What if you were getting on a plane in Salt Lake City and YOU saw 23 missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints boarding the same plane as you were? Would the thought cross your mind to take another flight? Maybe, unless YOU were a Mormon. We love to see our missionaries leaving Salt Lake City to go to their missions.
And, that is exactly what happened October 2nd because we had 23 new missionaries arrive in Riga together....all on the same plane...after a very long flight!
Luggage carts were the preferred method of movement. Sister Boswell seems to be taking the influx of new missionaries pretty well. That's Elder Davis in the thick of things, he was recruited to drive four sister missionaries to the mission home.
After welcoming everyone to the "Mighty Baltic Mission" there were a few introductions by Elder Grover and Elder Morgan.
Elder Davis is happy to be there and see the enthusiasm of these new missionaries. President Boswell also seems pretty pleased to see this wonderful and eager group of young people.
Sister Davis is sorry she doesn't know all their names....but she knows that they probably have mothers praying for them everyday.
A "multitude" of missionaries outside the Riga Airport.
What must the Latvians have thought when they saw all those missionaries disembarking from the plane in Riga?
Most of the missionaries were so excited about traveling to their mission, they didn't sleep on the flight. But they didn't get a nap when they arrived. They had orientation & training, a little street contacting, dinner and a testimony meeting. Then they got to sleep.
The sisters stayed at the mission home while the Elders stayed in a hotel. After breakfast they had Baltic Mission Training....
... then they met their new missionary companions and said goodbye to the companion they had in the Missionary Training Center.
Renars and Diana (Dee-ana), were baptized the same day. Renars asked Aivars to baptize him.
So many people came to the baptism, there wasn't enough seating. This was the overflow room where all these men where watching the baptism through the doorway.
Renars shared his testimony with everyone at the baptism...and then everyone congratulated him and Diana and gave them flowers.
And then it was time for more pictures...
Dainis and Eva congratulating Renars.
"Hey, Everybody! Look at Sister Davis"....there's nothing like having a candid shot of all the missionaries in Riga
Elder Bird is waving, Elder Bland is behind his head, Sister Behling is partially hidden, with a smiling Elder Baxter next to her, petite Sister Ramos with a towering Elder Massey behind her and the rest are listed in the photo below:
L-R: Sister Ramos, Elder Massey, Rudolfs Senkans, Elders Bergeson, Keller, Davidson, Christenson, and Schmidt.
Elder Hansen with his companion Elder Osborn (Russian speaking Elders).
When Elder Hansen met Sister Davis for the first time...he said, "Wait a minute. Are you THE Sister Davis?"
Sister Davis said, "What? Somebody has already told you about me?"
Sister Davis was getting ready to deny whatever he had heard about her....when Elder Hansen said, "My mother reads your blog!" Well, there you have it! Sister Davis had to get his picture so Elder Hansen's mother would see how safe and happy he is on his mission.
He's doing fine, Mom. Aren't you proud of him? He is a fine young man, you have taught him well.
Sister Kerr & Sister Nelson (two wonderful missionaries!)
Elders Davidson and Schmidt are the missionaries who taught Renars about the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is Elder Massey's first baptism in the mission field. And he gave a talk in Latvian, along with Elder Schmidt. Pretty impressive!
Inara and Iveta, neither of them are members of our church.
Both wanted to see what a baptism was like.
Baiba and Eva, best friends....
And what is a baptism without food?
Hah, hah...it's still a baptism but just not as much fun. Food just seems to solidify the special times in our lives. Sister Davis brought the chocolate cupcakes (sokolade kukas) and the Texas Sheet Cake.
You can usually tell who brings what to an activity. The bananas and any cut up fruit will have been brought by the Latvians. They love to eat healthy things. Dimitrij made carrot bread and brought it. The missionaries bring sweets, cookies, cakes, pastries....we could learn a thing or two from the Latvians couldn't we?
Aivars, Baiba, Eva and Nicholas.
And Renars baptismal program....can you figure out what it says?
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism"
Ephesians 4:5
Thank you for posting these photos. My son, Vanem Richard Lloyd, is in the Provo MTC learning Estonian, and will be coming to the Mighty Baltic Mission in March (whenever the March transfer date is). He is really excited to get out into the field, as he has heard so many great things about the people, the country, and the mission. Thanks for doing this blog, and I hope that you keep up a bit longer, so we might see an occasional photo of our son. There are 3 missionaries learning Estonian in our son's district, but I don't know how many with the other languages. Thanks again, and I hope you can do this in March!
ReplyDeletePark and Lara Lloyd
Holladay, UT