Feb 15 2014

Transfers are over! And so is the new missionary intake! It was another big transfer.

The week began with the departing missionary process on Monday. We dropped off our companion at the mission home in the morning. Some of their activities are a final visit to the temple where they have the opportunity to be instructed by the temple president; departing interviews with president; a final going home training, and a testimony meeting. We had the opportunity to watch the testimony meeting. It was powerful to see how missionaries had changed.

On Tuesday we helped the departing missionaries travel to the airport, then we hurried down to Karawatha Stake Center for Transfers! A few exciting changes occurred, most notably that one of the older Assistants left the office (after about 9 months!) and another Assistant was called---making a permanent 4 Assistants for this entire coming transfer (we knew beforehand). The final addition to our "Fantastic Four" was a zone leader before he was sent to the most remote area in the mission, Mount Isa. The area previously had a reputation as a difficult area, but he went there and made a huge difference. He is coming into the office straight from that area. Meanwhile, the last assistant is now the zone leader in Eight Mile Plains! His leadership will bless the Chinese missionaries in that stake.

On Wednesday we received our new Goldens---19 of them! And 2 of them are Chinese missionaries! One is from Sichuan, the other is American. One is being trained in my old stomping grounds, River Terrace, and the other is down in the Gold Coast. The intake was a little crazy because one of the flights was late so everything after that began to be pushed back and jumbled, but the most important part was that the Spirit was there, and all the goldens ended up where they need to be.

On Thursday, I worked with my Polynesian companion in our area while our other two companions went to Cleveland on trade-offs. The following day, I went with the Eight Mile Plains Chinese. They have a new district leader there --- my old companion! The one before I first received a trainee, we are best friends. Having him there has boosted their spirits, and his as well, since his previous area was essentially just an English area.

All the while, in the meantime, we have been hunting for a flat to stay in. So far we have inspected 5 flats, 3 of which we have applied for --- 2 of those applications haven't been accepted, and were are waiting on the results of the 3rd. We stayed temporarily in a flat on Kangaroo Point, but that flat was for a senior couple which just arrived on Friday (so we moved out). Since then, we have lived between the office elders, the Brisbane elders, and of course our trade-off areas. It is a work in progress... wish us luck!

The most exciting missionary experience I had this week was one of the people I GQed in Sunnybank while on trade-offs with the EMP elders. I met a Chinese Malaysian student. He's not really sure where he is going in his life anymore and so some of the things I said really struck him. He invited me to sit down with him at the bus stop bench (we were standing) and we had a longer conversation (10 minutes or so). His bus came but he said he would just catch the next one so he could keep talking. There wasn't really anything new in his GQ, but it felt very special.

I hope everyone has a great week. Take care!

Elder J. Colton Ladd