This week we had our first “change day,” the day when new assignments are given and transfers are made. It actually is a two-day process, and begins on Tuesday when new missionaries arrive from the MTC in Guatemala. This week we met seven new Elders and one Hermana. We were invited to attend the meeting to be introduced and speak about the importance of them keeping their apartments clean. I introduced us with five sentences we had prepared in Spanish. (Rick actually wrote most of it, and I just read it.) Then Rick said the rest…practically without notes. I’m really impressed by his Spanish! Five of the new missionaries are Spanish speaking, but I’m sure the other three had wished that we spoke in English!
Then on Wednesday, they held the change meeting. All missionaries who are within easy range of the city who have been notified that they are moving bring their luggage and are given their new assignment by the Assistants to the President just before the meeting begins. And, of course, their companions come, too, because they will be going back with new companions. Missionaries who are in the distant parts of the mission do not attend the meeting, but are called right afterwards so they know where they are headed. During the meeting, each missionary who is returning home is given a few minutes to bear his/her testimony. This change included 20 who had finished their service. Six of them spoke in Q'eqchi, the native Mayan language found in this part of Guatemala. And President Watts spoke for a few minutes about changes, and the importance of going into change with a good attitude. Besides the missionaries, there were about a dozen members who came to say good-bye to favorite missionaries.
And then the buses and taxis came! Attached is a photo of them all lined up in the parking lot. One bus was loaded with missionaries and luggage that were headed to areas outside the city. Thank goodness they didn’t ride the bus the full 12 hours that it would take to get to the far northern edge of the mission; this yellow bus only took them to the bus station, where they would catch different buses to their new towns. And the taxis went to various Guatemala City locations. This was a pretty large change, larger than usual. It was amazing to witness this shuffle, the transportation all carefully orchestrated by the Elders who work in the office.
