A moving experience

This week was all about moves! We started on Monday welcoming the 17 departing missionaries to the accomodation center and helped them weigh their bags and get some paperwork done. Gave them a little lunch. We had a terrific senior couple who came in from part of London to help us. Elder Fowler is so great with the missionaries and gets all that luggage under the required weight. Sister Fowler helped me with cooking as we fixed Minestrone soup, green salad, and bread for dinner and breakfast for Tuesday morning. Everyone helped transport all the missionaries over to the East Grinstead chapel where we served about 27 dinner. They had an FHE and watched Ephraims Rescue then ate root beer floats. We transported them back to their rooms in accomodations. Next morning they had breakfast, then went to the temple. They ate lunch at the temple while sister fowler and I made barbecue meatballs, oven baked rice, veggies and salad. We took everything back to east Grinstead and set up dinner while they all had their final interviews with the president. After dinner they had their testimony meeting while we cleaned up and prepared fixings for ice cream sundaes. We were able to hear the last part of the testimony mtg and it was so beautiful. President Millar is a great man and he gave them great advice about keeping on doing the good things. We transported everyone back ( it's only abou 7miles away but takes between 20-45 minutes). We had sack breakfasts ready for morning. 10 of the missionaries left next morning at 4:00 a.m. On a bus (coach) for the airport.  Two had parents picking them up. The other 5 were leaving at various times over the next three days. We left early on Wednesday to drive up to Staines, by London. This is where the rest of MOVES happens. Our 23 new missionaries arrived from Preston MTC and a couple from Provo. They have interviews and little classes as all the other missionaries who are being transferred arrive with their drivers. We have around 130 people coming and going. At this one I go pick up our sandwiches, fruit and water and set it up do those who don't have to wait for newbies can eat and leave. We stay most of the day, but Dad has to make an emergency run back to the office to get some important money cards - he makes it back just in time! It is so fun to watch the new missionaries march into the room while everyone cheers for them. After eating, and taking pictures, collecting passports, etc. president Millar has everyone come together and announces who the new trainers are and who they will be training. He tells something unique and interesting about each one and really makes them feel special. Dad drove us back to the office and picked up a departing missionary and drove back to heathrow airport. Thursday we spend updating the mission roster and printing up the new booklets, and delivering or mailing them. We had two departing sister missionaries still here on Friday and after they did more at the temple, we had them help us in the office. Dad took them to Heathrow last evening and since their bags took the whole space, I stayed home and did laundry. Today is Saturday and we have spent most of the day moving from our little flit into our little flat. It feels huge after what we have lived in. I love having a stove, oven and freezer now. The pictures below are #29 the little one and #14 the bigger. I hope tomorrow's moves will only be being moved by the spirit at church and our fireside. We are grateful to be here. It is good to feel needed and we love rubbing shoulders with these awesome missionaries! Sorry the pictures aren't working! I will have to send them next time!