The World Rotates Once Again

Our world doesn't rotate around the sun every month or roughly 28 days, our world rotates every six weeks.  The rotation came around again this past week. 

We said farewell to six wonderful missionaries.  Five sisters and one elder returned home.  We had a fun Monday and Tuesday with them.   It all started with a wonderful dinner with Chicken Pot Pie Soup, home made bread and salad.  Wow did it get eaten up!  Banana splits for dessert.

This sister goes home to Hawaii;

This sister goes to Nebraska;

This sister to Utah;

This sister also to Utah;

This elder to Idaho;

and Utah as well.

This sister also performed a wonderful number that she wrote the week earlier to share with us on her departure.  Her soft voice covered much of the lyrics, it was quite moving:

Had to get one picture of the mission parents looking lovingly at each other.  It's an image we always want them to keep in their minds after they depart!

Taking them to the airport limousine bus to the airport always pulls the heart strings!  We have to divide them up as too large a group fills the undercarriage of the bus with only their luggage.

Gratefully, it was a beautiful day to wait at the stop.  Our daytime temperatures have been in the 50's and are sneaking into the 60's this week.  We feel for those of you in the US who are still struggling with this never-ending winter!

To overcome the sadness of the departing loved ones, we run to the airport to pick up new family members!  Coming in were five elders and one sister.  Our count of sisters continues to dwindle.  We are excited for it to pick up in a few months when they start coming in large numbers.
We were especially grateful to receive four new missionaries who are native Koreans.  They do so much to help us better understand the local culture and traditions, and help us learn better the language.

 The trainers of the elders are all on the top shelf (the elders on the far right are the Assistants).  The new missionaries below. 

 From Korea

 Also from Korea

 From the Philippines

 From Korea

  From Korea

 From Utah, but her family is Polynesian!  Great group!

We feel bad in that we missed out on a few pictures this week.  We held a district leader training meeting and forgot to take a group picture!  Sorry parents.
We did have a wonderful experience on Saturday being visited by Sister Aburto of the Relief Society General Presidency and Sister Franco of the Primary General Presidency of the Church.  We were allowed to have all our missionaries together.  Such family photos are rare and we jump at every opportunity to get a picture.We hope you can pull this off and find your favorite!

Sister Aburto is from Nicaragua and her husband from Mexico. Sister Franco and her husband are from Argentina.  They have such wonderful hearts.  They shared wonderful messages to lift our missionaries and help them better know and understand the love the Lord has for them.  They reminded the missionaries that the Church leaders pray for all the missionaries regularly.

On Sunday, we were able to attend a wonderful baptism of two children. The parents have been long-time members of the church, but over the past years had been involved in other things that kept them away from the church.  Working closely with our missionaries and ward members they returned to full activity and wanted their children to be baptized.  The next step is the temple as a family!  The ward provided so much support and help.

Near our residence is the Olympic Park, an place of much activity during the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.  At the corner nearest our home is the Rose Plaza which is amazing in the spring, summer, and early fall.  During the winter they wrap them in rice straw mats.  We wanted to check them out and track how the roses do over our final four months.  They really baby these plants.  There are thousands of different varieties to enjoy when they are in full bloom.

As for the other types of pictures we like to add, enjoy these!
We had a visit from a former missionary whose sister married a man who has a strawberry farm where they grow the larges, most tasty strawberries in the world.  He was kind enough to bring some from far southern Korea to share with us.  They show so much love to us.

 I had some exercise buddies one morning to help me stretch.  They were afraid I would make them stretch or do other exercises so they stayed away.  One hid at this point.

 All the craze in Korea this winter were these special head warmers.  You can get them in the image of rabbits, elephants, Stitch, Pokemon, etc/ You squeeze their paws and the ears jump up.  Modeling them for us this evening are our two Assistants.  Sister Turner is anxious to share with the grandkids (Don't tell them!)  We want to surprise them.

That's all for this evening.  The world begins its six week rotation around the sun and interviews start again this week.  That means more pictures.  During the month of March we will also be visiting the temple so there should be much to view!  Thanks for all, until next time!