This was a large group - 12 elders and 3 sisters - who left the mission today. Oh, let me restate that. This was a large group who tried to leave the mission today. We gathered in the visitors' center, as usual, had testimony meeting, lunch and even went to the airport. However, because of bad weather, two flights were cancelled. Elder Kerby and Elder Fowles had the great joy of spending a night in the mission home before trying to get home the following day. Elder Kerby ended up spending another night in Milwaukie, making it home 48 hours after he was scheduled.
All of the flights were delayed. We heard that Sister Marcy and Elder Lee, whose flight arrived after the second leg was scheduled to leave, actually made their flights. Tender mercies here. Others were rerouted or just late.
I've told the missionaries who have called that it's because they were so great, we were trying everything we could to keep them here. :-) Happily, everyone is now home.
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| Left to right: Elder Furugen, Elder Storr, Elder Anderson, Elder Peterson, Elder Appiah and Elder Galuvao. |
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| Left to right: Sister Joost, Sister Bechaver, Sister Miller, Sister Quintanilla, Sister Ertelt and Elder Olsen. |
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| Sister Allen, 2nd from the left, was surprised by her sisters who had come to pick her up. |
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| Elder Kennedy had his father there, too. |
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| Here are the sisters who were in the Visitors' Center. The two new sisters are in this picture along with the three who were scheduled to leave. |
And here is the formal farewell group picture. No, Elder Fowles isn't doing bunny ears, but was trying to explain to someone about how to use his camera.
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Front row left to right: Sister Allen, Sister Matsumori, President Matsumori, Sister Cadenhead and Sister Marcy.
Back row left to right: Elder Kennedy, Elder Greiner, Elder Kerby, Elder Schaap, Elder Pierucci, Elder Fowles, Elder Lee, Elder Hatch, Elder Benke, Elder Webb, Elder Christensen and Elder Hurd. |
Because the group was a little larger than usual, I asked Sister Thornton from the Gaithersburg ward to help. It is always delicious.
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| This became the sisters table. Sister Allen, 2nd from the left has family members join Sister Cadenhead, last one on the left and Sister Marcy, last one on the right. |
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| Left to rigth: Elder Hurd, Elder Pierucci, Elder Greiner and Elder Kerby. |
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| Elder Fowles is on the left. On the right of the table, front to back: Elder Benke, Elder Hatch, and his parents. |
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Left side of table front to back: Elder Christensen and Elder Webb.
Right side of table front to back: Elder Schaap, President Matsumori and Sister Black. The Blacks are the new office couple who are taking over the Bleaks responsibilities. |
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| Sister Thornton is on the right with family members who help. |
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| Left to right: Elder Hatch, Elder Fowles and Elder Lee. |
This airport photo is of only a part of the group. Elder Webb, Elder Fowles and Elder Kerby were in another terminal. Elder Hatch, Elder Kennedy and Sister Allen were with their families.
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Front row left to right: Elder Lee, Sister Cadenhead, Sister Marcy, Sister Matsumori, President Matsumori, Elder Hurd.
Back row left to right: Elder Schaap, Elder Benke, Elder Christensen, Elder Greiner and Elder Pierucci. |
