Our First Transfer Week

What a busy week this past week! It was our first “transfer week”. We received 17 new missionaries (one from the Mexico Missionary Training Center on Monday and 16 from the Provo MTC on Tuesday morning); trained them all on Tuesday and Wednesday; coordinated the transfer of all those missionaries who were to move to new assignments; held the traditional dinner and testimony meeting for those missionaries completing their missions and going home; and then made sure the departing missionaries made it to the airport to catch their planes home to their families. Throughout the week a number of other activities also occurred, requiring various levels of Anne’s and my attention.

Tuesday, we picked up the 16 new missionaries at the train station in Murray at around 8:30 a.m. We drove them to the Mission Offices where we held training for most of the day, followed by a climb up Ensign Peak behind the State Capitol building, a tour of the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City, dinner back at the Mission Offices and about an hour of real missionary work with current, experienced missionaries before taking them to their hotels for the night at about 9:30 p.m. The hike up Ensign Peak was difficult. The temperature was 102˚ and we were in dresses (for the women) and shirts and ties (for the men). We won’t be doing that again (at least not without changing first, taking enough water, and making sure the temperature is appropriate for such an activity). It was wonderful, however, to hear of their experiences with their first missionary efforts that night. Some had been blessed with extremely positive experiences and some had been blessed with not positive experiences at all. They all, however, were so excited to share, even those who did not have positive experiences that night. (Those missionaries shared how they were just blessed to be involved in the Lord’s work whether others wanted to listen or not.)

Wednesday, when I picked up the missionaries at their hotel, I learned that another group of missionaries – from another religious faith – coincidentally had been booked in the hotel that night as well. One of those missionaries, an adult of about 40 years of age, was trying to convince these young missionaries of ours that the message they were sharing was false. I was proud how they kindly shared their testimonies with him and wished him a good day. Easily the highlight of the day, however, was the dinner with and testimonies shared by the departing missionaries. It was moving to hear them express their feelings of joy and happiness for having had the privilege to serve God for the past 18 – 24 months. They expressed how hard it had been at times but also expressed the happiness they felt and growth they witnessed in themselves for having completed their missions with honor. Anne and I were so sad we hadn’t had more time with these valiant young men and young women. It was also moving to hear how many of them did not want to go home; not because they did not want to see or be with their families, but rather because they didn’t want their mission experience to end.

Thursday morning was spent meeting with the medical professionals who take care of our missionaries and discuss any needs that they may have and then meeting with the group of approximately 14 or so senior missionary couples (married couples who have retired and are serving missions together here in Utah and Wyoming). They are so wise and wonderful.

Friday night, I got to teach a lesson with two of our young sister missionaries up in Rock Springs, Wyoming. I attended via Zoom. They taught a man who was probably in his early 50’s who had had a rough life and was so happy to have met the missionaries and hear of the message of repentance, forgiveness and happiness that they teach. He had been so touched by their message previously that he invited one of his longtime friends to attend this lesson with us as well. It was so uplifting getting to teach each other.

Saturday, Anne and I attended the baptisms of two Black American young women of maybe 14 and 16 years of age. They were so happy getting baptized that they couldn’t contain their happiness, which escaped giggles as they entered the font of water. The second sister was afraid of water so when she was to be immersed, she struggled not to have her face go under the water. (In our faith, baptism is performed by immersion and the entire body is to be completely immersed under the water.) She overcame her fear and was so happy when she came up out of the water.

Today, we attended the Garden Park Ward for sacrament meeting (our regular Sunday church service). The Garden Park Ward meets on a plot of land that was owned by Brigham Young (the second modern-day prophet who followed as leader of our faith upon the murder/martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith). The land was later developed as a beautiful garden park that eventually also contained a church building for church services as well. What a beautiful, and unique building and plot of land. Anne and I decided we needed to visit the gardens some evening when the temperatures cool down a bit.

The concluding speaker was a gentleman who, upon retirement, decided to go back to school to learn Hebrew so he could read the Old Testament in its original language since he had no other hobbies to occupy his time. It was fascinating to hear him share insights into differences between the concepts expressed in Hebrew and those translations found in our King James version of the Bible. He concluded with one of the most beautiful insights. 

We are all familiar with Psalm 23. The last verse of this psalm in the King James version says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” He explained that the Hebrew word translated to “mercy”, really more appropriately expresses the concept of “God’s perfect love” and that the Hebrew word translated as “follow”, more appropriately conveys “pursuit” (like an army pursuing an objective). Thus the verse really should convey that God will “pursue” us with “His perfect love” – even as we may run away from Him. I thought that was such a beautiful concept.

We will have been on our missions one month on Wednesday.