Every six weeks new missionaries arrive in the mission. This transfer, we welcomed a large group to the mission--18 new missionaries! While somewhat tired from the early morning departure from the MTC and travel to Houston, each of the missionaries were excited and ready to get started. We are so happy to have them here. This is a great group! When missionaries arrive, we first drive to the mission office for a snack and an administrative orientation (i.e., driving, cell phones, purchasing cards, referrals, medical, etc.). Afterwards, we travel to the mission home where President Pingree conducts welcome interviews while missionaries write postcards home and receive some additional training. We then have dinner together and a new missionary fireside. That evening, missionaries stay in local apartments. In the morning, the missionaries return to the mission home for breakfast and pictures, afterwhich we travel to attend a session at the Houston Texas Temple (about 15 minutes from the mission home). After the temple session, the new missionaries are taken to a nearby chapel where they have lunch, meet new companions, and receive additional proselyting training before leaving to their assigned areas. Please find below some pictures from the arrival of the newest 18 missionaries.
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| New missionaries arrive at the Bush International Airport |
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| Loading mission vans and trailors with luggage |
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| Group picture at the airport |
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| Dinner at the mission home |
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| New Missionary Fireside |
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Texas sheet cake and Bluebell icecream follow a New Missionary Fireside
at the mission home |
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| Elders leaving the mission home to sleep in nearby missionary apartments |
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| New missionaries with President and Sister Pingree at the Houston Texas Temple |
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| New sister mssionaries at the Houston Texas Temple |
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After the temple, missionaries gather for lunch at the Louetta Building
and sing Happy Birthday to President Pingree |
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| Elder Trotter with trainer, Elder Armstrong |
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| Elder Sevelo with trainer, Elder Woods |
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| Elder Barton with new missionary, Elder Ulugia |
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| Elder Tanuvasa with trainer, Elder Angilau |
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| Elder Green with new missionary, Elder Howard |
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| Elder Crane with trainer, Elder Litton |
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| Elder Whittle with new missionary, Elder Amann |
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| Elder Rupp with new missionary, Elder Chavarria |
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| Hermana Dement with trainer, Hermana Martinez |
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| Elder Moody with trainer, Elder Chadwick |
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| Elder Bateman with new missionary, Elder Gray |
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| Elder Hardman with new missionary, Elder Thorpe |
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| Hermana Barton with new missionary, Hermana Edge |
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| Sister Rodriguez with new missionary, Sister Roberts |
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| Elder Wright with trainer, Elder Lewis |
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| Hermana Ball with trainer, Hermana Pacific |
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| Hermana Perez with new missionary, Hermana Garcia |
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| Elder Mackey with new missionary, Elder Kauo |
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| New missionaries and trainers leave for their areas |
