October 22, 2023

I was really hoping to never miss a week in posting on the blog but with family coming for back to back weeks it just couldn't be avoided. So be prepared for this to be an extra long post. I will start with mission items and then move on to our visit with Matthew and his family. For the most part we were able to handle being away from the office for a few days for each families visit. The 1st week when Rachel & Chris were here was pretty crazy for Elder Rowan. We were out of the office Monday & Tuesday and during that time we had some Elders shatter their windshield while they were playing catch with a lacrosse ball, some Sisters locked their keys in their car (thank you to Elder Larson for going to their rescue), and sadly two Sisters were in a fairly serious car accident. The 1st serious one since we have been here. Luckily they only had concussions and whiplash but the car was damaged pretty badly and the Sisters were tramatized by the event. Elder Rowan took it all in stride and was able to handle it all while still managing to have a good time with Rachel & Chris. They were able to see in person what it is that we do every day. Our time with Matt & his family was much more uneventful!

As soon as Matt and his family left we were right back into the thick of things. This past week was Transfer week which is always a busy time. I started out with a Sister's Devotional on Wednesday night. We try to have these right before transfers. The sisters gather together and discuss a conference talk and what they have learned from it the past transfer or throughout their service as a missionary. The talk for this one was by Jeffrey R. Holland, "Be Ye Therefore Perfect--Eventually," from 2017. Perfectionism is such an issue for these young missionaries, they are so hard on themselves. It was a good discussion. I love the sisters pictured below and the sweet spirit they bring to the mission. Sister Hull has been serving with us in Newberg for several months and is now headed over the mountain. We will miss her!

While I was at the Sister's Devotional Elder Rowan was hard at work trying to get caught up in the office. Okay, hard at work is questionable :). Missionaries were coming and going in the office as the new Assistants and the departing missionaries arrived. The President bought pizza for everyone and it was more like a party going on. We are so sad to lose (2) of our Assistants that we spend so much time with, Elder Pierce & Elder Bush. Elder Pierce especially has been with us for almost 4 months and we have grown to love him and will really miss him. The Assistants are AMAZING! They know everything about who is where, who has what car, what is going on, etc. We all, President included, rely on them alot. Elder Rowan is especially happy with the new set of Assistants. I call them his "Dream Team!" Elder Reil will remain as an Assistant and he is joined by Elder Weaver & Elder Henrie. Elder Rowan has had a special connection with these missionaries and will love working with them.

Departing Assistants: Elder Pierce & Elder Bush

New Assistants: Elder Henrie, Elder Reil, Elder Weaver

Transfer week also brought all of the usual activities for that exciting time. Elder Rowan & Elder Larson drove over the mountain and to the airport to haul luggage, we hung out with the departing missionaries and with the new trainers as they eagerly awaited the arrival of the 21 new missionaries. This transfer was a little unusual in that we had many missionaries assigned to be trainers who have only been here 2 transfers themselves. With so many coming and going this is the way it had to be and we know these new trainers will do a great job. They were pretty nervous though! We prepared dinner for 60 and then wanted to collapse on Saturday!

Departing missionaries.

New trainers.

Dinner for new arrivals.

With transfer week also came a change in our District. Elder Place has been our District Leader for almost 4 months so we have gotten to know him well. At 6'11" he stands out and is hard to miss. We love him and will miss him as he is moving on to Lebanon. We missed our final District Council because family was visiting. The week before the missionaries set a goal to find so many new people to teach. If they achieved their goal the district got to throw a pie in the face of Elder Place. The pictures below tell the story. The Hermanas (Sister Finlayson & Sister Pace) were also in our district but will not be going forward. Elder Rowan loved talking Spanish to them and is going to miss our weekly meetings with them. They are still in our area though so we will see them in the office from time to time.

Elder Place

Pie in the face of Elder Place & Elder Pierce

Our District (we are missing because we were with family)

Our new District Leader is Elder Cordray. He is a great young missionary. He has only been out (2) transfers and is a trainer and District Leader this transfer. I don't envy him. He is being District Leader to the Assistants, the Social Media Sisters, the Office missionaries, a set of Sisters, and his trainee. I would find that very imtimidating! Last night he called an "emergency" District Council to get us going. There was a lot of silliness going on (it was late and we were all exhausted) but he was able to bring it in at the end and leave us with a great spiritual thought. He was talking about all the missionaries who went home and how great it will be to see them again someday. Then he likened it to Alma and the Sons of Mosiah. In Alma 17:2 it talks about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah seeing each other after not seeing each other for a long time. This is what it says, "Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth."

How great it is going to be when we get to see all these missionaries again after they have returned home and even better yet when we know they are "still our brethren in the Lord"!!!