New Missionary Training

President Cusick decided to try a different approach with the new missionary training for the last set of missionaries to arrive.  The new missionaries arrive on Tuesday afternoon.  The previous approach was to do a little training at the mission home following a welcome dinner.  That was followed by a full day of training at the mission office.  Then on Thursday morning, another training session and the transfer meeting at 10 when they are assigned to their new companion.

This time, the full day of training on Wednesday was omitted, and the transfer meeting occurred on Wednesday.  The plan was to have the new missionaries return to the mission office for a day of training after they have been serving for a few weeks.

Today was the day for the recently arrived missionaries and their companions to return for training.  President Cusick expanded it to include all of the missionaries who have not yet completed the 12 week new missionary training program.  Basically that was the last two sets of arriving missionaries.  For the training, we had four different 30 minutes blocks, and the missionaries rotated through all four.  In our block, we taught about personal and apartment cleanliness and Sister Cusick taught on exercise and nutrition.  The other blocks were Pres. Cusick on using iPads, Pres. and Sister Healey taught on working with members, and Elder and Sister McAra (senior missionary couple) and the Assistants on making first impressions and professional demeanor.  Following lunch, President Cusick asked each missionary to state something that he/she had learned and what he/she will do differently tomorrow.  I thought that was an effective way to summarize the meeting.

He then asked three Elders who will be released in two weeks to share their testimonies.  We have two Elders who are assigned to us temporarily while awaiting approval for visas to Brazil.  One received his visa a week ago and will be leaving in two weeks to go to Brazil.  He was also asked to share his testimony.  President Cusick asked the other "visa waiter" to share his testimony.  After he bore his testimony, President announced that he had just received a text from SLC, and the other visa has been approved, so both will be leaving for Brazil.  The second missionary was very emotional.

The recently arrived missionaries, companions, and those training them.

Following the training meeting, we had a Mission Presidency meeting.  During that meeting, we were asked to go to a local hospital where one of our missionaries, Elder Dance, had been admitted the day before following stomach pains.  They initially thought it was appendicitis but discovered a genetic intestinal issue.  We were asked to meet with the doctor who was to give him a prognosis.  The condition is not life-threatening so after consulting with his family, including a brother who is a radiologist, he decided to wait until after he is released from his mission for any surgery.  He may have stomach pains again, but at least he will know what is causing it.

Elder Dance and his cousin, Elder Hawkes at the hospital.