Mission Reunion Last Night in Utah

We were so happy to see so many come. We wish all could have been there to share in the fun stories and sacred moments remembered!

Open House Visitors

We had a great visit with everyone who came to the Open House.  We enjoyed meeting with the parents of missionaries still serving...The Edwards, the Clawsons, the Wellers, the Losees, the Jones.  (I think that was everyone) Cynthia, a long time friend from 1980 (we hadn't seen each other since the 80's), also came with her husband.  This picture is only a partial scene of all those who came.   We loved hearing how everyone is doing.  It was fun to meet the new spouses and soon-to-be spouses, too. The Randalls, the Neves and the Kimballs...former Senior Couples in the mission... were there also. We had 56 come. We love you all!  Thank you for everything!

Oh-h, So Wonderful to See Everyone!

At the Sea Coach seeing us off....Elder and Sister Burns, Elder and Sister Kanzler and Markus.

Getting off the Sea Coach and going to Lungi Airport June 30th.  Last look....

Coming down the stairs in the Salt Lake International Airport on July 1st, 2013

Our family waiting for us with Return with Honor shirts! 

On the front of the shirt is "Return with Honor".  On the back it has our family motto "Pure and Strong", the map of Africa, and Sierra Leone Freetown Mission 2010-2013.  Love it!

We were welcomed by Elder Hilton, Elder Grabau and his wife, Elder and Sister Patterson, Elder Barth, Sister Randall and Elder Jones' parents and brother!   What a nice surprise to see them all!

Thank you Pattersons for the fruit basket filled with berries of all kinds and fruits of all kinds....best of all red Twizzlers!  Delightful!

A great big thank you to all of you who have followed the blog and have encouraged us to keep taking pictures of your missionaries, and kept the missionaries in your prayers.  We will miss them and miss the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia.  We are grateful for all the beauty and miracles we witnessed during the last three years.  We are thrilled to be home with family and friends.  We love this wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ and leave our testimony of it's truthfulness and the joy that comes from following the Savior. This will be the final posting on the blog from June 2010-July 2013.  We will post pictures of  any reunions that we may attend.

Turning over the Keys and a Fond Farewell to All!

We took this picture in March before the Kirkhams went home for a few months knowing that we probably wouldn't connect again as they returned to Liberia June 30th.  What a wonderful thing!  The Liberia Monrovia Mission with President and Sister Kirkham!

Welcome back to Liberia! 

At Lungi Airport, Welcome President and Sister Ostler!!

Handing over the phone...This will be a quiet evening for President Roggia and the beginning of a very active phone for President Ostler.

Fond Farewells with the Senior Couples and Assistants.

In Liberia, we had a nice farewell dinner with the Senior Couples and Assistants: Elder and Sister Miles, Elder and Sister Krumm, Elder and Sister Hezseltine.  It has been so great serving with them all.  (It was a "tie-free zone" except for the Assistants.)

The Liberia Assistants, Elder Harris and Elder Willis did all the dishes!  We gave them frilly aprons to put on...they were great sports.

In Sierra Leone, we had a nice farewell with Elder and Sister Burns, Elder and Sister Lauritzen, Elder and Sister Kanzler and the Assistants.  We just love these Senior Couples and Assistants.  They make everything happen!

The Sierra Leone Assistants, Elder Wolfgramm and Elder Liufau doing the dishes for us at the Mission Home.  What good husbands they will be.

Elder and Sister Schlehuber had us for a bed and breakfast plus dinner in Bo.  They have graciously taken us in every trip to Bo. We will miss you all so much.

More dishes in Bo at the Schlehubers... 

 A great big thank you to you all!  

Kenema: First District Conference

Missionaries after Saturday baptisms. We drove into Kenema from Bo this morning and arrived about 9 a.m.

I followed the missionaries around to the back of the building where I saw them folding the dried baptismal clothing...

Walking back around the building

Pretty flowers along the fence.

Bagging up the baptismal clothes to carry back to apartment.

The Assistants came to do exchanges and to spend the night with the 10 elders in Kenema.  Elder Losee, Elder Liufau and Elder Despain walking to catch transport.

Elder Wolfgramm, Elder Richardson and Elder Mosenthal bringing in boxes of curriculum for the Kenema District

Sister Schlehuber coming in after unloading their truck.

This is the Relief Society room where we held the first Auxiliary Training Meeting for the Kenema District

I was particularly touched by the hand embroidered "I Am A Child of God" tablecloth.

"who are so dear and kind to me"... Don't you just love it?

Sunday's Kenema District Conference was held at the top of a bank in Kenema.  There were close to 500 in attendance.

We just love these missionaries!

Leaving the bank after District Conference

Young Women in Kenema saying goodbye!

We will miss everyone!

I like how Elder Chemuru is losing the arm wrestle to the little boy...(Elder Miller on right)

Elder and Sister Schlehuber taking pictures as we leave.  We'll miss them too.

Scenes on the way back to Freetown.  The bottom picture is laundry drying along side the  road.

The Assistants, Elder Wolfgramm and Elder Liufau sleeping as we drove.  It was a busy, wonderful three days in Bo and Kenema.

Enduring to the End ....Bi-,Bye,Zone Conference in Bo

Bo Bi-Zone conference

Now, the silly one....

Putting the chairs back in the building...Ta Da! Elder Coffie!

Enjoying lunch from Sab's.

Food...never fails to be a big success...

Bye Missionaries!  We will miss you!

Jump for joy!!

Elder Bogh and Elder Itomo

Elder Hill and Elder Flament at their apartment.....