It's Transfer Week

Well, actually last week was.  That means that on Wednesdays morning, we had an early zone call where the transfers were announced.  It was crazy for our zone in that every single companionship was changed.  We found out on Friday that this was the biggest transfer in President and Sister Collin's time as mission leaders.  74 out of 90+ something companionships were changed.  We had 30 new missionaries and 19 leave so that alone requires some shuffling to get people with trainers, etc.

That made P-day a bit tender to see the missionaries in the area interact with each other, many for the last time.  Three missionaries from our zone were heading home-Elder Boyle, Elder Stewart, and Elder McAvoy.  They will be missed.

Part of P-day was painting and Jena loved being a part of that.

Elder Miller and Sister Moesinger posing with their darling paintings and their trash bag "aprons."

Sister Moesinger is one of the ones who is leaving.  Elder Miller was moved but still withing our zone which is fun.  He is now in Clarksville and in the other district.

Everyone was a bit more stressed about this transfer than I had seen in the past...and perhaps it was because there were so many changes.  Sister Halle said that she had dreamed about transfers for four nights in a row.  She stayed for her last transfer before going home, but Sister Burnside who also has just 6 weeks was transferred to the Joplin zone.  We will miss her.

We drove the Van Buren elders back and forth to the drop off spot in Springdale (to save their miles as well) on Friday.  That meant all of our zone was there so we could get last minute photos--

First, the Springdale Stake Center has those beautiful red and green trees all around that area.....

See the contrast--it is striking in person

Jena with Elder Kutchinsky (staying) with Elder Boyle and Elder Hubbard who are finished with their missions now.  Both of them served at different times in Ft. Smith--with Elder Boyle and Elder Hubbard being companions at one time.

Red trees---what you do when the transfer bus is 30 minutes later in the morning....

The sisters with Elder Miller as the photo bomber....

Cute Ft. Smith Zone/Springdale sisters

Sister Burnside and Sister Halle--the Ft. Smith Ward and YSA missionaries...

Elder McAvoy, Elder Smythe, Sister Burnside and Sister Halle--our zone leadership

I will have to track down the zone photo and add it here.

We actually went to the temple, had lunch and came back to retrieve the Van Buren elders only to discover that the transfer bus with the last load of the day was behind...an hour or as it turned out about 2 1/2 hours late.  We left Springdale around 5:15, took the elders to dinner at Freddy's in Van Buren, then headed to the Church for a baptism at 7:30 of a young adult, James, who has been attending our branch.  Good day!!! But long and we were tired when we got home at 9 pm.

And we actually attended a baptism on Thursday night in Clarksville right before Institute and one on Saturday morning as well for another young adult who has been attending the family ward in Ft. Smith.  We are hoping to convince her to join with us in YSA.  Karinna came to our YSA dinner and devotional last night so maybe she will.  She has developed some support in the family ward, so maybe she will go to both for awhile.

So with apartment inspections the prior week and the busyness of transfer week, we have spent a lot of time with missionaries the past few weeks.  We love that and hope that we are helpful to them in more ways than just providing rides and treats.