Getting Harder

Denmark is giving me a final gift this week.....rain.

SK took Elder Parker (he and his wife are replacing us) on a field trip to Inco....our current Costco-Wannabe.  While they were gone, I was alone in the apartment, working on several little tasks.  The sky darkened, and thunder rolled across the city.....then rain....ah the smell of fresh rain.  It rained on and off throughout the day.

SK went to the center at 3 to meet one of our young men who was going to study in the quiet there.  I stayed home for two reasons....1) I was in the middle of several things and wanted to get them finished.....2) I wanted to walk to the center in the rain.

I got some of the items on my list finished, and then I walked.  I didn't take the Mary Poppins umbrella, because I wore my rain coat with a hood.  It took about 25 minutes, and it didn't rain a drop!  But that is OK....I loved the walk, and there were a few puddles I could walk through.

We had an excellent turnout tonight.  I was so happy to see so many of those great young people.  Elder Parker gave the Family Home Evening lesson, and did a super job.  He and his wife are so fun, I know everyone will love them.

When they were done, Jonas (a really great young man who has been home from his mission about a year or so) made an announcement.  I didn't catch all he said, but it was about SK and me and a gift they will present to us on Thursday.  As part of the gift, we all trooped out into the courtyard and bunched up in a little circle, where one of the YSAs mother took our picture from two stories above.  She took a bunch, and we were all laughing at the sheer fun of it.  Then we went through the center and out the front door where she took pictures of us all at various places on the street.  I felt like a YSA myself.....everyone seemed so light-hearted.

We went back inside where Elder Parker organized four long tables of six people each.  He handed everyone a piece of playdough and we played Sculptionary.  One person sculpted a figure in his clay (assigned by Elder Parker) and his team had to guess what it was.  It got very loud with laughter and good times.  It was a hit.

Elder and Sister Parker giving instructions.

Isak, who will be receiving a mission call soon is working very hard on his sculpture!

Jonathan is working equally hard....and Teresa is looking on with amusement.

This sweet young man has been investigating the church for a few months.  He is a kind gentle guy, and I think a lot of him.

Afterward, we sat around visiting with different people.  I saw SK several times with his lower lip quivering.....and I kept feeling waves of sadness to think of leaving them all.  A few said good-bye because they won't be back this week.....but most hugged us, waved goodbye and said they would be there on Thursday.

Are they adorable or what?  They are the best young people you could ever meet....  

.....and we love them.  They are as wonderful as they look.  

 One by one, everyone left.  We stayed until 11:30 visiting with Jennifer, a young woman who is hoping to serve a mission in the near future....there are several obstacles, including a bad hip, and a bad knee.  I hope she will be able to to work everything out.  She would be a very excellent missionary.

For two years, we have seen these young people more often than a lot of grandparents get to see their grandchildren......they have become family to us.  We love them.

We have one more day with them....Thursday.  We have four more days in this place.

As SK has said for years:  "To meet and to part is the way of life."
That doesn't make it any easier.