Tuesday brought more fantastic speakers, including our concluding speaker, Elder M. Russell Ballard. It was a very special experience. He invoked the Lord’s blessings upon us and our families, saying some very sweet and promising things, and I could physically feel it. I was very emotional (surprise, surprise). I took so much away from this experience, as always, and I have a list of personal things to work on. Number one on that list is to “Be still, and know that He is God.” I don’t spend a lot of “still” time lately, and it is really having an impact on me spiritually.
Elder Ballard and Sgt. Arellano (Here you go, Adam...let me know if you have any trouble retrieving this one.)
Once again, it was time to say goodbye. Those are the quickest 5 days of the year, I think. After the benediction, Dan Whitaker said, “Darn! 360 days until the next one!” My sentiments, exactly. There were lots of hugs, pictures, exchanging of email addresses and well wishes. They had to shoo some of us out that lingered too long.
The Degns and the Recks. We love these guys!
The Harms and Tony Horton. We missed Jeanice, Tony. Next year?
Brother and Sister Clauson and Bro. Clauson with the Whitakers
More farewells and good wishes...
I guess I did get a pic of Chaplain Justin Top...with Chaplain Dan Whitaker
Finally, it was just down to Cliff and I, the Degns (an Army couple that came in the same time that Cliff and I did), and a candidate couple (who were trying to decide between the Army or Navy---so you can imagine the verbal tug of war going on between us and the Degns!) Anyway, I was mid-sentence (making some brilliant argument, I’m sure) when Cliff tapped me on the shoulder and pointed. I quickly turned and saw….
The McMahans!! (Remember…Elan…musical director extraordinaire from my Moonlight post?) They were up there from So Cal; bringing their daughter, Emily, to the Missionary Training Center in Provo the next day; and they had reservations at The Roof for dinner that night. Again…coincidence?...I think not! Em is headed to the Tokyo mission, and since we will fall under the Tokyo temple district while we’re in Okinawa…we may just have an opportunity to visit with her whenever we go to the temple. We had a lovely visit with them (luckily they had some time to spare) and then it was time to go fetch the kiddos.
We heard all about their adventures…riding the train to SLC, visiting the Planetarium, eating at Applebee’s…and Grandma G. took plenty of pictures (a gal after my own heart). Grandpa even had prints AND a disc prepared for me (a guy who obviously shares my DNA).
We got to open our first installment of our Christmas present…this CUTE handmade, Halloween decoration!
Grandma G, being a handicraft addict like me, has been spending a good portion of her Millcreek Farms profit right away at some of the craft fairs where they have been hawking their wares. (No judgments, here, Grandma G…not only do I appreciate being a beneficiary…I’d probably do the same thing!)
Inevitably, the time came when we couldn’t put off saying goodbye any longer. It was really hard. Even though we only see each other once or twice a year, there is just something comforting about knowing you can jump in the car and be there shortly, whenever you want. We don’t know how often we’ll be able to visit from Japan.
Cassie, Grandpa Jim, Erin and Grandma Garrie
Elder Ballard and Sgt. Arellano (Here you go, Adam...let me know if you have any trouble retrieving this one.)
Once again, it was time to say goodbye. Those are the quickest 5 days of the year, I think. After the benediction, Dan Whitaker said, “Darn! 360 days until the next one!” My sentiments, exactly. There were lots of hugs, pictures, exchanging of email addresses and well wishes. They had to shoo some of us out that lingered too long.
The Degns and the Recks. We love these guys!
The Harms and Tony Horton. We missed Jeanice, Tony. Next year?
Brother and Sister Clauson and Bro. Clauson with the Whitakers
More farewells and good wishes...
I guess I did get a pic of Chaplain Justin Top...with Chaplain Dan Whitaker
Finally, it was just down to Cliff and I, the Degns (an Army couple that came in the same time that Cliff and I did), and a candidate couple (who were trying to decide between the Army or Navy---so you can imagine the verbal tug of war going on between us and the Degns!) Anyway, I was mid-sentence (making some brilliant argument, I’m sure) when Cliff tapped me on the shoulder and pointed. I quickly turned and saw….
The McMahans!! (Remember…Elan…musical director extraordinaire from my Moonlight post?) They were up there from So Cal; bringing their daughter, Emily, to the Missionary Training Center in Provo the next day; and they had reservations at The Roof for dinner that night. Again…coincidence?...I think not! Em is headed to the Tokyo mission, and since we will fall under the Tokyo temple district while we’re in Okinawa…we may just have an opportunity to visit with her whenever we go to the temple. We had a lovely visit with them (luckily they had some time to spare) and then it was time to go fetch the kiddos.
We heard all about their adventures…riding the train to SLC, visiting the Planetarium, eating at Applebee’s…and Grandma G. took plenty of pictures (a gal after my own heart). Grandpa even had prints AND a disc prepared for me (a guy who obviously shares my DNA).
We got to open our first installment of our Christmas present…this CUTE handmade, Halloween decoration!
Grandma G, being a handicraft addict like me, has been spending a good portion of her Millcreek Farms profit right away at some of the craft fairs where they have been hawking their wares. (No judgments, here, Grandma G…not only do I appreciate being a beneficiary…I’d probably do the same thing!)
Inevitably, the time came when we couldn’t put off saying goodbye any longer. It was really hard. Even though we only see each other once or twice a year, there is just something comforting about knowing you can jump in the car and be there shortly, whenever you want. We don’t know how often we’ll be able to visit from Japan.
Cassie, Grandpa Jim, Erin and Grandma Garrie
1 comment:
Thanks for the picture! We just found the card you gave us with the blog. Enjoy the trip!
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