to be together.
It's been another transfer week. Of course the usual things happen, we rejoiced in seeing the new missionaries, loved going to the temple with the departing missionaries, and hated to say goodbye to eight elders who have become our friends and made such a huge difference in the lives of many people here in Oregon, including us. It is great to see the changes that occur in their own lives as well. This week I will point out some of the unusual things of the week as well as a sampling of some of the questions/comments I received. However, similar things happen each transfer week.
One of the changes of this transfer, as well as the past couple of transfers, is that we are getting more missionaries into the mission than we are sending home. This is in harmony with the church’s plan to send more missionaries to more productive areas. This mission has been blessed to become such an area. We welcomed in 14 new missionaries this week, and sent home eight, plus one mini-missionary. As a result we opened another two new areas and have a couple of companionships serving with three elders in the same area.
We also sent sister missionaries down to Medford for the first time in several years. We sent a trusted sister who has been out almost a year, along with a brand new sister. While they will be somewhat isolated from other sisters, they will have the benefit of serving near the temple. It is, in fact, in their ward boundaries and I know that will be a blessing to them.
Missionaries learn to quickly love whatever new area they are assigned to, and gratefully take on their new assignment with enthusiasm. By saying this I am also keenly aware how much they dislike leaving the area they are currently serving in. Some examples of this are evident in the following statements I heard this week:
From a sister who had served nine months in her current area (which is longer than any other sister serving in any area of the mission currently), “Are you really sure I am needed in the new area? I could stay longer you know.” I assured her this new assignment had been prayerfully made and she would do great in her new area.
From an Elder when I called to tell him of his new area, “What would you say to me staying here one more transfer?” Of course this is after all of the other transfers have been prayerfully planned and announced. I told him “That train has already left the station.” And then I assured him he would do great in his new area.
There are many other similar examples and I am not unsympathetic to their honorable desire to stay with their companions whom they have learned to love and appreciate, and serve where they know and love the people. But in order to move the work forward various changes are regularly needed. We really love these missionaries, and love the fact that they love the work and people so much!
In the mission president’s handbook we are taught that the number one responsibility we have is for the well-being of our families. I am grateful that with all the Brethren have to do, and with all they realize we have to do, they emphasize that responsibility. We are blessed to be assigned to a mission close to our families and almost on the same time zone which makes occasional visits from them, and phone calls easy to accomplish. We are further blessed that they want to see us, and will make time to do so. This week my three sisters and my step-mother made the trip to see us. They arrived the evening after we had sent off our retuning missionaries and we had a few free days to visit with them. It goes without saying that there were several needed phone calls and a few other short interruptions, but all-in-all we had time for a great visit. Kaye and I are thankful to them and their families for the efforts necessary to get them here. We missed them when we sent them off on Sunday.
My two younger sisters will be upset with me including this detail, but I am still a teasing big brother so here we go. One of our delightful sister missionaries, whom I have learned to love even more this week, saw us at church and asked the youngest of the family if I was the baby of the family. That just goes to show you how much these wonderful missionaries learn to love their mission president and his wife, and even become a bit blind to the facts at hand.
One of the changes of this transfer, as well as the past couple of transfers, is that we are getting more missionaries into the mission than we are sending home. This is in harmony with the church’s plan to send more missionaries to more productive areas. This mission has been blessed to become such an area. We welcomed in 14 new missionaries this week, and sent home eight, plus one mini-missionary. As a result we opened another two new areas and have a couple of companionships serving with three elders in the same area.
We also sent sister missionaries down to Medford for the first time in several years. We sent a trusted sister who has been out almost a year, along with a brand new sister. While they will be somewhat isolated from other sisters, they will have the benefit of serving near the temple. It is, in fact, in their ward boundaries and I know that will be a blessing to them.
Missionaries learn to quickly love whatever new area they are assigned to, and gratefully take on their new assignment with enthusiasm. By saying this I am also keenly aware how much they dislike leaving the area they are currently serving in. Some examples of this are evident in the following statements I heard this week:
From a sister who had served nine months in her current area (which is longer than any other sister serving in any area of the mission currently), “Are you really sure I am needed in the new area? I could stay longer you know.” I assured her this new assignment had been prayerfully made and she would do great in her new area.
From an Elder when I called to tell him of his new area, “What would you say to me staying here one more transfer?” Of course this is after all of the other transfers have been prayerfully planned and announced. I told him “That train has already left the station.” And then I assured him he would do great in his new area.
There are many other similar examples and I am not unsympathetic to their honorable desire to stay with their companions whom they have learned to love and appreciate, and serve where they know and love the people. But in order to move the work forward various changes are regularly needed. We really love these missionaries, and love the fact that they love the work and people so much!
In the mission president’s handbook we are taught that the number one responsibility we have is for the well-being of our families. I am grateful that with all the Brethren have to do, and with all they realize we have to do, they emphasize that responsibility. We are blessed to be assigned to a mission close to our families and almost on the same time zone which makes occasional visits from them, and phone calls easy to accomplish. We are further blessed that they want to see us, and will make time to do so. This week my three sisters and my step-mother made the trip to see us. They arrived the evening after we had sent off our retuning missionaries and we had a few free days to visit with them. It goes without saying that there were several needed phone calls and a few other short interruptions, but all-in-all we had time for a great visit. Kaye and I are thankful to them and their families for the efforts necessary to get them here. We missed them when we sent them off on Sunday.
My two younger sisters will be upset with me including this detail, but I am still a teasing big brother so here we go. One of our delightful sister missionaries, whom I have learned to love even more this week, saw us at church and asked the youngest of the family if I was the baby of the family. That just goes to show you how much these wonderful missionaries learn to love their mission president and his wife, and even become a bit blind to the facts at hand.
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