6 Incredible New Elders!

6 new Elders arrived today, May 25th, looking happy and eager and ready to go to work!

There is always so much excitement when new missionaries come and getting a group of 6 was so much fun. 5 from Utah and 1 from Idaho made up this remarkable group.

We came to the mission home and immediately started signing quilt squares and getting settled and relaxing a little bit.

We know that they come hungry so we had 2 empanadas and some juice to start the morning. Pictured from r to l. is Elder Hadley from West Haven, Utah, Elder Blatter from Ammon, Idaho, and Elder Reist from BOUNTIFUL, Utah. This is the first Elder we have had from our home town. So much fun to see a fellow Brave!! Elder Dredge is happy with the group.

El Presidente and Elder Plaskett from Sandy, Utah are enjoying a little relaxation time before we get the orientation going.

Isn't this a great looking group? We sure think so and are we ever impressed by them. We are sad that we can't take them all to Malaga with us. The front row is Elder Woolsey from Morgan, Utah along with Elder Hadley and Elder Blatter. The back row from l. to r. is Elder Plaskett, Elder Stock from Provo, Utah and Elder Reist.

Orientation is done and it is time to eat. Desert is always the favorite part. Ice cream sandwiches were a hit today!

"The Field is White All Ready to Harvest"

They were very impressed by the sites of Bilbao. It was a beautiful, breezy summer-like day hence no jackets.

A fun group indeed. We already love each one of them and know they are all going to be fine, hard working missionaries.

The Ayudantes wanted to be pictured with this group because Elder Woods is going to be one of the trainers. We won't tell you who it is yet, but the excitement was starting to build as to where they would go and who would be their trainers. This also will mean which mission they will go with when the mission is divided. The tension is mounting.

Getting to the office means learning the details of how the mission functions. This is very important information and they all look like they are listening very intently to Elder Holmes.

Elder Hansen wants to make sure they understand it all too. Don't forget your pin numbers Elders!

The suspense is killing me so let's begin. Elder Blatter, middle elder, was the first one to find out his destination. Aviles with Elder Jackson. Elder Hadley, on the right, gets to go to Santander with Elder Griotti, a native which made Elder Hadley excited. Elder Plaskett, well he doesn't know yet, so just wait a minute.

Elders Stock, Reist and Woolsey are listenng intently as the ayudantes decide to tell Elder Stock next.

Wow, Ourense with Elder Esteves-Garcia, another native. He is excited and will love Ourense. The members love the missionaries and feed them always. Who will be joining him on the party train?

No, it isn't Elder Plaskett, he gets to stay in Las Arenas and be trained by Elder Woods. He was really excited as well as Elder Woods. It was fun to see his surprised face when he found out the news.

Elder Woolsey is excited to be able to go to Vigo. He is going to be trained by our dear wonderful Elder Quinn. He will love it in Vigo. He is the second Elder to be going on the party train. Who is left?

Oh, it is Elder Reist. Where can he be going. He gets to go to.........Ponferrada to be with Elder Driggs. He was so excited. Ponferrada is an incredible place with 3 incredible misisonaries there. They have 7 baptismal dates set, so Elder Reist is going to be working hard the minute he gets there. Party train here he comes!

One final look at a fantastic group of missionaries. Elders Stock, Reist, Woolsey and Blatter will all be in the Madrid mission in about 5 weeks and Elders Hadley and Plaskett will be going to the Barcelona mission. Oh we wish we could take them with us, they are so great. But the Lord knows where they need to be.