It's been nearly two weeks since we last provided an update. The week of departing and arriving missionaries is the busiest in our six week cycle. That was followed immediately by zone conferences and we spent much time preparing for that. These were terrific weeks!
It is always a painful experience to say farewell to missionaries. We wish you could be with us for the farewell evening dinner and testimony meeting. We have been watching for nearly two years or eighteen months as they grow and mature and in this meeting we see the true fruits of their service here. So much learning and growth is shown in their final comments. We even invite them to share one last musical number if they desire.
Only one elder returning home while five sisters depart.next month will be the opposite.
We like it when they have a little fun as well!
Going home to southern South Korea
Also going home to southern South Korea
Going home to the Philippines
Going home to Utah
Also, going home to Utah
Going home to southern California
We also enjoy their musical talents so much!
The two of us made a promise to each other when she arrived we would make pancakes when she departed since it is so important to both of us. We miss "Sister Pancake".
We had two who had family pick them up as they left. We always appreciate the opportunity to meet those who did such a wonderful work preparing these young people to be with us.
The final tears are shed at the bus stop where they start their final journey home. (We had one extra we brought with us to escort them...
The sorrow at the loss of these wonderful veteran representatives of Christ is offset as we drive to the airport to pick up the new incoming missionaries on the same day. Opposite of those leaving, we had eight elders and only one sister come in! They are amazing and raise our spirits greatly.
We oriented them and gave them their companion assignments and took pictures with them. It is fun getting to know them all.
This sweet sister is from Mongolia.
This elder is from Georgia
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
This elder is from Utah
Because this is the month of Christmas we have really front loaded many of the activities we might put off another week. We had both our District Leader training meeting and our Mission Leadership Council during the same week of the outgoing and incoming missionary activities. Again, we can't get enough of these missionaries. With the nine new missionaries plus their nine trainers, the ten district leaders, and the members of the leadership council we met with more than half the mission during these three days!
If it's their birthday that day, we put a candle in the tasty treat everyone gets and sing to them!
This week we conducted zone conferences with our four zones. We had three zones, one per stake, but one stake is so large geographically and their are so many missionaries, the travel required by the leaders made it hard for them to work in their own area. Therefore, we split back to two zones in that stake. What fun we had with them and what great work their leaders accomplished during the training!
Seoul South Zone
This good elder shared a special Christmas medley for us.
Sister Turner performing some training.
Seoul West Zone
Sister Training Leader leading a companionship activity (her companion was ill)
Their was some interesting introductions done to get to know each other a little bit. It lightened the mood tremendously, but was fun for everyone. This is one of the sister training leaders! The musical accompaniment was by the assistant to the president!
These are two sisters that just started serving together a week ago. It was great seeing their creativity.
Gyeonggi Zone
A brand new elder on the piano, a newer elder singing, and a veteran on the trumpet.
Suwon Zone
Again, a newer missionary, a half-done, and a nearly done missionary sharing their talents.
Finally, we have the opportunity to serve with so many wonderful church leaders. We wish we could have an evening with all the bishops and relief society presidents, etc., but we take the time each Christmas to host a dinner with the three stake presidents and their wives as well as the area authority seventy as an expression of appreciation and gratitude for the hard work and generous service they do for our missionaries.
The Group!
The Area Authority
Seoul South Stake President and Wife
Gyeonggi Stake President and Wife
Seoul South Stake 1st Counselor and Wife (President was out of town)
It was fun to close the evening singing a few Christmas carols together and exchanging gifts. We gain such a great love for these good men and women in a very short period of time.
Only one fun random picture this week. We love how the kids wear fun things even in the cold. We remember how hard it was to get our toddlers to wear a hat or sunglasses and yet these kids love it!
Well, how quickly two weeks pass! In ten days Christmas will be upon us and we'll certainly have lots of pictures from that. We have interviews starting as well. We hope to have a few Christmas props for those photo shots! Thank you for the kind wishes as Christmas approaches and for your love and prayers on our behalf and especially on behalf of our missionaries. They're incredible blessings to our lives. All our love until next time.
