Saying Goodbye

Our mission year among the wonderful people of Rensselaer, Indiana is over.  Our original date was March 3.  We gave ourselves an extra two weeks because we hoped the weather would warm a little and we couldn't imagine leaving.  This has been our home for a year.

On Friday, we visited with President and Sister Woodbury.  He gave us departing blessings.  He and his wife are doing such an amazing work.  We decided we did not want his job and were happy with our duties.  He, on the other hand, was envious of OUR assignment.and wants to go on another mission so he can do what we were doing.  We went to the temple for the last time, and had dinner at our favorite restaurant, Wildfire.

Because no other missionary couple was coming to take our place, we had to empty the apartment.  the elders moved all our furniture into their garage (Yeah, THEY have a garage!)

With no table, chairs, or cabinets, everything ended up on the bed, in the kitchen or on the floor.  Then there was the process of packing.  We ended up mailing about 15 packages on the last day in an effort to get everything home.  We are NOT going to talk about how much the postage was.  We probably could have bought everything new for what we spent.

Sam was quite confused by all of it.  I came in and found him here.  He wanted to make sure he wasn't forgotten.

We cleaned and packed all day Saturday.  We had a WONDERFUL dinner with the Wagner family at a restaurant similar to Benihana's.  Delicious.

Sunday, we spoke in church.  From the very beginning, Craig was hoping that all the chairs would be filled on the day we left.  They were not QUITE filled, but nearly.  We invited everyone.  It was also the last Sunday for Barbara and Raul Fernandez.  They had been in the branch for over 30 years.  Raul was in the Branch Presidency.  They, too, will be greatly missed.  President Portwood chose "God Be With You" for the closing song.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to see the music through my tears.

After church we had a pot luck lunch.  I should have taken pictures at each table, but did not.  Guess I was too busy eating.  

We DID get out pictures with our wonderful elders.

This is Elder Fuchigami from Las Vegas, and Elder Spencer from Blackfoot, Idaho.  We do not feel bad about leaving the branch in their capable hands.

This is Dawn Swope.  She and her husband, Charlie, were two of the founding members of the branch.  In fact, meetings were held in their home before a building was rented.

This is the Fisher family.  Brother Fisher was not even coming when we first arrived.  Now he and his whole family are attending.  His son has a baptism date.  We LOVE them and have had the opportunity to do a lot of service for them.  The gospel is changing their lives.

The weather was so warm the last week.  Stacey and I went walking.  I started out all bundled up, but by the end of the walk, I was down to my tee shirt.  I think it was about 50 degrees.  Almost summer.

There are still piles of ice in the streets.  The locals say they usually get snow in March, so no one is celebrating quite yet.  There are wonderful piles of ice all over town.  

One morning a few weeks ago we woke to freezing rain.  Our car was coated in a sheet of ice.  Even when we rolled down the window, the ice remained.  Cool, huh?

The hardest of all was saying goodbye to our neighbor, Stacey.  Sam got so he would tolerate Peanuts pretty well.

We just cannot say enough wonderful things about Stacey.  She fed us at the end of our long trip from Salt Lake, AND she fed us on our last night in Rensselaer.  She was there for us everyday.  I borrowed bowls, pans, spices, and whatever I needed.  We drove her to Lafayette for doctor's appointments, and she drove me to the church or store when Craig had the car.  She was my walking buddy, my confidant, and my friend.  I will miss her tremendously.  She even came to church to hear us speak - and lightening did NOT strike!!!

Monday, March 16, we had to go to the post office and mail packages, then come home and pack more stuff, and make another post office trip.  We had keys to Brother Fisher's house that we had to return, we said our final goodbyes to the Portwoods, we had lunch with the Elders, we visited with Robert Wagner on the way out of town, and didn't get on the freeway until 2:30 PM. 

Very mixed emotions:  sad to be leaving such caring, loving, wonderful people, glad to be going home to family and friends.  We hope we have touched lives, but we know that the Lord has blessed ours.