Twenty New Missionaries!!

A couple weeks ago we welcomed 20 new missionaries into the mission! Due to scheduling conflicts--both with our schedule and their flight time arrivals, we had to do all the training on the same day they arrived and we had to do it at the office as we didn't have time for traveling to the usual welcome meal at the mission home.

Things were a bit chaotic, so we felt bad about that, but all of the missionaries seem to be adjusting well. Thankfully!!

Here are some pictures from that crazy--and oh so exciting day!!

We received 8 new sisters!! So happy to have them!

 Six new elders from the states!

And six additional elders from Latin America--four from Mexico, one from Chile and one from El Salvador!! 

I am sorry I didn't get a picture of them all together but here are four of them signing the mission quilt.

A big welcome to you all!!

 After feeding them all a dinner of lasagna, homemade breadsticks and chocolate cake (I also had a salad that accidentally got left at home:-( We were joined by their trainers.

The office isn't that big so now things got a little crazy!

 Not only did we have the entire office staff and forty additional missionaries . . . 

But we also had all their luggage. 

 Somehow everything worked out okay, and the new missionaries were able to get all the papers and documents they needed---including the all important bank card.

Thank you Elder Call!!

 Then we all went outside --where there was more room--to have the "meet your new companion" time.

Here all the new missionaries lined up on one side of the yard . . . 

And all the trainers lined up on the other side.

 My favorite part is always when they meet in the middle. 

We now have 45 missionaries in training! And all of our sister missionaries are either training or being trained. 

Such is life these days in the mission field.

Exciting Times!!