The semi-annual gathering of departing missionaries experienced summer like temperatures and tourist like crowds. It was wonderful.
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| President Matsumori gives instructions before we head off. |
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| He explains about the significance of this site as many of the missionaries are international and are unfamiliar with American history. |
Arlington Cemetery covers a lot of area. We only see a bit of it, but we do it all on foot.
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| We leave the visitor's center in a somewhat organized group. |
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| By the time people stop for photographs or just to visit, we start spreading apart. |
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| Elder Gleed walks the path between the Tomb of the Unknowns and Arlington House. |
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| And here come Sister Word, Sister Schoemaker, Sister Blasco and Sister Brown. |
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| Elder Sanchez and Elder White coming up to the Kennedy gravesite. Notice the magnolia tree in full bloom. |
We head to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to watch the changing of the guard.
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| We arrive early to try to position ourselves for a good view. |
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| Others line up along another point. |
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| Other tourists start to arrive. |
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| A couple of missionaries watch from above. |
These stair cases are great to gather this many missionaries for photos.
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| These are all the missionaries who will be leaving between now and October. I'll name them in the smaller group photos. |
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The missionaries who will be leaving on May 1 are:
Front row left to right: Sister Lawrence and Sister Fehlman.
Next row left to right are: Elder McLane, Elder Rozsa, Elder White, Elder Sanchez, Elder Wells and Elder Pawlenchuk.
Back row left to right: Elder Roomataaroa, Elder Mullins, Elder Vanaa and Elder Larson. |
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The sisters leaving in June are left to right: Sister Wanker, Sister Gros and Sister Lin.
The departing elders are left to right: Elder Hansen, Elder McLane, Elder Clapier and Elder Gleed.
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| The missionaries leaving in July are left to right: Elder Kuddes, Elder Lowry and Sister Gros. |
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These missionaries will leave in September.
Sister Morotti and left to right: Elder Salanoa, Elder Wery and Elder Olson. |
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The missionaries who will leave in October are
Front row left to right: Sister Schoemaker, Elder Nielson and Elder Seely.
Second row: Sister Blasco, Sister Word, Elder Olsen and Elder Fisher.
Back row: Elder Sterr, Elder Watts, Elder Julander, Elder Bodily and Elder Fisher. |
The view of the city from Arlington House is one of the most spectacular. The shape of the Washington Monument is distorted because of all the scaffolding that is built around it. They are using it to repair some of the damage caused by last year's earthquake.
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| Left to right: Sister Morotti, Sister Wankier, Sister Lawrence, Sister Fehlman and Sister Lin. |
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These are the missionaries serving in the Spanish program.
Front row left to right: Elder White, Elder Gleed, Elder Clapier, Elder Olson, Sister Gros, Sister Schoemaker and Sister Word.
Back row: Elder Sterr, Elder Hansen, Elder Rozsa, Elder Julander, Elder Sanchez, Elder Larson, Sister Brown and Sister Blasco. |
Last stop - the Marine Corp memorial of Iwo Jima.
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| Left to right: Elder Lowry, Elder Clapier, Elder Wells, Elder Roomataaroa and Elder Vanaa. |
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| Left to right: Sister Matsumori, Sister Gros, Sister Brown, Sister Word and Sister Schoemaker. |
Because the weather finally warmed up for a few days before our trip, the first wave of trees have started to blossom. Here are some evidences of spring.
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| A fully opened cherry tree. |
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| Clearly they don't struggle with deer at Arlington - otherwise these flowers would all be eaten. |
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| Everyone wants photos of the cherry blossoms. |
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| This photo shows why the cherry blossoms are so admired. |
