Last evening at almost eleven p.m. President McConkie, our two assistants and I welcomed our newest missionaries at the airport in Columbia, South Carolina. All were healthy and happy and REALLY ready to hit the ground running. What an impressive group! We started with dinner at about *midnight* and sent them all to bed to prepare for a full day today. We just had breakfast and all of the missionaries are on their way over to the chapel in Irmo, S.C. where they will spend the day learning how to do missionary work. This afternoon their new trainers will come from all over the mission and they will spend several hours tracting together. We'll keep them here at the mission home for another night and then send them on their way with their trainers tomorrow after our transfer meeting. All of these missionaries are well on their way to becoming awesome teachers. We are so happy to theve these new missionaries here and know of your love and support for them. It is a privilege to work with these young missionaries and we feel the sacred responsibility.

Sincerely,
Sister McConkie