In this blog, I thought I would give you a glimpse into our Visitor Center and the wonderful Sister Missionaries, Senior Couples, and Directors that we have the privilege to serve with. Every six weeks we have transfers, which means some Sisters leave the VC and become full Proselyting Missionaries for a few transfers, and we receive new missionaries into the center to be trained by the remaining Sister Missionaries. Some Sisters have completed their mission and return home.
Transfer days are a fun time to get-together, say our good-byes, take group pictures, and shed a few tears for those who are finished with their mission and will be heading home. We love to hear their sincere testimony as they finish up their mission.
The group may change a little each 6 weeks but the wonderful Sister Missionaries' spirit and love for the Gospel stays pretty much consistent. What a joy it is for us to be part of their mission.
At times we have Senior Couples that have finished their mission, like Elder and Sister Anderson (at the top of the picture). They were leaving early in the morning on this particular night, so they went home to go to bed early!
After the Sister's shift at 9:00pm they just had to come over to the Anderson's apartment to say their last good-byes. Of course, the Andersons had already gone to bed, but the Sisters insisted they needed to hug them one last time. The Andersons were gracious in their PJ's and half awake for their last hugs and good-byes.
We also have wonderful Directors at our Visitor Center, and after their two year mission, we also have to say good-bye to them. Elder and Sister Adams have been our wonderful Directors for the 6 months that we have been out on our mission.
It was hard to say good-bye to them. Their trained us, had patience with us as we tried to remember all that we needed to be doing, and loved us unconditionally.
Every other month, they would have all the Senior Couples over to their home for a pot-luck dinner which we all enjoyed. We all work different shifts at different time and at the two centers, so we really don't have a lot of time together.
This gives us time to ask questions or to get solutions to some problems that we might have encounter. We always enjoy this time together.
The Directors are over all the Senior Couples besides all the Sister Missionaries and the Adams have done a wonderful job. They will truly be missed by us all.
As with the Sister Missionaries, as some return home, others are called to serve on missions to the Independence Visitors' Center and the Historic Liberty Jail. Our new Directors, that have shortly arrived and have been called to serve here, are Elder and Sister Brenchley from the Provo area.
Elder Brenchley has served as the MTC Choir Director for the past 25 years so not only our sons but many of the missionaries have sung in his choir while at the MTC. He also was a Stake President over one of the YA Stakes so some of our Sister Missionaries were in his stake and knew him from there. It will be wonderful to get to know them better and serve under them.
Our Sister Missionaries are great, or did I already mention that! We love being around them as we serve in the VC. They work hard as they share the gospel to those that visit our centers. We don't take pictures at those times, but here are a few pictures we have captured of a few of them.
There are times that they get so busy, hurrying to get to the VC on time, they forget to check their selection of shoes. We did not even notice this until Sister Saunders mentioned it to us. She is such a good natured Sister that she laughed right along with us all!
Having fun together, relaxing and enjoyed our friendship with them is what it is all about.
This was at the Sunken Steamboat Arabia Museum with Sister Payne and Sister Richardson.
Sister Sant and Sister Call went with us to see the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
This was a great Art Museum if only we had had more time to go through it all.
I guess we will have to take another set of Sisters here some time to see the rest of it. HA!
The Federal Reserve Bank was another fun place to visit. They don't print money here but they sort and redistribute our paper currency.
Sister Atkin and Sister Harding injoyed this experience with us.
We sometime have a chance to take Sisters to Lunch, especially when they have finished their Mission and will be leaving us soon. Sister Satterthwaite left the first part in December and
Sister Payne left in January.
We did not have anyone leaving this last transfer.
In this blog, I have tried to share with you some of the things we are doing day by day and week by week. It is hard to say good-bye to those we have learned to love, but we enjoy spending time with those who are still serving with us.
NOW, THE BEST PART OF ALL, WHICH I HAVE SAVED FOR LAST, is when we get to share those special times with those that have accepted the gospel in their lives and are baptized. Sister Call and Sister Sant, met with and taught Joyce Smith the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and she accepted the opportunity to be baptized. We had met her a few times as she came into the VC to be taught by these good Sister Missionaries. She asked that Elder Godfrey join the circle when she was to be confirmed. It was a privilege to go to her baptism and confirmation. NOW, THIS IS WHAT THIS MISSION IS ALL ABOUT!
As you can see, we are loving our mission. Our Directors are wonderful, our Sister Missionaries are wonderful, and the many converts who have accepted the Gospel are also wonderful. We are so grateful for our Savior and his atoning sacrifice so that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven some day. We are also grateful for our wonderful family and friends who are receiving this blog to read. We love you all.
Love,
Elder and Sister Godfrey
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