Los Fieles...The Faithful (January)

What a wonderful week!  We were able to enjoy time with the ten wonderful missionaries before they returned to their homes.  We knew that families in Chile, Peru, Guatemala and the United States were excited and were anticipating their return of their missionary.   They will all be missed here in the mission!

There is the traditional journal entree that they write to themselves which we will send to them in a year.  It includes thoughts and feelings about leaving the mission, their goals for the future and their testimony.   They also sign up for Facebook groups with the missionaries they have served with.

 

 

There is also time to just share experiences with each other.

These missionaries are always ready to help with what needs to be done...especially if it will help us get ready to eat!

One of the important things of the day is to hear from our mission secretary about travel and other important matters! 

It is fun to get their Tablero Cards. These Tablero Cards have been on the board in the President's office during their mission.  President has looked at these cards many hours as he has thought about transfers and other matters of the mission.  It is a history of what areas they have served in and who their companions have been.  It is all right there on this one little piece a paper.

We had our last meeting together earlier in the day so we could make the bus tonight. It was a wonderful evening with sharing and testimonies.  This last meetings with the missionaries going home is one of our favorite things of the mission!

 

We were a little sad to take this picture because we are missing one of our missionaries!  As he was traveling to the mission home he had a medical emergency.  He got to experience one more thing in the mission...a kidney stone! 

There are some "special" pills that the missionaries take as they leave the mission to take care of "bichos" they may have picked up here in the mission.  We tell them it is their appetizer for the meal.

We took one picture together and then in walked our missing missionary!!!  It felt so good to have him with us.  He bounced back amazingly well.  He would not travel with the group today but would be able to travel tomorrow!

President took a few minutes to give him his Tablero Card and his mission pin before we needed to leave with the others for the bus station.

Then came the goodbyes.  

The airport in Neuquén is closed for repair so this group gets to take the 14-16 hour bus ride to Buenos Aries!  The buses are very comfortable but it is still a very very long ride!

There are many suitcases to get on this bus!

Goodbye!

There is our Hermana with one more goodbye from the bus.

The next day we got to spend time with our Elder that was not able to travel with the group the day before. We all loved the time we had to spend even though it came with a high price for him!

One last talk with the President.

One last smile before he leaves!

They may have returned home but nothing can take away the memories we have of these wonderful missionaries!