Departing Missionaries

 The last day for these wonderful missionaries starts with the transfer train.  Each one comes from their apartments down to the Gonzales building. They all arrive in time to eat lunch with all of the new missionaries and their trainers along with other missionaries who are moving in the transfer. All of their luggage is loaded into a  truck or trailer and then they all wait for the new missionary training to finish. When all is done, all of the departing missionaries go together in the van to down town Ventura. Then we all meet at our mission home for dinner and testimonies. 
One of our favorite experiences is to sit and enjoy listening to the stories and experiences of  theses wonderful young men and women. There seems to be a real connection with those that you started your missions with. It is just such a great opportunity to hear them talk about how much they have grown and changed since they began.
After testimonies are shared, and we all kneel together for the last time, we cut the ties of the Elders to keep as a reminder of each one of them. We meet at 6:30 the next morning for one final picture and then they are finally on their way to meet their families! 

   Elder Seui and his salad

 Elder Allen, Elder Emerson, Elder baker, Elder Bates, Sister McInnis, Elder Seui, Elder Olacsi

 Elder Barzee and Elder Goodman: Assistants

 Elder Seui

   Elder Baker

Elder Seui, Elder Allen, Elder Emerson, Elder Bates, Elder Olacsi, Elder Baker  

 Pres and Sister Nakken, Sister McInnis, Elder Emerson, Elder Baker, Elder Bates, Elder Allen, Elder Olacsi, Elder Seui

 Elder Olacsi, Elder Baker, Sister McInnis, Elder Emerson, Pres Nakken, Elder Seui, Elder Bates, Elder Allen

 Sister McInnis and Sister Ashby

  Elder and Sister Jensen, Pres Nakken, Elder Baker, Elder Olacsi, Elder Allen, Elder Bates, Elder Emerson, Elder Seui, Sister McInnis, Elder and Sister Ashby

 

Arriving Missioanries

Every transfer we meet as an office staff on the Friday before the new missionaries arrive to coordinate with everyone and plan an agenda so everyone knows their assignments. President Nakken usually spends Saturday and Sunday (sometimes even friday) doing departing interviews with all of the departing missionaires. Then we are ready to welcome the new missionaries on Monday. We all have an agenda of the schedule over a four day period. 

We have learned that the greatest part about serving with the senior couples in our mission is that they are extremely FLEXIBLE! 

We got a call on Monday morning that all of the flights had to be rescheduled. All twenty were supposed to be at the Santa Barbara Airport by 3:00. But now, in order to get them all here on different flights they would be coming in 7 different groups! So we tossed our itinerary and began rescheduling. Pres Nakken felt it was important to personally greet each missionary so we stayed at the airport from 3:00- until about 7:00 to pick up all those that had come in. We took 3 vans driven by the assistants, Elder Barzee and Elder Tanuvasa, Elder Ashby, and us to Kyle's Kitchen for dinner. Then a group went back to the mission home with the assistants while we waited for the last two groups who finally came at 8:45 and 9:10. Members in the Ventura Zone housed fourteen of the missionaries and the last group stayed at the mission home with us. We were finally all together for the first time for breakfast the next morning! Not one thing had gone as planned, but everything worked out perfectly!

After introductions we all went down to the Gonzales building for training. Elder Jensen spoke about apartments and finances. Elder Ashby talked about vehicles. Sister Ashby helped them fill our all the necessary paperwork and write their parents, and Sister Mackay talked about personal health. 

They were able to eat lunch with all of the trainers and other missionaries that were waiting for the transfer train. After more training about the new process of reporting on google sheets for those being  trained, we introduced their new companions and they found our what area they would be serving in! This is probably my favorite day of the transfer! I just love meeting the new missionaries and also seeing so many that we already know and love! 

Elder Tanuvasa and Elder Barzee- Assistants to President Nakken

 Sister Flake, Hma Bullough and Sister Awerkamp

 Elder Jacobsen, Elder Terron, Elder Turner, Elder Stevens, Elder Brewer

 Elder South, ELder Wheeler and Elder Barzee

 Elder Tanuvasa, Elder Wheeler, Elder South, Elder Berry, Elder Thornock, Elder Hiatt, Elder Turner, Elder Brewer, Elder Stevens, Pres Nakken, Elder Barzee
Elder Terron, Elder Jacobsen, Sister Awerkamp, Hma Bullough, Sister Nakken, Sister Flake

 Elder Woolsey and Elder South

  Elder Stevens and Elder Leszynski

 Elder King and Elder Hulet

 Elder Sorenson and Elder Scott

 Elder Terron and Elder Pendleton

 Elder Wheeler and Elder Thueson

 Elder Black and Elder Forester

 Elder Merchant and Elder Berry

 Elder Johnsen and Elder Robinson

 Elder Thornock and Elder Mills

 Hna Bullough and Hna Cruz

 Elder Brewer and Elder Holland

 Sister Watkins and Sister  Awerkamp

 Elder Dernbach and Elder McEntire

 Elder McKenzie and Elder Tangren

 Elder Turner and Elder Spackman

 Elder Potter and Elder Limb

 Elder Jacobsen and Elder Jarnagin

  Elder Hiatt and Elder Tanuvasa

Sister Fairbourn and Sister Flake