New Arrivals – 11 Special Sisters 8 Special Elders

 It is a very special day because 19 above average missionaries arrived in the mission. For months we have known their names and even had a lot of information about them, but when they come through the security gate and we get to meet them, they are truly Florida Fort Lauderdale missionaries.

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Since there were so many coming a caravan of vehicles had to be assembled and driven to the airport to pick up them and their luggage. President and Sister Anderson of course greets all incoming missionaries. Sister Bare and myself along with the APs drove 3 vans and a truck to the airport. It is a wonder sight to see the first missionaries come through the gate. Everyone smiles when they see each other. These young men and women have been up since 1:30 – 2:00 am Utah time, have spent 5-6 hours in airports and airplane and still arrive with big smiles on their faces and ready to go to work inviting others to come unto Christ.

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Their is a lot of luggage for 19 missionaries and so it take about a half hour to get it all off. Then missionaries and luggage is loaded in the vehicles. They are next driven to the hotel – which is right next to the mission office – where they are assigned rooms, they get just a few minutes to get themselves and their luggage loaded into the rooms and then it is back into the vehicles to be driven to the mission home.

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I did not go with the missionaries but stayed behind to pick up two elders who missed the connection from Fort Worth to here. Elders Williamson and Lange got an extra 1 1/2 in the Fort Worth airport where they told me they had a good conversation with a woman. Since their luggage had already been collected we drove directly to the mission home where we were the first to arrive. President Anderson greeted them and immediately started interviewing. 19 interviews takes a good bit of time

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The other missionaries arrived at the mission home about 20 minutes after we did. They filed in and almost immediately Sister Anderson had some one bless the food so they could get started eating.

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I was surprised how quickly all the missionaries filled their plates and started eating. There was very little conversation until plates had been pretty much cleaned. Then the sister’s table had a good time talking about many things with sister Anderson

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After a meal of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and salad there was brownies and ice cream. Everyone had as much as they could eat and commented it was great to have a meal of something other than cafeteria food. Sister Anderson is a wonderful cook and love to cook for the missionaries.

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I did not take a lot of individual pictures. The APs do that so they can be put on board cards and a picture of the new arrival and president and sister Anderson can be sent home to their parents. Sister Meiling will be trained by sister Lira the Miami Lakes North area. Sister Hansen will serve with sister Bean in the Riverside Park branch. After dinner the assistants train the new missionaries about the mission rules, how to use their MSF cards, etc. They are given a binder that is full of necessary and helpful information. While this is going on President Anderson continues to interview the missionaries so he can be inspired as to which missionary will train them.

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When everyone has been interviewed and trained they are loaded back into the vans and taken back to the hotel. As there were so many missionaries, Mary and I came back and picked some up. By the time they get back to their rooms they are either so tired they pray and fall into bed or are so hyped up that they can not sleep. They will be get up early tomorrow, have a quick breakfast and be picked up to be taken to transfer meeting.



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