Transfer week-9 new missionaries!

Tuesday we welcomed 9 new missionaries to our mission. 8 straight from the MTC, and then Sister Briones from Mexico arrived about 2 hours later. She has been waiting for her visa to get here for at least 2 months, so we were really excited to get her here. She has been serving in the Mexico mission while she waited. They are a great group. As always, they are very tired when they get here because of getting up so early; but they still have to go through the administrative training that is necessary. But then we gave them a good dinner and got them to bed early that night. On Wednesday morning before they received their new companions, they looked so much more refreshed and alert. They still looked a little anxious and nervous, because they knew that real mission life was beginning! Getting a new companion and going to a new area, new apartment, and going out teaching! It is always fun to see them meet their trainers and to watch them all load up their cars and head to their new areas! Besides Sister Briones, we had one other sister from Mexico, and they were both so excited to see snow for their first time. I told them they would see it on Friday, so to go buy their winter coats and be ready!! And it did snow Friday--our first snow of the season! I think winter is here.
Thursday was our regular transfer day where we transfer all the missionaries throughout the mission.
It's always a fun, busy, crazy day. We start in Calgary, go to Lethbridge, and then back to Calgary. Everything went smoothly--even with bringing in new cars and getting them out to different companionships. I have to say it's a little scary giving these brand new cars out to the missionaries--we hope they take good care of them, and that there are no accidents! The main accident that happens is backing up! We train and train and train on it, and the companion is always outside the car helping them back up--and yet for some strange reason, it still happens! We'll keep training. And now we are adding winter driving to the mix!
Anyway, on Thursday after we got the transfers done, we took our departing missionaries to the temple. This is always a wonderful time to be with them. They are very reflective and their feelings are very tender. They wonder if they will ever again see some of the people they have come to love. Especially our missionaries that come from outside North America.
Following the temple we come back to the mission home for a yummy dinner and then we have a testimony meeting. I wish everyone could listen to these departing missionaries share their testimonies of the Savior. It is really powerful and I am so proud of them and what they have become. Some of them really fought to be here, and it is so gratifying to see that they made it, and gained a strong testimony in the process.
Friday morning we got them all off at the airport and sent them on their way! It is hard to give that final hug good-by, but I keep picturing their family at the other end waiting to greet them, and that makes me happy to send them off. We love them and are so grateful for their service.
This weekend in Canada is Thanksgiving weekend. The actual day is Monday, but people will have their dinners anytime over the weekend. So on Saturday, Elder and Sister Sefcik, who serve part time in our mission office, invited us to their family Thanksgiving dinner. They also invited a number of our missionaries--so it was a fun time for us, and we were grateful for the invitation.
Our office couples are all amazing. They put in so much time, and do so much for our mission. People have no idea what it takes to run a mission--the finances, the housing, the cars, the scheduling, and so many other things. We are so grateful for all of them!
Sunday morning we spoke in the Valley View Ward in Calgary, and used excerpts from both Elder Neil L. Andersen's and Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talks this past general conference on member missionary work. We know that if members of the church worldwide will follow their counsel, it will have an incredible impact on people being brought into this wonderful gospel. We want so much to grow the kingdom here in the Canada Calgary Mission!