15 New Missionaries Arrive in the Mission in April

 

Just a few hours before the 15 new missionaries arrived, these 15 trainers were given some training to prepare them to get the new missionaries started in their missions on strong footing.  They were nervous and excited.  This is obviously a new era in the mission.

 

 

After the announcement last April (2012) by President Monson that the age was being lowered for missionaries being called on missions, we have wondered how that would effect our mission.   We were told by the Missionary Department that our compliment would go up-especially for sisters.  As days passed we watched missionaries show up "in the pipeline" who were assigned to the Japan Sendai Mission grow by leaps and bounds.  Very quickly we blew past the compliment number and realized that by September of 2013, our mission would double in size.  We don't know if or when these large numbers will level off but we are thrilled to be able to welcome so many wonderful, prepared missionaries into the Japan Sendai Mission.

 

 

 At the airport, Sisters Noonchester and Rollins made sure the

missionaries felt welcomed by the office staff.

 

 They all arrived safe and sound at 9PM!! 

 

 Our largest group of 15 missionaries arrived this month but that translates into 45-50 pieces of luggage that needed to be transported out of the airport.  We have decided our only choice is to rent a big bus that would transport them from the airport to the Nagamachi church where all the luggage was dropped off and then on to the Mission Home where a bowl of soup and bread was waiting for them to eat before bed.

It was raining in Sendai when they arrived.  We loaded the luggage under the bus quickly.

 

 The next morning after breakfast was served, we traveled to the Nagamachi Church for their training.  This picture was taken after they met their trainers.  What a fabulous group of missionaries we have been sent!!

 Luggage was organized by area where it was going.

 

 The Assistants were magnificent organizers and presenters.  We love Elder Everett (who finished his time as AP today) and Elder Christensen and Elder Ohori,

 5 of the 15 new missionaries.

 

 Anxious Trainers

 

 Anxious new missionaries about to meet their new trainers and find out where they will serve.

 

 

Elder Tsushima with his trainer Elder Miyaki. They will serve in Aomori.

 

 

 Elder Nepia with his trainer Elder Kim.  They will seve in Miyako.  They are opening this community to young missionaries again since the big earthquake and tsunami devistated the town.

 

 Elder Hayashi and his trainer Elder Kobayashi will serve in Odate.

 

 Elder Iida and his trainer Elder Mizoguchi will serve in Morioka.

 

 Elder Nishie and his trainer Elder Chipman will serve in Yonezawa. 

 

 Elder Usui and his trainer Elder Furukawa will serve in Yamagata.

 

 Elder Kawamura and his trainer Elder Nation will serve in Furukawa.

 

 Elder Katayama and his trainer Elder Takeshta will serve in Nagamachi.

 

 Elder Ito and his trainer Elder Merkley will serve in Izumi.

 

 Elder Hodge and his trainer Elder Fitzpatrick will serve in Joetsu. 

 

 Elder Hoops and his trainer Elder Ogita will serve in Kitakami.

 

 Elder Inamori and his trainer Elder Yamamoto will serve in Yokote.

 

 Sister Ono and her trainers Sister Kimura and Miura will serve in Hirosaki. 

 

Sister Morita and her trainer Sister Takatsu will serve in Nagamachi. 

 

 Sister Fisher and her trainer Sister Inoue wil serve in Niigata.