August 2015 Epic Transfer Day!

A mission revolves around the transfer schedule. Every 6 weeks a new transfer begins...42 days ...We have anticipated this one for months because 24 Elders are heading home and 15 are coming. It was a sea change in our mission and we have tried to prepare for it since it is the biggest one we have had and will have in our three years, we predict. 

A little background before we begin!

Before our August Transfer Meeting....Elder Olson, Elder Worton and President Dunn paused and assembled a new ping pong table for the Mission Home. We have to make time to get some fun things ready for our departure!

Three good minds helped it come together quickly!

Then we all meet and hear the inspiration that President Dunn has received for the transfer. We all weigh in and look at any issues that might cause a problem, i.e. anyone that has served in an area too long, someone being moved to an area they have served in before or with someone they have served with before, or a companionship that needs to drive, but neither missionary can drive. Usually President Dunn has considered all these factors, but it is nice to have more of us check up and make sure it all feels good. It is a neat opportunity to imagine the transfer and feel the inspiration.

In this case, all but 8 companionships (out of 70) were not being affected by the transfer.

 Elder Worton is taking notes and offering great suggestions.

After the meeting we had time for a quick dinner together and look who I found cleaning up! They are great examples of what I know all the missionaries offer to do for members that feed them.:)

Below are pictures taken after the transfer meeting back at the mission home. We enjoy all the time we get to have the departing group together and at the mission home.

Elders Saunders, Kaufusi, Pedersen and Brown

A little ping pong before lunch with Elders Pulley, Riley and Benge

Elder Leman takes this game seriously. He was a table tennis champ in Belgium before his mission. Elder Olson and Lyon on deck!

Earlier that day we gathered all the departing group together before picking up the new missionaries.

We are so proud of al of these amazing Elders and feel bittersweet emotions on their departure day.

Sister Allred is in this picture. She is the photographer for transfer day, so we wanted to make sure to have her in this great group photo.

Here we are with all the new missionaries. It helps ease the pain to welcome in our new group as we say good-bye to such a wonderful group of men.

Belwo are some candid photos taken before the transfer meeting. Below you will see the actual meeting that begins at 10:30 sharp!

Elders Lyon, Wilkerson and Brown

Elders DeLaCruz, Whitesides and Bonifaz

Elder Leman and Elder Worton

Elder Olson and Elder Henderson

Elders Cummings, Hughes, Rushton and Loveless

Elders Souza, Swindlehurst, Broadhead, Clegg and Henderson

Elders Woniala, Phiri, Dube, Mapenda, Rini and Masiya.

Elders Packard and Silvester

Elders Smith, Kwaibaisi, Tima and Natwijuka

Elders Roybal, Nicotra and Rogers.

Elders Pedersen, Brown, Robbins, Wilkerson, Loveless and Reese

Elders Mavundla, Dlamini and Riley

President and Sister Collins from the MTC. They came out and snapped a picture of our entire mission. 

Elder Mugeyeni

Elders Deichman and Saunders

We enjoyed having three sets of parents visit: The Henleys from Alpine, Utah above
The Wilkersons from St. Louis Missouri below and the Brownings from Bunkerville, Nevada!

Add captionElder and Sister Pier were honored in this transfer meeting. They will be departing the SAJM on August 25th after 18 months of wonderful service. They are serving their 5th mission. Hats off to this great couple.

Elder Olson is conducting the transfer meeting today.

Garth Klintworth is invited to share his testimony as the new 2nd Counselor in the Mission Presidency.

Presidetnt Msane also shares his testimone. They both started the meeting in such a wonderful way. It was awesome to hear their testimonies and reminder that they were both a product of missionary work. They both joined the church in their 30's. 

President Dunn and I both took a minute at the start of this transfer meeting to welcome everyone to this historic meeting. The SAJM is new and smaller with our new boundaries. We have a newly called mission presidency and every missionary in the mission was invited to this historic meeting. We also have 14 departing Elders being honored today as we welcome 15 new missionaries from 7 countries to the SAJM.