Wednesday, August 26, 2015

New Arrivals 8/24/15

We had a different arrival time for the missionaries today.  Typically they arrive at the Santa Barbara airport around noon.  Because of flights coming from different areas, they have arrived at different times.  So that those missionaries flying from Mexico can meet up with those coming from Utah and arrive in Santa Barbara together, they were scheduled even then at 3:08 and 3:27 (two different flights  17  missionaries and then 3).  President Felix was concerned about the timing he would have to interview all of the missionaries before they would be divided up to sleep for the night.  Since the three were scheduled to arrive at 3:08, he would interview them individually at the airport while waiting for the big group.  We arrived at the airport to find out that the 3:08 flight coming from San Francisco would be delayed until 3:50 and the 3:27 flight coming from Phoenix would arrive in minutes.  He started interviewing while we were waiting for luggage and then for Elder Floyd to bring the truck and trailer for the luggage.  We all waited for the flight and loaded in the last of the luggage.  It took five vehicles to transport the missionaries (we had 2, Elder Floyd - 3, Sister Floyd - 4, Elder Stewart - 3, and the Assistants 8); quite the caravan.  Very difficult in the California traffic to stay together, thus it didn't happen but we all made it back to Ventura.
Hermana Donnelly
Sister King
Sister Capener
Elder Slaugh
Elder Davis
Elder Hawkes
Elder Christenson
Elder Gilpin
Elder Sila
Elder Barrios-Vega
Elder Landt
Elder Peart
Elder Swenson
Elder Lamb
Elder Crook
Elder Heck
Elder Judkins
Elder Elies
Elder Millar
Hermana Peterson
These missionaries come from Utah, Wyoming, Texas, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, and Micronesia.  Of the twenty missionaries, three are visa waiters - one to Argentina, and two to Australia.


We felt the missionaries would be hungry so we had a snack at the Goleta Park.  President Felix was going to do more interviews there while the rest soaked in the ambiance of California.  While eating,  a woman came up to us and said she had the tables reserved.  So the missionaries helped her put on the plastic table cloths and then we left.




I stepped away from the group to take this picture.  I missed the "experience"of putting both feet in as I was having a missionary moment.  A family from Egypt asked me about the group.  I explained we were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They had not heard of us.  They were Christian.  I told them a little of the Restoration and how families are important.  I wanted them to have a pass a long card so they could go to mormon.org and see videos.  By this time, President Felix was walking towards the car so I asked him to come over.  He visited with the father while I was still visiting with the mother and daughter.  The daughter was in pharmacy school in Egypt but the father and mother live in California and he's a pharmacist.  President invited them to church so we'll see what happens.

After the Cross we arrived at the mission home.  .
The assistants did an orientation while I finished the touches on dinner.
We ate and then did our little intro about us.
President was able to get all of the interviews done for those missionaries who were staying elsewhere for the night.  We had four members take a companionship, the assistants took 3, and we kept 9 at the mission home.  The 9 had their interviews before going to bed.  Yea, they all had one on one time with President Felix.
Everyone was to be back to the mission home Tuesday morning for breakfast at 6:45. 

No comments:

Post a Comment