New Missionaries

We finished interviews in Victoria on Friday and got home just in time to figure out dinner for the 3 new missionaries that would arrive at 8:00 that night. These 3 are part of a generation of missionaries that should have arrived in October but did not have visas. We'll receive 3 more next Monday night that should have arrived the first week of January and then on Friday 3 more of the October ones. Then we'll only be missing about 4 visa waiters. These are Elder Snow, Elder Williams and Elder Soelberg.

We had dinner and talked and then let them go to bed. The next morning the office elders arrived to help with the training. It is tradition for the elders to take off their shoes when they come in to save the floors and carpets from all the mud and dirt on those busy feet. Elder Del Rio must have forgotten. He was embarrassed because after he took off his shoes he had two different socks on. Very obviously different socks. I told him that I was glad he had sock on. He said he was grateful they didn't have holes.

After training their trainers arrived and we had lunch with them and the assistants.

Then, outside for more pictures before we sent to to 'Infinity and Beyond'.

Front row: Elder De la Fuente, Elder Soto, Elder Cardenas, Elder Falcon, and Elder Lindao.

Back row: Elder Snow, Elder Williams, and Elder Soelberg.
We took Elder Snow and Elder Lindao to their house in the Tampico area. Elder Lindao is from Equador and has only been in the mission for 6 months but is 22 years old and is a great missionary. He will already make a great trainer. He had an amazing trainer himself and at least got to be a Sr. companion for a change before becoming a trainer.

WE THINK WE NEED A NAP. BUT NEXT WEEK IS THE SAME. FINISH THE INTERVIEWS IN DIFFERENTS CITIES AND RECEIVE 2 MORE SETS OF MISSIONARIES. IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE HAPPY AND FEEL THE BLESSINGS OF THE WORK WE'RE ENGAGED IN. THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. THANKS FOR YOUR EMAILS AND CHRISTMAS CARDS. WE LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH.