Leaving on a jet plane

October 24, 2014
Four Elders depart for home:
On the last day and final hours, the departing Elders have a chance to share their wisdom with the New Elders and then bear testimony in their final meeting with the mission.  The transfer meeting ends with testimonies being shared from those departing. But first, we have instituted a ceremonial “pinning” where we show a slide of them on the screen, while the mission song is being played and we pin them with a South Africa pin on their lapel. After, they address the missionaries and share their testimony.

It is very touching to hear final words from each of them over the pulpit.  Elder Bird, Lohmann, Louw and Luthy did such a terrific job and it was so heartfelt!!

After the transfer meeting we all return to the mission home for a lunch and then to the Apartheid Museum on the way to the airport.  Here are some airport scenes…….and then they are off.

Saying good-bye to Elder Bird and Luthy was hard.

It is so touching to see families that come to the airport to pay their respects to these great Elders.

Elder Louw had the shortest flight of any missionary from the SAJM mission, I predict. He flew 2 hours to Cape Town.  We still had sad goodbye's, even though we will for sure see him again multiple times we hope, before we go home.  Elder Louw is a great tribute to South Africa...what a great guy!!

  Pictures of Elder Lohmann coming. Stay tuned!

We hope they are watching the blog and feeling of the love we have for them. This is also a good place to be able to view what is going on in the mission….so we hope they become followers once they are home.