You'd think that saying good-bye would somehow get easier, that I'd toughen up. But no. It still tears at our heart to bid farewell to these great missionaries. There were seven elders who left this transfer - and no sisters. What's interesting is there were 19 who arrived in this group two years ago. Why the discrepancy in numbers? Well, the sisters go home six months earlier and those who are in the language programs leave earlier as well because of their extra time in the MTC learning a language.
Two sets of parents came out to pick up their missionaries.
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| Elder Pearson greets his mother as his dad waits his turn. |
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| The Stallings with Elder Stalling. |
The missionaries double check the weight of their luggage before they load them onto the vans. If the luggage is even one pound over the allotted 50 pounds, the airlines charge extra.
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| Elder Koyle discovers he needs to lighten his load. Elder Lott and Elder Danner look on. |
The missionaries get to see one another at the visitors center as they gather to say good-bye to the departing missionaries.
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| Left to right: Elder Moore, Elder Goodman, Elder Olsen and Elder Stoor. |
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| Left to right: Elder Bodily, Elder Tomlinson, Elder Gremillion and Elder Rodriguez. |
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| Elder Jelitto, Elder Standing and Elder Brown. |
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| The arriving missionaries come out from their training meeting and are greeted by the experienced missionaries. |
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| Left to right: Elder Larson, Elder Danner (being held aloft), Elder Salanoa and Elder McDonald. |
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| A posterity line: Elder Croft, Elder Gleed and Elder Anderson. |
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| Those who got the memo to wear red and black: Sister Ertelt, Sister Matsumori and Sister Brown. |
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| Another posterity group from top to bottom: Elder Lindsay with Elder Tomlinson and Elder Gillespie and then Elder Wery. |
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The French group gather - front row left to right: Elder Pawlenchuk, Elder Tomlinson, Elder Anderson and Elder Searle.
Second row left to right: Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Wery, Elder Gillespie, Elder Lindsay, Elder Teriirere and Elder Vanaa. |
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| Elder Lindsay shows what you look like when you leave the mission after having had many Pacific Islander companions. |
Our formal departure picture:
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| The missionaries left to right; Elder Stallings, Elder Cottrell, Elder Koyle, Elder Lindsay, Elder Danner, Elder Pearson and Elder Carver. |
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| Two senior couples are also departing this transfer. Sister Bushman is on the left. Her husband is recuperating in the hospital. Sister Bleak is on the right. Her husband is involved with transfers at the stake center. |
We gather for lunch before going separate ways.
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| Left to right: Brother Stallings, Sister Stallings, Sister Bushman and Cindy (Elder and Sister Bushman's daughter). |
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| Clockwise around the table from the left: Elder Croft, Elder Pierucci, Brother Pearson, Elder Pearson and Sister Pearson. |
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| Clockwise from the left: Elder Koyle, Elder Cottrell, Elder Carver, Sister Bleak, Elder Danner and Elder Lindsay. |
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| Sister Bleak, Elder Stallings and Elder Koyle. |
Some of the group said their farewells at the airport.
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| The missionaries check in at the kiosks. |
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| Elder Lindsay bids farewell as he is flying on a different carrier. |
