21 new above average missionaries arrived at the Fort Lauderdale airport on Tuesday afternoon and we had the privilege of being asked to help greet and pick them up. From the airport most of them were taken to the hotel near the mission home where they would spend their first night in their mission field.

But before they got to drop onto their beds, they were brought to the mission home where they were fed a delicious home cooked meal, interviewed by President Anderson, had their picture taken a couple of times, instructed by the Assistants about the mission, and then some of them went out to have the opportunity to place Books of Mormon.

We all arrived just minutes after the plane from Dallas made it to the gate. A single man came through the gate and I asked if he had been on the Dallas flight. He told me he was and that there was a large group of ‘your folks’ gathering behind him. A couple of minutes later elder Blackham led the first group through the gate. Elder Mendenhall was close behind. President and sister Anderson greeted each with handshake and hug…the sisters just got the handshake from the president.

Although we had known their names for months we could not put a face with the name until we saw their name tags. I got to know some of them quite well in just a couple of days. Elder Mendenhall was followed by elder White. I think in the second picture elder Chartrand is getting a hug with sister Eldridge waiting to be greeted. In the back is sister Anderson greeting the sisters.

Sisters LeBaron, Forbush, Nimer and Eldridge are around president Anderson. That is elder Rodriquez coming through the gate with the last of the sisters.

 

After the greetings the next stop was the luggage area where we quickly got all the luggage. There only seemed to be a half dozen other passengers picking up luggage. It would have been a very empty plane if our missionaries had not been on it. Everyone and their luggage went to the parking garage where we filled a pick-up and our van with luggage and a couple of other vans with missionaries.

The assistants are in charge of making sure everyone’s luggage is stored and all the missionaries are accounted for. However as we drove out of the airport Mary asked if anyone had counted the missionaries in the vehicles and I told her I sure hoped so.

The next stop is the hotel where room assignments are decided and the missionaries take just enough time to drop their luggage and come back down. While we were waiting for the rooms to be sorted out I had a chance to take some single photos. Elder Thompson and sister Smaellie were the first.

The there was the delightful sister Forbush and elder Hutchison with the thumbs up sign.

Sisters Nimer and McKay seem chipper for people who have been up since 3:00 and traveled some 2500 miles on planes.

 

Elder Underwood got in the spirit of the occasion as did elder Blackham.

Elders Chartrand and Mendenhall got their pictures taken. Elder Blackham seems to have been able to get into many of my pictures. Probably because he is a big young man and is hard to miss.

Elders White and Rodriquez seem to have color coordinated their ties for the day. If I remember correctly their MTC district did it on purpose.

Elder Fuluvaka already has a number of friends here in the mission because his brother served here and only went home a few months ago. Instead of a thumbs up he is giving a Hawaiian greeting. After everyone is loaded into vehicles we all went to the mission home where the first thing to be done is to have pictures taken. First they have individual pictures taken to be put on all the board cards. It is a picture that will haunt them the rest of their mission. 16 – 22 months from now the same picture will be in their departure packets so they really need to have a nice smile.

 

Elder Hutchinson was the first elder…I completely missed the sisters. Elder Shipley is taking pictures of elder Gust taking pictures while a line of elders wait their turn.

A second shot of elder Hutchison and then elder Rodriquez.

Elder Ward gets his turn. The sisters get to always be first in line for food.

This week sister Anderson was the hostess for four dinners and a lunch. It is a good thing she loves to cook. President Anderson is the go to man for cooking meat. He cooked perfect rib-eye steaks for us on Friday night. While the sisters were getting their food the elders lined up for their second picture which is with President and sister Anderson. These will be sent to their parents with a letter saying that they arrived safely.

Some of the elders had already filled their plates when it was time for their second picture so elder Hutchison and Ward are seen snacking on some delicious rolls while they waited. I was taking a picture of elder Shipley putting away the back drop for the pictures when elder Stewart stepped into the shot. I have noticed he does that often.

Notice the food heaped on these elder’s plates. They usually remark how wonderful it is to eat a real meal after weeks of MTC food. Seconds are highly suggested and happily taken by many.

Elder and sister Bare helped out with the preparation, serving and clean up of the meal. The president usually eats meal – if he has time for one – while standing and talking. Sister Anderson was just getting out the dessert when I took a last picture and left to go back to the office. It was a nice experience to take part in this for the second transfer in a row. From the reply above I am glad to see at least one parent found their missionary among my photos.