Saturday, August 26, 2017

August 26 - plannng for Transfer Week


This Monday Sister Courtney Hess and her family visited us at the mission home. She was one of our wonderful STL's and did a wonderful job uplifting other missionaries. It was so great to see her again.
This week is our plan and prepare week. We have a big transfer coming up with 28 missionaries arriving. Five are coming in from the Mexico MTC on Monday. Then we pick up the rest at 11:00 on Tuesday. I can house 16 but had to find members that were willing to take the rest. This is the first time we won't be feeding them at our  home because we don't have enough room. I will still cook dinner for them.

Jack spent three days this week with his assistants, Elder Christofferson and Elder Strader, to plan the transfers, Mission Leadership Council, the November calendar, and next months district meetings. It was the hardest transfer since we have been here because we have so many to train. 

Friday we held the largest 3-6 week training we have ever done -  41. This is when we train the newest missionaries after they have been out for 6 weeks. I cooked the Million Dollar Casserole and made a huge salad the night before. It was well liked and I almost ran out!! There was just barely enough to feed everyone. 

Elder Lee, who was an assistant previously and is now a zone leader, finished his mission this morning. It was sad to see him go. He is from Turlock, California. He is going to BYU and left early to get to school before the semester begins. 

After seeing him off at the airport at 5:30 A.M. we took a short nap and then took off fo a 3-hour drive to Wausau for stake conference. The visiting area Seventy asked Elder Benson, one of the parting missionaries to share his testimony. It brought me to tears. He has been so hard working, right to the end.  The ward just love him. The bishop said he was a breath of fresh air! He goes home Thursday along with 15 other missionaries. 

Tomorrow we drive back just in time for me to make dinner for Kealey, a recent convert who is in the middle of dental school, and her friend, Jordan, and the assistants. I have plans to barbecue steak but there is a thunderstorm warning so we will see how it goes!  By the way, Wisconsin is beautiful this time of year! 
Elder Lee (left), Elder Christofferson, and Elder Strader at our favorite Chinese Restaurant in Neenah