It
is now less than three weeks before we drive away from the New Jersey
Morristown Mission and head for home in California. It is hard to capture in words our feelings,
but I will give it a try.
We
have feelings of satisfaction with what we have accomplished. Our main goal was to be a blessing in the
lives of the young missionaries and Church members that we worked with. We can clearly identify ways that this goal
was achieved in general and in terms of specific people we were able to help. In addition, we wanted to be devoted to full
time service of many different kinds. As
we look back we can again see fulfillment of this desire in our service in the
community, in our church branch, in the Manhattan
Temple, and in the mission. One very specific goal was to lighten the
burden on our mission president by executing our mission assignments in such a
way that he did not need to concern himself further with those tasks. We did that.
We
have had great feelings of camaraderie as we have worked and socialized with
our fellow senior missionaries. It was a
humbling privilege to be a part of a team dedicated to serving the Savior's
purposes here in New Jersey. These are the kind of people we are trying to
be like because they are trying to be like Jesus. They will always be our friends. This was an unexpected blessing of our senior
mission.
Above
all we have had feelings of love given and received. We have felt the genuine love and
appreciation the young missionaries have for us. They are always anxious to give us hugs and
tell us how happy they are to have us around.
It may have something to do with a combination of Sister Shaw's cookies
and their view of us as their substitute grandparents. Whatever it is, it is wonderful and we love
them back. They give us hope for the
future of this world. We have also had
similar feelings for members of the Church here in the Paterson Branch.
We
also are feeling a little sad because these experiences here are coming to an
end and we will be left with only memories of our time here. We are also feeling excitement at the
prospect of being reunited with our family in the west. Our mission has increased our awareness of
just how much we love and appreciate them.
I have no doubt that our reunion will be sweet indeed.
So,
we conclude our record, declaring that we have written according to the best of
our knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives
are passing away like as it were unto us a dream (Jacob 7:26). Serving the Lord has made it a sweet dream
indeed. Brothers and Sisters, adieu.
Looking down Edison Avenue. Parking for our apartment is on the right.
Our parking area.
More snow out our kitchen window. One thing about New Jersey we will not miss.
