NEW MISSIONARIES ARRIVE IN THE MISSION

Every six weeks new missionaries arrive at the Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) after completing their formal instruction at the Church's Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. The group that arrived on September 20th included 8 young men and 3 young women. Four of these young elders have spent three months learning a new language at the MTC and will now be assigned responsibilities to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people who speak Spanish.

The number of people arriving varies each time, but this was a fairly large contingent. President Belliston, the mission president, and his wife always meet the new missionaries at the baggage claim area; but with so many of them, the scene is just a bit chaotic as young men and women are searching for their possessions along with everyone else who was on the airplane. At least when the missionaries are inbound to the Maryland Baltimore Mission, they are all on the same flight from Salt Lake City. At the conclusion of their missions, however, departing elders and sisters may be on one of many different flights heading to their respective homes anywhere in the United States or another country worldwide.

The mission owns a 12-passenger van and a large enclosed trailer, which is used to transport the elders, sisters, and their personal belongings from the airport to the mission president's home where they spend their first night before being assigned to their area and new companion (Church missionaries work in pairs). Sister Lindsay assisted with some of the logistical work at the mission office, while I went to the airport with another senior missionary elder to help gather the new arrivals and their luggage. Even though the missionaries are limited to bringing just two large suitcases and some small carry-on items, the collective amount of baggage for the lot of them was considerable.

Missionary shoes neatly placed in the foyer at the mission home

Sister Belliston with the assistance of several of the senior missionary sisters helped with the evening meal and clean-up afterwards. Individual photographs of the new arrivals were taken with the mission president and his wife; and then, there was a short meeting where the new missionaries introduced themselves and bore brief testimony about what they hope to accomplish while they are "on the Lord's errand." President Belliston spoke to the group briefly before the very exhausted young men and women retired for the night.

President Brent Belliston, Elder Norm & Sister Linda Lindsay, and Diane Belliston

Sister Lindsay and I were included in this activity at the mission home, because we were also considered to be "new" missionaries even though we had arrived in the mission almost a week previously.