#18 January Week 4 It’s Getting Real

We are in our last 2 weeks here in CASRM. So many mixed emotions—wondering how we’ll survive the cold after living in eternal spring; worries about fitting everything in the car; excited to see family, friends, and our cat; sorry at leaving our new friends and missionaries here; our home was taken care of, but will it be home again; excitement at having a temple 6 minutes away; worries about traveling through February weather; did we do enough—- on and on—ups and downs. I guess as Sister Nate always says, “It is what it is.” It will be what it’ll be—an outstanding 18 months that can’t be replicated by anything else we could’ve done. We’ve been blessed!!!

Sunday - we had stayed overnight after zone conferences and after listening to Elder Lee’s Mission talk over zoom, we started for home.

Monday we welcomed Elder & Sister Frodsham (our replacements) and Elder & Sister Rupp (a new MLS couple). AND we always love it when the missionaries stop in for a visit on their p-day. We drove south (almost to the GG bridge to deliver a Tiwi card to Elder Parrish. “Let’s go to the bridge!” I suggested— but it was too late — getting dark.

Tuesday-Friday were training days for the Frodshams. Elder Kennan talked nonstop all week! He is amazing and a great trainer— they were great students and will do just fine! They are our same age! Sister Frodsham’s birthday is one day before mine, Elder Frodsham’s a couple of months after Elder Kennan’s.

Since we didn’t go to the bridge on Monday, we asked our friends the Lunds if they would take us to San Francisco. “Of course!” they said. They drove us around all day—it was a grand day!

Oh my! What an amazing week! The best story: While riding the Trolley, the Lunds were driving to our meet-up place. Traffic was a mess due to one of the main streets being closed for the weekend. It took us about 40 minutes on the trolley— they were stuck on a street because of self driving cars that couldn’t get around a turn because of traffic. We got in the ‘stuck in traffic’ car and after waiting a few minutes longer, Rochelle got fed up, got out with her cane, and stopped traffic so the self driving cars would go! I wish had taken a picture! She is the best!!!

A week of training and with two bookend days! A time never to be forgotten.