The Arrivals and Departures of Transfer Day: Week 26 - Holms on the Potomac

 

On Transfer Day, missionaries pick up  mail and packages from family.

I got to help the young sister leaders pass out mail!

You would be overwhelmed with handsomeness if we shared close-ups of these elders. :) 

Sister Connell and Sister Cole, the other two office missionary sisters, and I passed out pizza, salad and fruit to the 19 new missionaries  for their lunch at the DC Temple Visitors Center.   

You would be overwhelmed with beauty if we shared close-ups of these sisters!

Transfer Day is a day of goodbyes, and we said farewell to Elder Boren, one of our faves. 

These sisters said hello and goodbye, and headed off to new adventures. (Three of them got lost and then lost a night of sleep due to. . . issues. But they survived and are thriving! The one in red with a gray purse taught me about the Lincoln Memorial statue.)

Transfer day is a big deal. It’s when many of our elders and sisters meet at the mission office to join new companions, either those who are new to the mission, or others as determined by the mission president and his young helpers, the assistants to the president and the sister training leader trainers. Our Transfer Day was Wednesday, August 31.

Eleven handsome young men and eight beautiful young women—all nervous and deeply spiritual—touched down at Reagan Airport Tuesday, August 30, and the next morning, President Clarke made sure they had a quick tour of the National Mall.  At lunch, one young sister told me what a park ranger taught their group at the Lincoln Memorial. She said, “We learned that one of Lincoln’s hands rests with his fingers open, which represents mercy, and the other is slightly clenched, which represents justice. That reminded me of Jesus Christ! He said that Lincoln is seated, which shows he was a man of the people, not towering above them like a king. That also reminded me of Christ! I’ve already started an email to tell my family!” In the afternoon, I was blessed to help new missionaries prepare driving documents. I was deeply impressed—they range from new college graduates to a Pilipino man who served on a US Navy submarine for four years before coming on a mission. I sensed homesickness and a little fear, but also great courage and testimony as they met their new companions and drove off to all corners of the mission. (FYI—new missionaries aren’t allowed to drive for at least six weeks, while they get used to the area.)  As I waved to companionships leaving the parking lot, it seemed the new ones had grown a few inches already. Left behind were five elders and one sister. The elders had served two years, and the sister—who spoke American Sign Language and worked with hard of hearing friends—had served 18 months. Wednesday evening, we enjoyed dinner at the mission home with them. They were strong and mature, and they bore firm testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel. We heard of their trials, but mostly of their great joy over hearts and lives changed for the good, forever. They were eager to see their families but they shed tears to leave Maryland and DC, and the friends made here. They flew home Thursday. We’ll have transfers again in six weeks.  Missionaries experience a lot of change—they change companions, apartments, and teaching pools many times during their missions. Some changes make them happy, and others make them weep. They grow from nervous newbies to trainers of new missionaries, and finally, to experienced veterans who know all the ropes. Then they go home. It’s pretty good practice, and a meaningful metaphor, for adult life.