The missionaries came over about 9:30 am and we played "Code Names" while we waited for the 11 am mission transfer zoom call with the entire mission. The Adriatic North Mission consists of about 64 young missionaries, 16 senior couples, two senior sisters and President and Sister Melonakos. Mission transfers are a big deal in a mission with 5 countries. It was a funny feeling to know that we weren't going to be part of this next transfer.
We ate our Thanksgiving meal and then we hopped into a van to go visit a member of our branch that moved to the interesting old city of Motovun. We made a short detour to Pula and Rovinj as a last hurrah of our mission. We had a sweet visit with our member and was able to say goodbye to him. It was a really fun last P-day with our missionaries.
The senior couple probably coming to Rijeka won't arrive in Croatia until about February 1st. Elder Hoisington is the Rijeka Branch President for several months. He arrived a month ago but has made a big effort to get to know the branch members and friends. He's also training a brand new missionary. It's a lot of responsibility but he will be terrific.
A tender mercy was that we were able to meet the three new missionaries who are serving in Rijeka now. Last month we were asked to cook for the brand-new missionaries and their missionary trainers. We just happened to have a lengthly conversation with Sister Knudsen who had graduated from college, loved learning and beach volleyball. On December 3rd at the Frankfurt airport with our group of returning young missionaries we happened to bump into the brand new missionaries on their way to Croatia. For the old missionaries it was Deja Vu. The returning missionaries shared how they loved serving in the ANM countries and the new missionaries shared their excitement about starting their missions. I recognized the missionary that was probably going to serve in Rijeka and got to share that he'd love serving in our city.
