Every 6 weeks on a Monday we have the privilege to travel to the mission home in Fisherton and teach the missionaries who will be going home, the next morning, how they can better adjust into regular non-missionary life.
In November we trained the missionaries in the mission homes front living room. We only had 13 missionaries going home then.
President and Sister Zanni were kind enough to invite us to dinner with the Elders and Sisters. They always serve milanesa and mashed potatoes. The Elder sitting kind of across from me with red hair is Elder Barker and is from St. George. He is going home to a new home in the Ledges! And with the name of Barker, we are probably related!
In December we trained 22 missionaries that were going home in a brand new room. They converted their garage into a meeting/training center. Training the missionaries going home is a new idea for the South American Missions.
On December 29th we trained them for 2 hours, hopefully next month we will be able to have tables for them to use. We discuss with them 5 areas called "My Plan". My Plan is a pilot program that they are trying in Puerto Rico. A Self Reliance Missionary couple emailed us about it and we jumped on it. We (Alan) quickly made a power point presentation with the info they sent us.
The first area topic is called "My Plan": what will they do when they get home. Will they go to school or get a job and work or start their own business etc.
Second is "Remember and Become": Remember what they have learned on their mission and become a better person when they get home because of the skills/knowledge they have learned.
Third is "Continuing Discipleship": Temple attendance, appearance and conduct, media/entertainment, church service, Institute, member missionary work.
Fourth: "Self Reliant": Evaluate what type of education or job they will need and practice job interview skills.
Fifth: "Dating and Temple Marriage".
President and Sister Zanni were in and out of the class this time. They had family visiting from out of town for the Christmas break. (Sister Zanni sitting behind me below)
Hermana Cruz was in this group of missionaries going home. She has been in our area since we got here, she is from Nicaragua. We had her participate in our power point presentation several months ago, but she hadn't seen it. She knew that she was in our presentation for departing missionaries, but she was so embarrassed and hung her heard when we showed her video segment to the group. (fyi - check out the air conditioner on the wall, it was huge and worked great on its first use. It was 93 degrees that day)
She finally looked up at the screen after a few minutes and when it was over she smiled. She is a fabulous missionary and I wish I could have kept her around and put her in my suitcase and bring her home with me.
Missionaries below are getting ready to practice their "Me in 30 seconds" for job interviews.
We give the missionaries a planner to take home with them with a few changes in it that are different from their regular missionary daily planner.
The mission home has a lot of bugs outside, they are crawling on the walls and walk ways! It is a huge property and the big bugs must love all the grass there.
After our class they go in the mission home and eat dinner around 7:30-8pm and then they have a testimony meeting.
The next morning (below) they get up early, have cold cereal and they climb into a bus to go to Buenos Aires to fly home!
The incoming New Missionaries arrive this day too, so the mission home is hopping getting ready for the brand new missionaries to eat dinner and stay the night!
