A Busy Week

We are heading into the busiest week of our mission so far. We have transfers today. That means that all the missionaries who are changing areas, apartments, and companions, pack and move to their new location.

Tomorrow all of the missionaries being released (about 10 this time), will go to the Los Angeles Temple with us. Then we will come to the mission home for lunch. The missionaries will have their exit interview with the mission president (Jerry), and hang out with us for the afternoon. Then, that evening we will serve them dinner and have a testimony meeting here at the mission home. The missionaries will then retire (some in beds, some on inflatable mattresses, and some on sofas). I was told they don't actually go to sleep, but last time we only had four elders stay with us and they actually did go to sleep. The next day, they are taken to the airport where they will travel home and into the waiting arms of their families who haven't seen them for 18 months (sisters) to two years (elders).

The incoming missionaries are usually picked up in the same vehicles used to drop the outging missionaries off. They will return to the mission home with about 16 excited missionaries fresh from the MTC (Missionary Training Center), in Provo, Utah. They will begin an orientation process by the mission office staff, the APs (Assistants to the President), Jerry and me. Jerry will inspire them. I will give them a medical lecture on how to stay healthy while on their mission. (Yes, I know this goes in one ear and out the other). At some point we break into the training and feed them their first non MTC meal in two months (cooked by yours truely). They then are interviewed by their new mission president and photographed with Jerry and I and by themselves. At about 2:30, their trainers (first companion assigned to teach them how to be a great missionary) arrive to take them to their assignments. After they are photographed with their trainers, off they go.

Generally I would fall into a heap on the sofa at this point, but this time we have a visiting general authority and his wife arriving for a mission tour. I will be scurrying about changing beds cleaning a bathroom and getting ready to serve dinner to Elder Bruce C. and Sister Hafen, 14 missionaries, and three Martin's. The 12 Zone Leaders will go through a training which will be attended by the Hafens. We will eat dinner, and the missionaries will leave.

Zone Conferences will be held the next two days. We will be combining three Zones for Thursday, and the other three for Friday. We will receive intstruction from Elder Hafen, President Martin and me. I will have only 10 minutes of instructions to the elders and sisters. I get a break feeding lunch to the groups (of approximately 80 each day). Others have been assigned to cook and serve us.

Thursday evening we have a staff dinner with the office staff, their spouses and the Hafens. I will have help cooking and serving this dinner. All I have to make is the salad and bake the ham.

Friday the Hafens leave and President Martin and I WILL take a P-day (preparation day)!

Sorry this blog was so long. Next blog, I will write all about Adam. He is doing very well. He likes school and has a sweet job video taping football games.