Changes

The month of June was a roller coaster of emotion.

I don't like change.

I never have.

Good-byes are difficult for me.

 

We knew that we would be saying good-bye to Sheree Clarke at least a month before she left the Area Office. However, I didn't realize how much I would miss her until she walked out the door.

Sheree is a Marriage and Family therapist. She has been so much more to us than just a co-worker.

  Sheree is one of those people that you just know was put in your life for a reason.

 

 So is Jill Jones

Jill was not only my exercise buddy,

She has been a great friend

She was always there when I needed someone to talk to.
We had so much fun together.
We shared so many fun experiences together, swimming, zip lining, the rhino rescue, game drives, dinners out, shopping, and movies.
Jill is one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met.
She brought a pattern from home to make a purse.  When I arrived she had already taught several ladies to make their own purse. She must have taught at least 15 ladies how to make purses.
She took us shopping for fabric and then one by one she invited each woman to her flat to sew.
She baked bread and cinnamon rolls for the new couples when they arrived.
She brought the ladies African necklaces.
She organized trips for the Senior Missionary sisters to go shopping for African necklaces.
Ben was just as kind and generous. He was very busy with his calling as the Executive Secretary to the Area President but he always made time for friends.
Ben and Jill took the new couples out to dinner and shopping. They both went out of their way to make people feel welcome.

Ben and Jill have both been great friends to Bruce and I.
We are going to miss them terribly.

Ben and Jill completed their mission and returned to Utah a few weeks ago. 

Bruce and I were sad to see them go but know how excited they were to see their families again.

We have met so many wonderful people who will leave footprints on our hearts forever.

The next change we faced in June was moving to a new apartment.

We had to say goodbye to flat 516 in Duke's Court and move across the street to Gleneagles.

We liked living in flat 516 but the lease was up and we needed to move. Ben needed someone to move to the apartment building across the street so we said we would.

So we packed our bags and moved to Glen Eagles.

It is a nice apartment with two bedrooms. Which was very nice since my friend Kathleen was coming to stay for a few weeks in July.

With 6 Sunday's left on our mission I am already dreading the most difficult good-bye of all,
the transition from my home in Africa to home in America.
Today as I sat in Sacrament meeting with little Providence leaning on my shoulder I felt the familiar tug at my heart.
Remembering the pain of leaving Ukraine.
My heart ached.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and took her little hand in mine.
 I looked around the room at all the wonderful people who were strangers 17 months ago and marveled at how great God is.
He knows it is hard for me to be away from my family so he gave me Orange Farm.
And now when it is time for me to say good-bye to my Orange Farm family he has reminded me how blessed I am so have such a wonderful family waiting for me in America.