Saying good-bye to our young missionary friends
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| Front left: Elders Schenk and Jensen, Perry; Elders Atwood and Williams, Dublin Back from left: Sisters Lanier and Clev, Cochran; Sister and Elder Castleton, Dublin |
The Dublin District
Here we are just before Missionary exchanges. These pictures may seem all the same to you, but we want you to know all the Young Elders and Sisters that we have grown to admire and love.
Our sisters finished their mission amid tears and hugs of encouragement to those of us remaining. We will miss them - Sister Lanier (right) was in our District as a trainer when we arrived in July. Sister Clev provided a burst of enthusiasm for our past seven weeks.
Elder Williams is leaving us to be a trainer in a different part of our mission.
Elder Atwood is staying. His new companion is Elder Hoskins from Washington State. He is enthusiastic and personable - out 15 months. Already we can feel his influence in less than a week.
It is like coming to a new area in many ways, as Elder Atwood due to brain surgery as a child, cannot remember names and other details, so Elder Hoskins has to reconstruct a lot of past information. Elder Williams tried to leave the necessary information in the area book, but it is impossible to transfer all useful information.
We feel like the old kids on the block as we now know lots of things about the members and new contacts.
Elder Schenk (from Perry) will be our new District leader. He is a new member of the church himself. We are constantly amazed at his confidence and what he already knows about the gospel. He will continue to train Elder Jensen.
I don't know how the above turned blue and is underlined, but I couldn't change it back. (It is not the regular underline or color text feature). Any ideas you more tech savvy children? It happened when I was trying to make the text go beside the picture.
Oh, I see, the underlining goes away automatically on the published copy but not the blue? Weird!
Saying a Final Good-bye to our oldest Ward Member
Ms Parker passed away Saturday. She was 96 and has been going downhill, so it was expected. It doesn't make it any easier for our ward as many are related and connected to this special lady.
She is the mother-in-law to our friend Carolyn (with the goats) who has lived on adjoining properties some 50 years. Carolyn's husband was her only child, so Carolyn has taken care of her and been highly involved over the years. Carolyn has only one son near by and two teenage grandchildren. Her other son lives in Utah - Doctor in Vernal.
Ms Parker is also the sister of the lady we visit regularly in the nursing home - Lollie Jean, who has been very ill herself this week. Last week when we visited, she wanted to know how long we still had, as she loved us so much and hoped we could stay forever. I only mentioned that, because we saw her that day after a whole string of disappointing visits, and wrong addresses, and that pick-me-up on our last visit was just what we needed to go home ready to go again.
Ms Parker, at her request was buried in her family plot out in a field that the family had owned for generations. She is part of the Harrison dynasty of land owners, so there were many Harrisons who attended. There was no funeral or dinner at her request - just a lovely graveside service that had to be carried out within 24 hours of her demise. Although well-to-do, she was very frugal, apparently and could not stand the thought of paying all those funeral and embalming costs.
A friend in the ward (Glenda Bates) after our ward Social the night before, arranged for food after the service at Carolyn's house. It was so needed as Carolyn wanted people around her, and it wouldn't have happened otherwise. I don't think she would even remember to eat. Everyone just went back to their individual families. Her son and Granddaughters came though, and the four black caregivers who have looked after Ms Parker these past months. Also two of Carolyn's cousins and their mother - the lively 90 year old Sister Harrison we have told you about before. (Remember her driving herself for a hamburger and getting her license renewed just before her birthday?) We brought the extra salad we had made for our ward party the night before, and enjoyed a quiet afternoon together.
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| From left: Elder Atwood, Price, UT; Elder Williams, Ogden |
Elder Atwood is staying. His new companion is Elder Hoskins from Washington State. He is enthusiastic and personable - out 15 months. Already we can feel his influence in less than a week.
It is like coming to a new area in many ways, as Elder Atwood due to brain surgery as a child, cannot remember names and other details, so Elder Hoskins has to reconstruct a lot of past information. Elder Williams tried to leave the necessary information in the area book, but it is impossible to transfer all useful information.
We feel like the old kids on the block as we now know lots of things about the members and new contacts.
 |
| From left: Elder Schenk, CA; Elder Jensen, Alpine, UT |
Elder Schenk (from Perry) will be our new District leader. He is a new member of the church himself. We are constantly amazed at his confidence and what he already knows about the gospel. He will continue to train Elder Jensen.
I don't know how the above turned blue and is underlined, but I couldn't change it back. (It is not the regular underline or color text feature). Any ideas you more tech savvy children? It happened when I was trying to make the text go beside the picture.
Oh, I see, the underlining goes away automatically on the published copy but not the blue? Weird!
Saying a Final Good-bye to our oldest Ward Member
Ms Parker passed away Saturday. She was 96 and has been going downhill, so it was expected. It doesn't make it any easier for our ward as many are related and connected to this special lady.
She is the mother-in-law to our friend Carolyn (with the goats) who has lived on adjoining properties some 50 years. Carolyn's husband was her only child, so Carolyn has taken care of her and been highly involved over the years. Carolyn has only one son near by and two teenage grandchildren. Her other son lives in Utah - Doctor in Vernal.
Ms Parker is also the sister of the lady we visit regularly in the nursing home - Lollie Jean, who has been very ill herself this week. Last week when we visited, she wanted to know how long we still had, as she loved us so much and hoped we could stay forever. I only mentioned that, because we saw her that day after a whole string of disappointing visits, and wrong addresses, and that pick-me-up on our last visit was just what we needed to go home ready to go again.
Ms Parker, at her request was buried in her family plot out in a field that the family had owned for generations. She is part of the Harrison dynasty of land owners, so there were many Harrisons who attended. There was no funeral or dinner at her request - just a lovely graveside service that had to be carried out within 24 hours of her demise. Although well-to-do, she was very frugal, apparently and could not stand the thought of paying all those funeral and embalming costs.
A friend in the ward (Glenda Bates) after our ward Social the night before, arranged for food after the service at Carolyn's house. It was so needed as Carolyn wanted people around her, and it wouldn't have happened otherwise. I don't think she would even remember to eat. Everyone just went back to their individual families. Her son and Granddaughters came though, and the four black caregivers who have looked after Ms Parker these past months. Also two of Carolyn's cousins and their mother - the lively 90 year old Sister Harrison we have told you about before. (Remember her driving herself for a hamburger and getting her license renewed just before her birthday?) We brought the extra salad we had made for our ward party the night before, and enjoyed a quiet afternoon together.
2 comments:
It sounds like it was a wonderful funeral service. I love hearing about these spunky people you are meeting.
Crazy to think that you've been there long enough to see missionaries come and go already. We love reading about your experiences so keep 'em coming. Love and miss you both.
All I want to know is... is that missionary really that tall. or the missionary beside him really that short? Crazy. It must feel good to be the ones that kind of know what's going on. Love you guys!!
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