Departures & Arrivals - Transfer #5

DEPARTING SISTERS:  Sister Sydney Allen, Sister Paige Anderson, Sister Vane Azpeitia, Sister Hallie Ballstaedt, and Sister Paige Hancock.

On Tuesday, August 6th we were up at 3:00 a.m. to take Sister Azpeitia and Sister Ballstaedt to the airport for their flights  to Arizona and Texas respectively.  Then on Wednesday we were up at 3:00 a.m. to take Sister Allen, Sister Anderson, and Sister Hancock to the airport for their flights to Arkansas, Georgia, and Massachusetts respectively.  (Below are just a few examples of the traditional departing sister photos taken every transfer.)

Newport Beach Temple Trip

On Monday, August 5th we found out through the Facebook grapevine that one of our sisters would not be coming.  It seems that somehow there was a problem with Sister Ariana Del Carpio Cuba's religious visa and she was being sent back to Peru to get it taken care off.  This last minute change meant one of the six sisters we had invited to be a trainer would not be training. It would also necessitate that we have another trio. Stan and I thought, talked, and prayed about it Monday evening.  On Tuesday, we had a decision that we proposed to our STL's, and they were in agreement.  So, we went to work.  We first brought in the sister who would not be training but would not be in a trio instead. Then we brought in the two sisters who thought they were just a regular companionship and explained that we would like them to be in a trio.  Because trio's take a conscious awareness, desire, and effort to communicate, cooperate, and not leave anyone feeling like the "odd person out" they can be more stressful.  All three sisters were apprehensive, but one was especially stressed over it.  Because it was not an option for them not to be in it, we tried to give them as much encouragement and support as we could. We told them they had permission to put extra time and effort into getting to know each other by creating positive memories and we offered them our kite.

The named our kite, "Stanley" (A combination of our first names.)

TRANSFER #5 ARRIVALS: Sister Emi Cook, Sister Kasia Earl, Soster Alia Robinson, Sister Ruby Salazar, and Sister Alexandra See. 

On Wednesday, August 6th we also picked up five new sisters from the airport at about 1:00.  Our new sisters used to arrive about 4:00 p.m., but now they are arriving about noon.  This gave us more time to do interviews and dress fitting, a trip up to the Presidio to see the Mormon Battalion statues, as well as the dinner and new sister tour.   

Our days were so long and full this week that by Thursday I felt like it should have been Saturday.  Our days really are so full, yet so much the same, that it is easy to forget what day it is.  This week Stan made the following comment to another Senior Elder, "Why is it so slow? I thought July was supposed to be our busiest month."  Reply, "President, it's a Thursday in August."