It was a busy week for the mission last week. It started off on Monday morningwith transfers. There was a lot of movement throughout the mission with elders and sisters coming and going from all three of the Islands. Then on Moinday afternoon we had 9 new missionaries arriving from the Provo MTC so we spent a good portion of the afternoon at the airport. We also got another new couple who arrived in the middle of the night Tuesday. I'm glad we didn't have to go get them!
On Tuesday we were involved in the Intake training. We have to give our presentations on housing and mission health and safety and we pass out water bottles with filters, sheets and pillows, and a packet with all sorts of things that the new missionaries will need to get started on their mission--kind of a "Welcome packet".
Tuesday evening we had an Out take dinner for the missionaries who were going home on Wednesday. There was one sister and 3 Elders leaving, and one Senior couple who has been serving in the Tutuilla hospital as humanitarian medical missionaries.They always serve a nice meal and the office missionaries all get to attend too.
Wednesday morning they had the Out take meeting at the chapel across from the mission home. The missionaries getting released all bore their testimonies and the Mission President spoke, then they presented them with certificates and a small gift from the mission. Then of course everyone sang to them! It was a nice tribute to the missionaries to honor them for their service. All three of the Elders getting released are from one of the Islands so their parents and families just come to the meeting and then take them home. The Sister was from Utah, so they took her to the airport later in the day to send her off.
We did our usual nurse and housing stuff the rest of the week. There was an MQ that had been getting remodeled that was ready to move missionaries back into, so we spent quite a bit of time getting it restocked, and ready to go. Dad also took time to go get his hair cut. He can't remember the last time it was cut this short! He says
"he got his ears lowered". I had never heard that saying before, haha.
On Saturday, we attended a baptism for a brother and sister. THe mission had 21 baptisms this week! On Sunday, we went to the English speaking ward for church and I got a Mothers' day treat, cake and ice cream! President Purcell hosted a Mother's Day dinner for all the Senior couples on Sunday afternoon, and we had a roasted pig along with some other meat entrees. This was the first time I'd seen an actual whole roasted pig! I couldn't quite bring myself to eat it! But Dad did, and he even helped cut it up.
President Purcell said something this week to the new missionaries at their intake training that I've been thinking about a lot, so I thought I'd share it with you.
We all walked over to the temple grounds together and he talked to us near the front entrance. He said there are only two things from this life that we will continue to do in the next life, missionary work and temple work, so we better know how to do them before we leave this life! We should try to get lots of practice doing those two things in this life so we'll know what we're doing in the next life!
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