Five incredible sisters arrive!

Our three-year visas are a thing of the past for any new incoming missionary now. The Russian government has gone back to the 90-day visas. So our 5 new sister missionaries were denied the 3-year visas and new visas had to be applied for. That meant delays arriving in the mission. They came in two groups: Sister Cavaness and Sister Hill arrived only a few days late. Sisters Bell, Clark, and Foulger were re-assigned to missions in the United States and came 2 1/2 weeks late, but we thankfully had the help of Sisters Braithwaite and Ferguson who were able to extend their missions for that period of time.

Here are these talented new sisters:

 Our first glimpse of these new sister missionaries when they emerge from customs.

Sister Hill, left, and Sister Cavaness, right in front of the beautiful, new Vladivostok International Airport.

The new arrivals are whisked off to the Mission Office where they send an email to home letting family know "all is well". After emails, the office elders do a training session and help the missionaries use their debit cards to obtain Russian rubles at a nearby bank.

The sisters were welcomed by their trainers, Sister Radjabova and Sister Gates. We all had a wonderful evening at the Welcome Dinner in the Mission Home where the sisters and trainers stayed overnight.

 Sister Cavaness is from Riverton, Utah...

Sister Hill is from West Jordan, Utah and the Philippines. Her parents are serving a mission in the Philippines currently.

Two and one half weeks later, we welcomed three more sisters. Unfortunately, we were not in Vladivostok when their flight touched down as we had been scheduled for our Musical Firesides in another part of the mission. Due to the visa delays, we were told the last minute when the sisters would arrive, and we were already scheduled elsewhere. How blessed we are to have such incredible sister trainers who met the incoming sisters at the airport and took them to their training. They spent their first night at the sister trainers' apartment. President and Sister Brinton arrived the next day and welcomed them to the Mission Home where they had a Welcome Dinner and spent the night with their sister trainers.

 Sister Clark from Bountiful, Utah...

Sister Foulger from Herriman, Utah... 

 Sister Bell from Grand Junction, Colorado

Here is a photo of the new sisters with their trainers: from left front row, trainer Sister Jennings, Sister Foulger and trainer, Sister Baum; Sister Clark and trainer, Sister McMurtrey; back row, trainer Sister Handley with Sister Bell.

Our mission now has 21 incredible sister missionaries: two in each zone except Vladivostok which has four sister missionaries. Our sister missionaries are smart, capable, energetic, talented, and beautiful. They radiate a love for our Savior and for His Gospel. Great things are on the horizon in this mission with such an incredible force of dedicated sisters and equally amazing elders!