God be with you till we meet again...

I knew when I started this experience that it would all end one day. I even knew that it would be hard to say good bye and leave so much of my heart behind. Knowing and doing are two different things! This has been a week of more emotions than I have ever imagined possible, mixed emotions!

Last Sunday was our last week in the Southmead Ward. There are such good people there and we are so glad for our association with them all! Fast and testimony meeting was filled with a lot of expressions of gratitude and love for our service. We appreciate the sentiment but I am sure that we have gained so much more than we could ever possibly give!

During Gospel Principles class there was a moment that I just wish I could have recorded! Medea, a new mandarin speaking member, was asked to read quite a long scripture reference and so Hanna, also mandarin speaking, leaned over to help. By dividing up the passage they triumphantly accomplished the task! I just wanted to clap, or hug them or both!

For the last ten minutes of the third hour the primary invited us in and sang good bye to us changing the words to the ‘Hello, we welcome you to Primary’ song! Hard to hold back the tears then!

After the meetings a ‘Munch and Mingle’ was held in our honor. We had delicious soup and bread and enjoyed time to say a personal farewell and thank you to everyone!

Monday we started our actual packing process… Of course it was more complicated than we thought and took many hours. In the afternoon we ran some errands and dropped the final load of furniture off. We accidentally gave away a chair that we realized later belonged to the flat so had to re-claim it on Tuesday evening.

The day ended with the most enjoyable dinner and Family Home Evening at President Byrom’s home. What a very delightful evening! They are such great people and there is such a sweet spirit in their home. It was fun to be in a family FHE, we have not experienced that on our mission. We went to bed with smiles on our faces in spite of the fact that the ‘to do’ list for the next day was extensive!

Tuesday was clean everything out day and continue with the task of packing a whole year and a half of living in 4 suitcases and 2 carry-ons, we did not quite make it. Bill had to pack up and ship another box.

Cinderella (Georgia) came over in the afternoon, she had volunteered to clean out the bathroom. It was kind of comical with her walking around the edge of the tub to reach all the tile. I am just glad she did not fall. Afterward she parked in the corner of the room on the floor by the couch rummaging through the bag of odds and ends of leftover food items. Should have snapped a picture and posted it on FB….

Fran came and we all had Chinese takeout. Then we actually had to say good bye. That was not easy! It felt like a piece of my heart drove down the street and out of sight.

Semior couple transfer day 

Wednesday D-day (departure day). Our goal was to get on the road by 9 but we did not even leave the flat until 11:30 and still had to make 3 stops on the way out of town. We drove straight to the Premier Inn near the airport where we were staying and dropped unloaded mountain of luggage then headed to the Mission Office. We handed over the keys to the 'Bristol Flyer' and turned in the mission phone.

We had a very lovely final interview with President and Sister Millar. President said thank you but said that he could tell that we have been thanked and rewarded by Heavenly Father’s spirit in a much more profound way than he could ever do himself… There really are no words to express the joy.

 Doctrine & Covenants 18:

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

Early Thursday morning we boarded the airport bus and headed to the terminal. At the last weigh in all of the large cases appeared to be barely with in the weight limit. At check-in each case was precisely on limit! A small miracle, an answer to the Presidents prayer that all would go smoothly without complication on our journey home!

After almost 24 hours on route, 2 hours alone getting through customs in New York and a very crowded flight from New York to Phoenix, we finally touched down at Sky Harbor Airport!

I am going to let the pictures tell the story of our arrival!

Now we have been home a couple of days it is sort of starting to feel a little more normal. This whole transition is a whirl wind of emotions! It is wonderful to be sitting in my kitchen looking out at my sunny back yard as I type this. It just feels so normal here, like nothing has changed. I think that the reason it all feels so surreal is because I am not the same any more. This journey that we started 18 months ago has changed me forever!! 

Thank you to the wonderful people of Bristol England. To all the countless missionaries from the England London South Mission. To the Young Single Adults of the Bristol Stake. To all the brave people who accepted and embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ and shared that journey with us. And most of all to the wonderful family who have supported, loved and prayed for us every single day!!!

Keep love's banner floating ore you....

Till we meet at Jesus feet