Saying Good-bye and Hello to people we love

We will miss the people the most. Especially....

Brother and Sister Calabrese

Here we are enjoying granite (lemon shave ice) after our outing to the sunflower field.

Sister Salsicia... (the oldest member of the Rome 2nd Ward) who made lasagna and ravioli for us and who enjoyed the prelude music I played before Relief Society each Sunday.

Anca and her baby Irene... at the Taylor shop next to the church.

I made a crocheted baby blanket for Irene (my adopted grand baby) .

The Rome District Missionaries... at a good-bye dinner hosted by the Valentines.

And most of all... President and Sister Kelly

There are no words to express our tender feelings about what our mission has meant to us and the privilege it has been to serve the Lord and the missionaries along side President and Sister Acerson and President and Sister Kelly in the beautiful land of Italy for the past 23 months.

We are grateful for our experiences and for our own individual growth.

We are thankful for the Lord's watchful care over us and over our children and grandchildren while we have been away from them.

We love the Lord. We testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's true and living Church on the earth today. We testify that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture and another testament of Christ. We testify that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's living prophet on the earth today.

Denver airport where we were greeted by half of our grandchildren!

We testify that family relationships can be eternal through the saving ordinances performed in the Lord's holy temples.

It seems fitting to close this blog with words I wrote upon receiving a precious photo of my children and grandchildren...

Only For Him

I gaze upon and search each face…

Each son, each daughter, each grandchild…

Including five held only in my dreams.

My eyes mist up. My throat aches.

Why would I leave them for 23 months?

After brief reflection

The answer comes like living water.

Only for Him.

I am as certain as the rising sun,

That He watches over them…

That He knows and feels and sees… my heart…

And blesses them – because I am here.

I feel His love for me – at this evidence of my love for Him

And hear him whisper…

They are mine forever.