Thursday, February 28, 2013

A Surprise Farewell

Wednesday was a great day from start to finish.

It began with a 7am trip to the temple. Although, I didn't much like my experience on Saturday, I think that I was just overly anxious of the unknown. Now, I'm more comfortable with it and everything felt okay this last round. Going this time was pretty special to me because I had gone with just my best friend D and our good friend Nadine. We ran into a couple sisters from the MTC who would be off to the Bahia Blanca, Argentina mission.



After the session, D and I went back to his place where he made us a brunch of hamburger patties and mashed microwaved-potatoes. He studied while I wrote in my journal and then we went to his class on campus. The class was long and hard for me to follow but I stayed awake even though he didn't entirely. Once we were liberated from the classroom, we ran a couple errands--picked up his dancing shoes from his time in the Navy in Italy at the shoe repair and got the car washed. Back at his place, we took naps and rested for about two plus hours.

I was on the living room on my computer when D came out from his room being all like "We have to go". Earlier, he had asked me to go to a stake meeting in Lindon with him but that wasn't for a couple more hours and so I asked where. He just said Springville and it wasn't until we were half-way there that he told me we were going to Bishop's house. Once we got there, he told me the bishop was gone but he still wanted to go in. I was thinking "Okay, why are we here then?". We got in and met up with the bishop's two young daughters--then D ditched me by telling me that he had to go and that I was riding with the bishop.

I was concerned about that. Like in the temple, I don't like the unknown. What was I thinking that was going on? Since I am practically refusing to move home too soon before the mission, I am just bumming around in my college town (even though my apartment contract sold)--so I've been with my friend D like 24/7 and so I just guessed that he had a quick date or something and wasn't being quite honest. Ha, he's not the most honest guy when it comes to disclosing about his relationships. That's totally okay--that stuff really isn't my business. So that's what I was thinking was going down.

Anyways, the bishops' kids and I played Foosball and talked. I also enjoyed watching one of their sons and one of the daughters play a dance game on the Wii. They were quite energetic! And their dog, who usually doesn't pay me much attention, was really loving on me. The bishop and his wife got home and we talked about his son's college plans and Spanish conjugations. It was some good conversation.

Then the bishop grabbed his scriptures for the meeting and he, his wife, and I left for Lindon. He said that we were going to pick up his 2nd counselor and his wife and then take them to the stake center. I didn't think much of that until we pulled up to the counselor's house and there were a hundred cars parked outside--all up and down the street. I just assumed that someone was having a party--or a mission call opening (as it was Wednesday). Then I saw D come out of the house and invite us inside. I totally assumed the location had switched. Then--surprise!


It was all really nice! A good portion of the ward was there as was the stake presidency, some old ward members, and other friends.


It was a pretty cool event and I appreciated it very much. One of the old ward members who got married and "kicked out" of the ward was there. Last semester he was one of my Home Teachers and he is very special to me because he and I share some background. He has sure helped me through a bit. He gave me a letter that he wrote for me and the CTR pocket knife that he carried with him on his mission in Argentina. That really meant a lot to me! Everything meant a lot to me!

(The Stake Presidency and the Bishop)

(My last Home Teacher and I)

(My good friend who gave me the pocket knife and his wife)

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