Well it's been a while, and for good reason. Last week was week 6 of the transfer, this was week 1, so us office blokes have been here there and everywhere.
Last week was kind of a blur. President was gone most of the week at a mission president's seminar in Fiji. But when he got back we had a quick MLC on Thursday. It was really frustrating because as usual we had the far north queensland zone leaders/sister training leaders skyping in but our internet connection kept dropping and annoying both them and us. But it worked out. One of the pictures is of me and Elder Bullock, my son (my trainee). He's been a zone leader for a couple transfers now but haven't gotten a picture with him. After the MLC we had a FHE with the Centenary and Ipswich zones. In our mission if a zone breaks their goals for baptisms they get a zone p-day and a FHE with President. So it's kind of like a full day p-day. This month we had HEAPS of zones break their baptismal goals so we had two zones on Thursday and two on Friday. Friday was Brisbane and Logan zones. That one we were officially a part of since we're in the Brisbane zone and we were responsible for 3 of the 5 baptisms our zone had a goal of for the month.
Saturday we picked up our new companion, Elder Sharma! Super rad missionary. He's from Fiji and now he's in a trio with me and Elder Morris as the office elders. Elder Morris will most likely be on his way out next transfer so he's training Elder Sharma as an office elder.
Monday (just a couple days ago) was the first day of the transfer, so we had all sorts of missionaries running around kangaroo point chapel parking lot. All went smoothly...for the most part. I'm not sure how but somehow like 5 missionaries forgot their bikes. It happens every transfer, but usually not this many bikes. So we're like..."what the heck do we do with these????"
Monday afternoon/evening was kind of fun/depressing (similar feelings I know) because we spend the rest of the day with the departing missionaries at the mission home. This transfer, two of my previous companions, Elder Rossi (who I was in a trio with way back in Atherton for one transfer about a year ago) and Elder Iufoni (who I was companions with just a few months ago, only for one transfer also) so it kind of sucks because it's like they're dying in your arms as you see them go through all the emotions of going home. Plus this one super cool Sister names Sister Costa from Brazil went home. She was serving in the same ward as us, and she's one of the coolest sisters I've met.
We had a departing devotional and stuff. Everyone goes around and bears their testimony at the end, and Elder Iufoni in his testimony said he learned how to "be loud" from me. Which is weird because he's a huge Tongan who's already loud enough but I think he was just being funny because I'm known as having a really loud voice, because the other missionaries laughed and a couple were like "ha, true." I think what he meant from it was teaching the gospel/bearing testimony in a loud and powerful voice or something.
We didn't actually take them to the airport (well, the first few because it was like 5 in the morning) but we took a group later in the morning. Super sad. But it gets followed up by days like TODAY, WEDNESDAY when all the new goldens come in. We had 7 sisters and 4 elders arrive. A few from the states, one from NZ, another from Papua New Guinea, another from China.
We have lots of fun picking them up from the airport, then to the office, then to the mission home, and sending them off with their trainers. By the end of the day we're so exhausted. Anyways, this email has gotten long enough even though I wish I could say more. Because there's a lot more. But I'll end it there. See ya!
Elder Cummings
PS the pics are mostly from the last week, but the two of me/Elder Iufoni in the suits and me/Elder Rossi/Elder Hausia/KFC are from when we were companions.
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