Traslados - Tuesday, March 9, 2010

When my eyes opened this morning, the thoughts of a new six weeks flooded my mind. Now that we have been through transfers for a year, I know what is down the road and for the next three or four weeks I will be under deadlines feeling some stress. I should be used to it.

After we brought the President's car back last night, we decided to park it here in our secured parking area rather than taking it to the office. So today, it was a treat to have a ride to work. I contemplated whether to just walk the walk while Rich drove to see if driving would save any time. Driving to the office requires a different route than just walking due to the one way streets. I'll bet driving and walking are pretty close in the amount of time it takes. But, I couldn't bring myself to give up a ride even for the short distance.

We had a couple hours at work before all the transferring missionaries would be upon us, so we all kept busy until about 11:00. Then Elders Kroff and Hales set up the tables and chairs in the cultural hall to get ready for the trainers meeting. I washed the fruit which was to be consumed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, and a drink of tang. The trainers get fed and then receive training from the assistants. A change in the schedule had Elder Kroff and Elder Hales talking to the trainers instead of going to the mission home to give training to the new missionaries. They are so tired, and some very visably sleepy having just flown overnight to get here. They don't retain much of what they hear that first day. So the President wanted the trainers to be given all the information and they would then train their new companions after they had a night's rest. We'll see if this helps the new missionaries learn and understand better.

This was a big transfer day -- lots of movement. And a new change the President made is having two zone leaders per zone rather than just one. We are not sure if this is in the handbook or if it is something he is implementing on his own. The two zone leaders will be companions and it will make it easier to get around the zones conducting exchanges with two doing it rather than one. Plus, I am sure there are other reasons the President has for doing it.

Missionaries started arriving at the church early to switch companionships and then take off to their new areas. It is a great reunion time to visit and hug and exchange stories. Sometimes it is hard to usher them into the remises and get them on their way. That's Elder Coria's job, not ours, thankgoodness.

In the Tigre area, we lost Sister Collinwood and Sister Rivera. We thought for sure since there was a trio, that when Sister Collinwood left for home, that Sisters Rivera and Sandoval would remain together. But that didn't happen. Sister Rivera was tranferred out and Sister Shaffer came to replace her. Funny thing is that Sister Shaffer has already served in Tigre, but it was only for one transfer. She left Tigre just as we were assigned to go there. That's why I am the pianist for Sacrament meeting now, because she was transferred just as we arrived.

But I don't think I'll give up the position as it is easy for me to get there early to play prelude, and sometimes the sisters are busy bringing investigatiors and they walk in late ocassionaly. But we are happy to have Sister Shaffer with us. She is bubbly and cute and happy to be back.

Elder Kroff instructs the trainers about finances and more while Elder Hales waits in the wings for his turn. The trainers ate their lunch first and then were ready to listen to these two and then the assistants. One thing Elder Kroff emphasized is that whatever example the trainers set for these brand new missionaries will become the norm for them. They will think that is what is expected of a missionary. So these trainers need to obey all the mission rules with exactness always, but especially for these next six weeks as they train.

When all the instruction ended, there was still some time remaining before the assistants took the trainers to the mission home to pick up their new companions. So they practiced singing "Called to Serve" as they walked single file around the chapel. When the trainers first meet the new arrivals, they march in from the President's garage single file down the hall all singing this hymn, ending up in the living room where everyone is assembled. Then the President announces the pairs and each greet with an abrazo and their picture is taken together. It is exciting and quite impressive, Rich said.

Elder Lazo on the left is the new assistant replacing Elder Pugmire. Elder Fernandez was just made an assistant last transfer. Elder Lazo speaks very good English and he plays the piano and can lead music. He is a fun person and will be a good leader.

Our office elders needed Elder Kroff to go with them to an appointment at 5:00 with a woman they are teaching. Then his English class was at 6:30, so he didn't make it home until after his class which was about 8:00. I came home and worked on the journal entry to try to get caught up. I tried to get two done in one night, but I kept falling asleep at the computer, so I gave up and went to bed. It was about 11:30. I'll try again tomorrow night.