New Leader Training and Zone Leader Council, March 2012

Once again we gathered in the Chevy Chase chapel for new leader training.  And because the painters were still busy at work, we changed locations for all of the individual trainings.

New district leaders and zone leaders met in an upstairs classroom.

Front row, left to right:  Elder Clapier, Elder Gleed, and Elder Searle.
Back row, left to right:  Elder Standing, Elder Williams, Elder Howard, Elder Fowles, Elder Pound and Elder  Sanchez.

All of the leadership gathered in the Relief Society room.

Front row left to right:  Elder Anderson,  Elder Bigelow, Elder Lee (back turned) and Elder Clapier
Others facing the camera:  Elder Hurd and Elder Greiner.

Front row, left to right: Elder Brown, Elder Pearson, Elder Webb and Elder Croft.
Back row, left to right:  Elder Stallings, Elder Koyle (bent over) , Elder Schaap, Elder Shurtleff and Elder Mataele.

Front row: Elder Dillon.
Second row, left to right:  Elder Sanchez, Elder Wells, Elder Brown, Elder Pearson and Elder  Webb.
Back row:  Elder Stallings and Elder Koyle.

Back row, left to right: Elder Kinne, Elder Goodman, Elder Fowles, Elder Howard, Elder Standing and Elder Pound.
Front row: Elder Gleed and Elder Rodriguez.

Front row left to right:  Sister Liddiard and Sister Marcy.
Second row left to right:  Elder Rodriguez, Elder Kerby and Elder Lambert.
Back row:  Elder Howard, Elder Standing, Elder Pound and standing...Sister Allen.

During the meeting, the President always does some training.  This time it was about trust.

Elder Danner and Sister Agostini demonstrate walking blindfolded and shoeless through set mousetraps.

Sister DeAgostini chose Sister Liddiard to help her.  At first Sister Liddiard tried to talk her through the maze.  Eventually she just went, took her hand and guided her through.

Elder Mataele took a different approach and picked up Elder Danner and carried him through.

Good thing  Elder Mataele is strong.

The elders go out to eat lunch, but the sisters have a "working lunch" with President and me.

Left to right: Sister Liddiard, Sister Allen, Sister Marcy and Sister DeAgostini.

Zone Leader Council was held a week following New Leader Training.  And to prove we do something other than eat - here are pictures just before we start the meeting.

Left to right:  Silver Spring North ZLs - Elder Kennedy and Elder Anderson; Suitland ZLs - Elder Brown and Elder Pearson.

Left to right:  Washington South ZLs - Elder Hurd and Elder Greiner; Washington North ZLs - Elder Dillon and Elder Danner. 

Left to right:  Seneca ZLs - Elder Rodriguez and Elder Kerby; Silver Spring South ZLs - Elder Lee and Elder Croft.

Transfer week - March 14, 2012 - Departures

Thirteen families are very happy this day as their sons or daughters will arrive after serving their missions.  President and I are happy knowing that these great missionaries have completed honorable missions.  But there's sadness at having to say good-bye (for now).

Some of the departing missionaries have parents who meet them and then travel home with them.

Elder Shinost and his mother

Elder Krugman and his mother - along with Elder Danner.

Elder Wright and his parents, siblings and spouses and niece.

And this is a wonderful time for missionaries to take one last picture with the departing missionaries.

Left to right: Sister Moore, Sister Withers, Sister Liddiard, Sister Miller, Sister Holt, Sister Perez, Sister Marcy and Sister Finlay.

Left to right: Elder Goodman, Elder Kinne and Elder Fisher.

Left to right: Elder Vanaa, Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Teriirere, Elder Galuvao and Elder Lindsay.  Do these names remind you of Wheel of Fortune?  (I'd like to buy a vowel, please.) 

Left to right: Elder Croft, Elder Gumbi, Elder Watson and Elder Stoor.

Left to right: Elder Croft, Elder Greiner, Elder Danner, Elder Krugman, Elder Opeda and Elder Lee.

Elder Martin wanted a picture of us together in front of the temple before he left.

Elder Rodriguez and Elder Opeda.

Left to right: Elder Lee, Elder Shinost and Elder Croft.

Sister Welch and Sister Hazen

Elder Kennedy, Elder Galuvao and Elder Cameron.

OK - the missionaries make me do crazy things sometimes.
Elder Danner give me a thumbs up for my effort.

Before the testimony meeting, we have a few minutes to take some more pictures.

Elder Walker and Elder Probst wear their companionship ties.

Front row left to right:  Sister Hazen, Sister Matsumori,  President Matsumori, Sister Withers.
Back row left to right:  Elder Palmer, Elder Shinost, Elder Wright, Elder Probst, Elder Martin, Elder Opeda, Elder Krugman, Elder Cameron and Elder Walker.

Following the meeting, we eat together.

One of the members brought this for one of the departing missionaries. 

Elder Krugman and Elder Opeda sit with Sister Krugman and Audrey Dixon. Sister Dixon was baptized by Elder Krugman and was going to the temple for the first time - right after lunch.

Elder Martin, Elder Walker and Elder Probst sit together.

And so - it's time for final good-byes at the airport as everyone heads to different flights.

Left to right: Elder Cameron, Elder Walker, Elder Probst, Sister Withers, Sister Hazen, Elder Palmer, Elder Opeda and Elder Martin.

The two missionaries going home internationally had to leave on earlier flights - so Elder and Sister Dougall took them to the airport. 

Elder Salazar returned to Colombia.  His flight was actually on Tuesday.

Elder Shigeta flew home to Japan.  

Transfer week: March 14, 2012 - New missionaries and their trainers

The new missionaries are good sports.  They tolerate the training, the food and the ping pong. What they really want to know is where they will be serving and who will be their new companion. Can't blame them.

So on day two, we arrive early at the Visitors Center and the new missionaries take a few minutes to look around before they go into the meeting to meet their companions.

Elder Winkler, Elder Lanham, Elder Vaterlaus and Elder Peterson listen to President Matsumori about the value of using the Visitors Center.

Elder Wright watches Elder Seo and Elder Wery who try to locate temples  throughout the world on a computerized display. 

Typically the trainers are there well before we start the meeting.  However, this time some trainers who came up from the southern part of the mission were late.  They were riding in with a member, who was running late. While it makes for some anxious moments for the new missionaries, we just appreciate the members who help in so many ways - including providing rides for the missionaries.

The new missionaries sit on the front row - from right to left:  Elder Branning, Elder Wery, Elder Peterson, Elder Seo, Elder Lanham, Elder Winkler, Elder Vaterlaus, Elder Moss, Elder Centeno and Elder Long.

Front row left to right: Elder Long, Elder Centeno, Elder Moss, Elder Vaterlaus, Elder Winkler and Elder Lanham.
Back row left to right:  Elder Mullins, Elder Miles, Elder Lambert, Elder Bigelow and Elder Benke.

President Matsumori speaks to the group.

Front row left to right: Elder Seo, Elder Peterson, Elder Wery, Elder Branning and Sister Lin.
Left to right in the back: Elder Lowry and Elder Benke and Sister Chan's hair.

The moment of truth - new missionaries on one side, trainers on the other and then the announcement.

Left to right: Elder Pierucci, Elder Branning, Elder Wery, Elder Peterson, Elder Winkler, Elder Seo, Elder Vaterlaus and Elder Lanham.

The rest of the line left to right: Elder Seo, Elder Vaterlaus, Elder Lanham, Sister Lin, Elder Moss, Elder Centeno and Elder Long.

And looking across the room are the trainers left to right:  Elder Wells, Elder Lowry, Elder Gillespie, Elder Bigelow, Elder Benke, Elder Lambert, Elder Mullins, Elder Miles, Sister Chan and Elder Hatch.

The rest of the trainers left to right: Elder Cottrell, Elder Wang, Elder Wells, Elder Lowry, Elder Gillespie, Elder Bigelow, Elder Benke and Elder Lambert.

The president announces companions and they joyfully greet each other.  (Sorry about the blurred photo. I forget I'm not taking video!)

No surprise here - Sister Chan and Sister Lin are companions. 

Elder Benke and Elder Branning try the handshake that was demonstrated.

Elder Lambert meets his companion, Elder Lanham.

And Elder Wells shows his enthusiasm at meeting Elder Seo. 

Elder Miles enthusiastically pats Elder Vaterlaus on the back.

After the meeting the new missionaries meet many other missionaries who have come to the Visitors Center.

Here are the Spanish missionaries left to right: Elder Branning and Elder Benke are companions.  Elder Bigelow will be training Elder Long (on the far right).  And Elder Lee has snuck into the picture. 

Elder Centeno will be trained by Elder Wang.

Left to right: Elder Wery, Elder Watson, Elder Gillespie (Elder Wery's trainer), and Elder Miles.

Left to right: Elder Peterson will be trained by Elder Cottrell.  Elder Fisher joins in to check out the pictures.