Musical Chairs

This has been the craziest transfer I've ever seen. It's interesting that the people we thought would get baptized this coming weekend are not getting baptized this weekend, and another investigator who wasn't ready 6 weeks ago is bound and determined to be baptized this weekend. You never know what our Father in Heaven is planning.

Speaking of not knowing our Father in Heaven's plans, who would have thought that I would lose Sister Allred to Kennewick mid-transfer? (Technically we are kind of still companions- we are just on a really long exchange). We didn't know what was going to happen at transfers. I certainly didn't expect the call that came.

Sister Allred is going to East Kennewick, Sister Standing is going to another area in Kennewick (her old area is getting doubled out) I am staying here in Richland but I'm being released as a Sister Training Leader to train a new missionary. One of the Sisters who I am currently serving as a Sister Training Leader is going to be my new Sister Training Leader – but all the way from Pendleton, Oregon. That will be a long drive for exchanges. This also probably means that I'll be in Richland for 7.5 months. That's 3 months longer than I've served in any other area, and the entire remainder of my mission. It also means that I was only ever a Sister Training Leader in one area.

Is that difficult to wrap your head around? It is for me too. I think I am going to draw it out in a chart today just to visualize it.

I am really pleased that I get to train again. Training Sister Owens was one of the greatest periods of growth I've ever experienced and one of the happiest times in my life. I have a big long list of things that I want to do better this time.

Transfer day is like a gigantic game of musical chairs. So complicated. So crazy. So inspired. I know that these assignments really do come from our Father in Heaven. He knows where we need to go and who we need to help, and who we need to meet.

I have to say that I am grateful to all the members who help out with the work. I know that even if we had been doubled out, the sweet sister we love so much would still be baptized on Saturday because the members love her as much as we do.

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Caroline Faulkner