This week was change week where we welcome new missionaries and say good bye to those returning home. Monday began with our office staff meeting along with the assistants to make final plans for the fun week. There is a lot of moving around of people during this time as companionships need to change to accommodate the new missionaries who need trainers and to accommodate those who are going home. There are meals to plan for both groups and hotel reservations for the new and old group, transportation for everyone moving around during this time either by bus or taxi. It’s really quite amazing the things that go into the week and it’s pretty much all done by young missionaries. Soon we will have a senior couple who will jump into the fun of these change weeks. We picked up the group of 11 new missionaries Tuesday morning at the airport. We thought we were receiving 12 missionaries but we received 11 because of a visa problem. There were a few other changes in who came so after a little changing of a few details we were good to go. We went straight to the temple with our 11 new missionaries. Elder Massey and Curtis joined us from Arizona and Utah. We welcomed Elder Avendano from Mexico, Elder Ayala from Colombia, Elder Gutierrez from Panama, Elder Lopez from Salvador ,Elder Martinez from Mexico, Elder Rio from Argentina, Elder Ortega from Paraguay who is waiting for a Venezuelan visa, Hermana Quartino from Uruguay, and Hermana Troesch from Panama. They were a powerful group with sweet testimonies and ready to serve. We went straight to the temple for a quick welcome and testimony of the temple as a place we want to see everyone we teach as missionaries by Mark and me. We then went to lunch at a Chinese restaurant which surprises most missionaries. It is a buffet and we can eat quickly and get on with the rest of the day so it works for us . We then went to the office for orientation and interviews and e-mailing parents.
After another quick bite of Lomitos Arabe, a kind of wrap, another favorite of missionaries which is not Paraguayan food either , the office elders took everyone out for a bit of making contacts and teaching. Afterwards we went to the mission home for dessert and testimony. As I said before we were very impressed with this group. The North American elders did well with their Spanish and the whole group bore powerful testimonies. The sisters stayed at the mission home with us and the elders were off to the hotel for the night.
Wednesday everyone was up early so they could go sign their legal papers so they were all legally here in Paraguay and then came back to the office for a meeting with the trainers. We had 11 great missionaries ready to train. They were like little children waiting for Christmas as they waited to find out who their new companion would be. After the trainers meeting the new missionaries joined us to be introduced to their companions and then more training was given. As soon as the meeting was over a group photo was taken and then they jumped into the 11 taxis waiting to take them to their new areas. By 11:00 am they were all on their way. While this is all happening at the office, all the rest of the missionaries involved in changes met at the bus terminal to get their new companions. It’s like a big game of dominoes when missionaries come and go it affects many more of the companionships. It’s always amazing to watch it all happen so smoothly. The office elders time themselves to see how quickly they can get everyone with their new companions and back on buses to their areas. Everyone met there at the terminal at 6:30 am and by 8:30am they had everyone heading back out. We welcomed Elder Dance into the office to begin training as the Administrador this week also. Elder Guenther is teaching him everything he knows about how to move supplies around the mission and get the mail and information to the missionaries. He also helps the latin missionaries with their English test at the end of their mission and many other things. He is super organized and will pass his knowledge along to Elder Dance.
With the new missionaries off with their companions the focus shifts to the 10 missionaries who are going home. Elders Barate, Braziel , Charleson, Frehner, Lowe, Mancilla, Parks, Stringham and Sisters Jara and Pluim will be missed in the mission. They are all interviewed during the day and at noon we took them to lunch for their final meal in Paraguay. We go to Paulistas which is a Brazillian type buffet and all the meat you can eat restaurant. They love it! We went to the temple for a session and then back to the mission home for dessert and testimonies. It is great to see the mature young missionaries who are ready to go home and move forward in their lives. They change so much in the two years they are here.
Thursday we were up at 3:00am to begin saying goodbye to missionaries at the airport. We went two times that day to say goodbye to the different groups who were flying out. Friday we spent at home working on things and Saturday and Sunday we had Stake conference at our own stake here in Asuncion the Fernando de la Mora Stake. The whole meeting Saturday and Sunday was focused on missionary work. Mark and I both participated in both meetings. I had been asked to speak on Sunday but when we arrived Saturday night President Texiera asked me to bear my testimony also about my experience of being a mother to our sons as they served their missions. I remember learning when Matt, our first son served his mission to Russia how the Lord really helped me to have peace while he was away serving. I also gained a great testimony as both our sons served of the blessings and growth that come to the missionary serving but also to the rest of them family as well. Sunday there was a stake youth choir that was amazing. One of our missionaries directed it and they have some people who play piano very well in the stake. It was great seeing the youth happily involved and singing so well.
On our preparation day we had fun giving each other haircuts. I have been cutting Mark’s since we arrived and it still is quite an adventure each time I do it. I found a place to get my hair cut but they don’t cut the length at the bottom the way I want it so I instructed Mark how to do it and it turned out just how I wanted it. He was very proud of himself!
Oh well, that’s enough for this week. We love you all. We really do enjoy what we are doing here. The next group of missionaries that come in 6 weeks will include our senior couple. We are anxious for their arrival. We are also excited to have our daughters Laura and Sara travel with the next group to come here for a visit. We hope you all have a good week. We love you all. Mark and Sandy
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