The air is filled with excitement as the missionaries gather in anticipation of where their new areas will be and who will be their companion. This transfer was especially exciting as there were many changes made as the first 18 year old missionaries arrived to our mission.
The sisters had a Pre-meeting to discuss their new schedule. Eight companionships will stay in the Visitors Center full-time. That means they are there every day, alternating between the morning and afternoon shifts. Five companionships will be full proselyting areas and they will come to the Visitors Center every Friday morning for training and also as called upon to help usher special events. The five full proselyting areas are: Gathersburg Spanish, Laurel, Carrolton, Quince Orchard West and Bowie. All of the sisters can be transferred in and out of both areas. The Olney area is now an elder's area.
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| The sisters gather to hear about the changes. |
The elders gather in the hallway to visit before entering the chapel.
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| I'll make no attempt at identifying all of these elders who are gathered in the hall. You're on your own to find your favorite. |
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Front and center: Elder Appiah
Left to right: Elder Dickerson, Elder Rozsa, Elder Miyasaki, Elder Brown, Elder Johnson and Elder Centeno. |
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Left to right: Elder Munoz, Elder Sterr, Elder Lott, Elder Bodily, Elder Branning, Elder Vanaa, Elder Gurerro and Elder Martinez.
In the back: Elder Black and Elder Chapman. |
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| Left to right: Elder McLane, Elder Horowitz and Elder Radford head for the chapel to hear about the new assignments. |
Following the transfer meeting is the time for the departing missionaries to gather.
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Those who will be departing this transfer include Elder and Sister Dougall who have been in the office for 26 months.
Left to right: Elder and Sister Dougall, Elder Watson, President and Sister Matsumori, Elder Bigelow and Elder Gillespie. |
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| Elder Bigelow's entire family has traditionally gone to pick up each missionary as they return. Elder Bigelow set the stipulation that they could only come and pick him up if they placed a Book of Mormon first. Each one of them did. |
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Departing missionaries - left to right:
Elder Watson, Elder Bigelow and Elder Gillespie. |
