This is the start of Transfer week and it happens that it is also the 2 Monday which means we have a Senior staff meeting and a Senior FHE. So pretty much from Monday through Thursday is busy, busy, busy with some of it moving on through Friday!
Staff meeting is where all the couples meet with the president and talk about their stewardships. The first picture has E/S McCormick on the left who serve as MLS missionaries down in Marathon Key and who we recently visited. They are doing a great job with teaching English and Naturalization lessons. They are really excited to have missionaries coming to Marathon this transfer. E/S Collins are in charge of housing. With all the new areas opening up they have been super busy finding new housing and getting all the things an apartment needs for missionaries to move in.
The right hand picture from left to right – that is confusing isn’t it – shows E/S Ellis, E/S Boice and again the McCormicks. E/S Ellis are the Family History couple but they also take care of the mail and help out wherever they are needed. The young missionaries think of Elder Ellis as their grandfather. The Boices are called as the Employment missionaries and they put many, many hours in at the Center, putting on seminars, and training local leaders. Sister Boice is like me and takes lots of pictures.
The picture on the left shows E/S Singleton, Bares and again the E/S Ellis. The Singletons will be taking over our callings as Finance and Mission secretary. We are trying to train them in the time that we have left. I feel that they are doing a great job already and will be great for the mission. Sister Bare takes care of recording of baptisms and confirmations as well as spoiling the missionaries with treats. She has learned Spanish very well and loves to hold FHE with the members of the Spanish branch. Elder Bare is in the Car and Bike Czar and is probably along with the Collins the hardest working of the senior couples. He sleeps with his phone near his bed in case he gets a call of help from missionaries who have managed to lock their keys in their car or have had an accident. He is also becoming an expert on having cars that will not start towed. Bikes and bike racks also manage to take up a good portion of his time. They just extended for another 6 months – much to the relief of President Anderson.
On the evening of Staff meetings we usually gather again at the mission home to have FHE. Two other couples are invited to join the meeting. Brother Barry is in charge of over seeing the construction of the Fort Lauderdale temple. He is a Church employee but puts in many more hours than most employees. We have a running joke about me sneaking in and taking pictures of the insides of unfinished temple. The left hand picture has the Singletons and brother Barry talking before dinner. The other couple are E/S DeGraffenried who are called as full time service missionaries helping brother Barry with the temple construction. Elder De is in the red tie is talking to E/S Ellis with sisters Bare and McCormick in the background.
Sisters Bare, Collins, and McCormick in the Kitchen with all the food before them. Elder Collins talking to President Anderson about housing – at least that is what I am guessing.
 
Everything is ready and waiting for the blessing. It does not take long for the couples to file down both sides and fill their plates. President Anderson is making sure that everyone takes enough.
E/S Barry
