Finally able to write!

I'm finally getting a chance to write--wow it's been busy here. I think I say that every time I post! I guess that is just missionary life!
Last week was another great transfer week! We welcomed 10 new missionaries on Tuesday afternoon- 7 sisters and 3 elders. It's always so fun to see them come through those doors at the airport! Excited and exhausted from getting up so early at the MTC to get here. I had to laugh because as we were doing our training that afternoon I could see their heads starting to nod, so we invited them to stand whenever they needed to to be able to stay awake. Most of the time on Tuesday afternoon is orientation stuff--learning about housing, cars, medical, etc. We have learned not to do any 'doctrinal' or spiritual training that day because they are just too tired to even comprehend it. So we do this orientation and then have our yummy dinner and then the assistants come and do some fun things with them--telling them about the different zone areas and letting them guess where they think their first assignment will be. We really are done by 8:00 pm so we can get them to bed early! And they love that!
Wednesday after our training in the morning they all met their new trainers and were off to their areas. I love watching them all head out--they are so excited to now really be 'in the field'! It's amazing to watch the faith of these missionaries as they come out. I love it.
Wednesday evening we had to unexpectedly drive to Lethbridge to deal with some challenges there, so we stayed down and met up with all the missionaries for transfers at the stake centre there. Then we drove back to Calgary to take our departing missionaries to the temple.
Our temple session is always so nice with them. It really is a tender time to be with them in the temple as they reflect on the service they've given, and contemplate going home. And of course after the temple we had a delicious dinner with them.
Friday morning we took them all to the airport and hugged them good-bye! It really is such a revolving door--we are sad to see these ones we have grown to love leave us, but yet we are excited to greet a whole new group!
Saturday we were able to catch up on a bunch of things and prepare for our MLC which was today! And we actually took a little date night on Saturday night and went to dinner and relaxed. It felt good-but we still had so much to do that we were both a little anxious! But we sure slept good on Saturday night!
Sunday we were able to go to the ward where we live. This is only about the 5th time in the 20 months we've been out that we've gone there. And Sunday night we spoke at a city wide YSA Fireside in Calgary. It was great to see all of these young single adults--one of them was Mike's mission companion from his mission in Phoenix--so it's fun to catch up with him, and one of them was one of our returned missionaries now living here in Calgary.
On Monday we had our usual office meeting with our couples serving in the office. They are so wonderful, and we are getting nervous because we are losing them and haven't found replacements yet! Elder and Sister Peppinger leave March 17, and the Thorleys leave at the end of May. We have found a brother to come in and do finances, but we are praying to find two senior couples!
Monday we drove to Lethbridge to stay for the week. We began interviews with the Lethbridge East zone on Tuesday and today we had our MLC. We love MLC! Today so many missionaries did trainings that were so great. We had trainings on the Doctrine of Christ, on companion exchanges, and How to Introduce the Book of Mormon. We are always so proud of these missionaries when they teach and train. We love to hear their insights. Steve taught about being spiritually 'born', and how Christ becomes our 'spiritual father' because He gives us new life through repentance and baptism. It was really great. We also had training on how to teach the doctrine of Christ, and more specifically on repentance--not only how to teach it, but how to practice repentance in our own lives.
MLC is just a wonderful meeting, but our hope is that the leaders can take what they have learned and be able to teach it and use it to help the rest of the missionaries in our mission. That's the purpose of MLC--to take what is learned there and bless the whole mission with it. These leaders are learning how to be leaders, and they are doing a good job! This is great work, but it is work! I know that the Lord directs it and He helps us in it. There are times when I am so tired I wonder if I can go on, and yet He always strengthens me to be able to do what I need to.