ARRIVING JANUARY 2014

 PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINE FOR ALL PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT!

We were DELIGHTED to get such a small incoming group for a change!  It has been a marathon the past year as we went from 160 missionaries to about 250 at this point.

This time of year, it is mainly Sisters available to serve, as many of the potential elders are still in high school.

 So, Elder Enkhjargal was VERY BRAVE and joined 6 Sisters in his group coming to the Arizona Phoenix Mission this month!

We could not resist borrowing the signs from a family waiting for a returning home missionary at the Phoenix Airport...it works, right?

THEY ARE HOME!!!

 Our little parade outside was pretty small...and the weather was delightful!  It is the perfect time to come to this area.  In a couple months this weather will be a dream when we hit 100 again!

We loaded up this great group and first took them to the Mission Office for an orientation and paper work by our great mission staff there.

Then it was off to visit the Phoenix Temple site where they got to see the progress of this temple which was bare ground when we got here 2 1/2 years ago.

 Welcome to Sisters Collett, Wardle, Messick, King, Meyer and Young, and Elder Enkhjargal.

We have been waiting for Elder Enkhjargal from Mongolia for over 2 years!  He was on our list when we first came to the mission, but had to wait a while to come, and had visa problems for a long time too.  FINALLY he is here and is learning English rapidly!

The missionaries were delighted to go outside and pick oranges from our 2 trees in the back.  We have 2 orange and 1 grapefruit trees.  We had fresh sqeezed juice for breakfast thanks to them and President Taylor!

Our first day was spent at the Mission Home in orientation, vehicle and bike safety videos, in a long nap (YAY) and then signing the mission flag and quilt, cooking with Sister Taylor and having an interview with President Taylor.
We also do a little FHE to get to know each other better.  It was great having such a small group.
We had all our meals in the Mission home and for the first time, we had the Elder sleep in the bedroom and Sisters sleep on the couches and floor of the living and dining room areas!  (OK, we have nice camp pads, it is not that bad!)

The next morning, we get up and run or walk together, we have breakfast, we have a morningside and then get ready to go over to the Stake Center nearby for our training with the new Trainers.  Then it is time for "Transfer Meeting."

One of the things we do right before we take them to these meetings, is to give each one a letter from a departed missionary with their advice and encouragement for their mission.  This has been a sweet tradition we love.  Each of those letters represents a mission from someone we know and love, who loved and served the people here in Arizona.

We welcome your son or daughter to the best mission in the world for them!  It truly is an honor to serve with them here!