Farewell and Hello in a single day, boy is it painful!

One of the joys of this mission is the new missionaries that come to our mission brining tremendous energy, fire, and desire.  This group is not different.  However, the hardest part of the mission is saying goodbye to any one of them.  We've said it many times, they are family and we adore them.  We liken it to letting our kids go off to college far away and not seeing them until term ends. In this case, when our term ends!
We said farewell to 13 amazing missionaries this week, sending them home to the Philippines, New Zealand,  Korea, the US, and one to her family serving a mission in Bulgaria. We are a diverse mission. We so enjoyed our final interviews, dinner, and special evening of sharing testimonies and experiences.  It is a most amazing day.  Here's to the recently departed:

 Home is in Korea

 Home is in New Zealand

 Home is in Utah

 Home is in California

 Home is in the Philippines

 Home is in New Hampshire

 Home is in Utah

 Home is currently in Bulgaria with parents

 Home is in Utah

 Home is in California

 Home is in California

 Home is in Korea

Home is in Colorado

Funny group.  How we will miss their gifts, talents, and abilities.

We also welcomed four wonderful missionaries.  Two from the Philippines and two from Korea. The Korean elder and sisters both had siblings who served in our mission earlier.  Their siblings were great missionaries and these two look every bit as strong with a great fire in them!

With their trainers and Assistants to the President, President and Sister Turner

We are so grateful for the gift to love these young people the Lord has given us!  We can't tell you enough how much we enjoy shaking hands and hugging them and just chatting with them.

Another sad things this week, we said farewell to our friends, President and Sister Sonksen who are finishing their missions as President and Wife of the Seoul Mission.  They have richly blessed our lives in the two years we have been together.  They started one year before us.  Since they are from a neighboring state in the US, we look forward to connecting with them when we return.

One of the joys of our work is serving side by side with great leaders.  Today we had the opportunity to visit a small ward at the same time the stake presidency was attending.  These are great men.  Also here are the bishopric for the Ansan ward and other leaders.

We enjoyed a tender moment at the church when a woman with her aged and infirm mother were together.  To keep the grandmother active and focused on her motor skills, they played together for a few minutes.  It was a moving moment.

We had the special gift of having our second son, Nathan and his bride, Kelcie come visit us for a week.  We forgot to take a picture at the airport, but we'll get one when they depart.  While waiting at the airport we captured Terri in a quiet moment.  I love her new hair cut!

The first things Nathan wanted when we arrived at the house was true Korean Ramen!  With all the amazing foods here, that's all he wanted.  We did give him some rice and Bulgogi as well, but this is what he really wanted!

Another great week behind us, another week that we anticipate will be exciting ahead of us.  Please know of our love and appreciation for all who pray for and support our great missionaries and us.  Until next week....