IT'S HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO THESE AWESOME MISSIONARIES

I am going to miss this guy


and this one too. This is Elder Kunz and Elder Harris. We said good-bye to Elder Kunz shortly after we arrived in County and now it is time to say good-bye to two more Elders we have come to love.

I just realized that I already wrote about this evening but I didn't post pictures. I guess

their return to the States has been on my mind alot. Last week before we left for Bulgaria we had Elders Crossley and Harris over for dinner. I feel like I am never really ready to say good-bye to some of these young men. We have so many great memories of wonderful times together. Elder Harris is one of the very first Elders that we really got to know. It seems like we have known him longer than any other missionary. When we first arrived he was in the group that we went Christmas Caroling with and decorated Christmas cookies. He and Elder Kunz made us an awesome Mexican dinner one night. He helped us move to our new apartment. He and Elder Hammond came to for dinner one night and there was a mix up and I wasn't home so he and Elder Hammond had a nice evening alone with Elder Kinghorn. Elder Crossley was in our District so we got to know him very well. The first time we met was during apartment inspections. I just remember he was so easy to talk to and so much fun. Elder Crossley is always happy and was such a delight to have at our district meetings. He is the kind of person you just feel good when you are around. These young men helped make being away from my own children so much easier. The only sad thing is they couldn't stay. I am happy to see them complete honorable missions and go home to their families but I will miss them so much. I was talking to Elder Carlson tonight and I think that one of the interesting things about a mission is it that is one of the few times in your life when you will get really close to people and you know that one day you will have to say good-bye knowing that you probably will never see them again. Each time I have seen a missionary leave I know that there is always the chance that we will see one another when we return home. It is a different story with the members of the church or the people like Olga who we come to know and love. They have a very special place in our hearts some of them feel like family to us. Yet, there will be a time for all of us to pack our bags and get on a plane knowing that we may never see our dear friends again. This is when I find comfort in the Plan of Salvation that assures me that we will all have the opportunity to be reunited again in the life after this one if we live worthy of this blessing. This not only gives me comfort but great joy in knowing that I will be reunited with these wonderful Saints as well as the young missionaries who I have come to know and love.