Coming Home

Our farewell celebration from the Mission Office staff

Goodbye Relief Society board - St Johns Branch

Christmas celebration at our apartment with President & Sister Jones, Assistants, Sister Rogers,

Sister Fredline, Sister Nelson, Elder & Sister Davis

Christmas at the Mission Home

Great missionaries going home in December

Missionaries to the resuce

Our helping crew to get us out of MI before the huge storm hits

More of our missionary help crew

Saying goodbye to Russ and Tammy Lincoln

On the way home - Carthage Jail

Remnants of the ice storm that recently hit the area

Headed home on streets of ice

Nauvoo Temple

Ice that took us off the road in Wyoming

Miracles: we were not hit by the truck flying past us as we hit black ice and jack-knifed going off the road, we went off the road at a point of gradual, gentle sloping and not a drop-off, we were not hit by other vehicles who hit the same black ice and slid all over the road, the car and trailer did not roll as we spun 180 degrees around and ended up going the wrong direction alongside the freeway, tires pulled off from the force of the impact, we were uninjured, our car and trailer both could be repaired enough to continue traveling the next day, we convinced our children NOT to come out in the storm to rescue us that night, the storm abated overnight and the next day was clear allowing us to drive home in safety.

Towing our damaged car and trailer back to Rawlings, WY

Home!

Kids waiting on the front porch for our arrival, December 23, 2008.

There is no way to put into words our feelings as we conclude our mission. It's been the best of times and the worst of times....thankfully the best has won out in the end. We've gone about saying our goodbyes these last days and weeks, not knowing if we will ever see many of these amazing missionaries and dear friends again. We feel we are leaving part of our hearts here and know that we will never forget the impact these nearly two years have had on our lives. We've said it before and will say it again now, we will never be the same because of the experiences we've had, the incredible missionaries we've rubbed shoulders with and the marvelous people we now call our friends. Serving a senior couple mission is a life changing experience. How blessed we have been to have had it in our lives.