Transfer Day Nov. 2016

A transfer morning starts quiet and calm..but then everything starts happening and it ends up being a very full day.  

Meanwhile, many Elders are connecting with each other....some in meetings, others in the parking lot.....

 

We invite the new missionaries in to the office and begin a rotation with all the various office couples with their respective roles.  Pictures above is Elder Ott, Elder Droubay, Elder Galbraith and Elder Andrews.

Every new missionary meets one on one and learns a quick overview about various mission responsibilities

They also get to see their picture, their companion and their new area.

Sister Larson welcomes them into her publications area and gives them a quick overview.

It's always nice to see where they have come from and where they are now!

Elder Larson is the "Car Czar" and gives them a quick introduction.

Zone leaders also start coming in to get their supplies on transfer day.

Departing Elders are arrive and get ready to impart advice to the new missionaries. 

A great line-up of some of the departing Elders:
Smalley, Phiri, Wegrowski, Laminie, Pickup, Dean and Dube

All lined up and ready to share advice.

Elder Zitumane conducting with Elder Campbell as a new Assistant!

New Missionaries introduced themselves as the first order of business.

I have a chance to warmly welcome them all there. This is one of my favorite programs to be part of. I think it is so meaningful to have new missionaries meeting those that are going home that day. 

President Dunn shares some introductory comments and passes out a personalized Book of Mormon copy for each new missionary. We are collectively reading the Book of Mormon form September 16- December 24th. WE invite our new missionaries to join with us in any way they choose.

This has been a great initiative for our mission. The hope is that the new missionaries can pick up where they can and participate in some way that will be meaningful for them.

  

President Dunn starts the Q and A with departing missionaries. It is fun to hear the advice that is given.  Here is a sample of some of the comments made at the first of the program.  

Question: What is the first thing we should do?

“get out of the car” ~ Elder Pickup  (haha)

seriously- “learn all you can about your companion” ~ Elder Pickup

“write in your journal every day- these first days are so critical” ~ Elder Dean

“start talking to people as soon as possible” ~ Elder Wegrowski

“Embrace everything around you, the people, the culture, your companion- you can learn so much from them” ~Elder Laminie

“Love South Africa” ~ Be humble” ~ Elder Smalley

“Don’t judge people you teach- love them” ~ Elder Phiri

“”Enjoy it all” ~ Elder Mapenda

Question: What has made you the most successful?

Answers:

“Book of Mormon and also the spirit- these make all the difference” ~Elder Dube

Simplicity and the spirit..get on their level of understanding” ~ Elder Laminie

“At first I relied on myself more than I should have. The spirit is really the key.” ~ Elder Smalley

“Be careful with the language, the investigators here may not be able to understand you at first” ~ Elder Dean

“Get along with yoru companion- teach together” ~ Elder Nonumwar

“”See people for who they can become- not who they are” ~Elder Wegrowski

“Be patient, because the next generation is going to be impacted.” Elder Smalley

“Work to get your investigators and then converts to the temple…..this is the sweetest experience I have had on mission.” ~Elder Pickup

After the Q and A ends, the new trainers arrive to meet their new missionary. As you can see, I had them help me take in the continental breakfast, complete with homemade whole wheat sweet rolls.

Everyone got introduced and then sat together and had breakfast.