Transfer Day

It was so neat to see how my parents do transfers.  We hear them talk about it but to see it in action was amazing.  The night before transfers (Tuesday) the missionaries going home (5 Elders) come over for dinner (it is catered by Tess),  interviews with my dad, and testimony meeting.  They then sleep over in the annex.  My parents have a building in their backyard that has beds upstairs for the Elder's when they come/go or are sick.  Downstairs is a big room they hold meetings and trainings at.  There was one American and 4 from the Philippines going home.

The next morning Willie, Rose, and Gloria make everyone breakfast.

The missionaries have training on job skills from a mission couple in the Lagazpi mission.  While they are doing that my parents go to the church and hold transfers.  They tell everyone where their new areas are and companions.  If they are going to be training the new incoming missionaries they go back to my parents for training.

One of the AP's went home this transfer so a new one was called. 

These are the missionaries going home.

Sad to say goodbye

So the missionaries going home get checked in and wait for the plane to come.  The plane comes in and brings the new missionaries.

Incoming missionaries.  This first plane was missionaries from the MTC in Manila.  I believe there was 16 or so.

We go back to my parents and they get pictures with my parents.  They then get weighed (they get weighed at every zone conference to make sure that they don't have a worm), my mom goes over what they brought with them and what they still need.  The missionaries from the Philippines usually can't afford all the clothes and things that they are to bring so they put money on their debit card for them to get what they need.  This time they had given up stuff at the MTC to help them missionaries from the Typhoon.  They also get their own pillow and sheets to help with the lice problem.  They also get vitamins to help them stay healthy.  They also get training on health and hygiene.  The AP's give training on culture difference and how to get along with their companion.  There is a problem with the cultural difference in companionship.
After this they get placed with their companions that just finished up with training.  They then are sent on their way. 

Then, the missionaries that came from the Provo MTC come in.  They are sent to sleep since they have just had a long flight.  The guys are out in the building.  The girls go upstairs to the loft at my parents.  They then come down for dinner.  They then have testimony meeting that night.  Then they sleep over at my parents.

The next morning they go through the training and the process that was done yesterday.  The AP's stress the culture issues a lot to these American missionaries.  A lot of the apartments only have cold water, no toilet paper- they use cups of water to clean themselves, they hand wash their clothes, their are rats and bugs in most of the apartments.  I just have to say that I don't know if I could do this!!  A few of the sister missionaries got very nervous and my mom had to talk to them.  Also, the food is different and they talked about how to not get sick and how to be kind if they just can't eat it.

They then meet their new companions and head off.  Wow!  My parents have such a busy few days!