NYNYS Mission "IN 'N OUT"

New missionaries arrived during our last transfer, Monday, June 22nd. 11 Elders and 1 Sister came to bring new life to the mission. They were quiet, tired, and ready for a nice dinner after eating peanuts on the plane. It's always a pleasure to welcome them and learn where they've come from. All of the Bennions personal belongings that made the Mission Home so warm and inviting were on a moving van heading for Utah, but the new missionaries feel of President and Sister Bennion's spirits and love for them and it's a great thing to be a part of.

Elder Salazar and Elder McLean step it up and do their part of helping the elders and sisters get settled in, take their pictures and collect information that will help the incoming mission president. They do a marvelous job of assisting anyone who needs help. "Assistants" really fits!

Elder Norman will train his new companion, Elder Nielsen. They will serve the Astoria Ward together.

Sister Phillips was happy to arrive. She told us that to leave the MTC they had to go through a line where their temperatures were taken to avoid taking the swine flu with them. Because of exposure she and her district have been taking Tamiflu and were tested for the swine flu too.

We asked Elder McLean to take our picture with the departing missionaries and when we got home we discovered he'd taken several self portraits. This shot is our favorite! We learned the day we left NYC he was accepted at "the I" and we are so excited that we will see him in Rexburg. President Bennion told us about 25 NYNYS missionaries will be attending BYU-Idaho! Chas was able to help several make application. It's a remarkable university and we are very excited so many of our missionaries will be coming to Rexburg.

Tuesday evening after the transfer meeting all of the departing missionaries and 3 of their families joined together for dinner and a testimony meeting. President and Sister Bennion, three senior couples and 12 young missionaries all told of their love for the gospel and our gratitude for being able to serve in New York. None of us will ever be the same again.