Final Mission Update = September 2008:

 

We can’t believe how fast these last 18 months have gone.  But, we have enjoyed every minute.  We have come to love these wonderful people, both the members and the missionaries, and we are going to miss them all.

Here are a few final pictures of our missionaries.  We will really miss President and Sister Robison.  We love and respect them both.

Band of brothers

Zone meeting

President & Sister Robison

Elder Silvester

Transfer day for band of brothers

Elder Tycksen

Elder Alexander returns home

 

Bonbon family sealed in Temple

The Bonbon family have become dear friends and we were thrilled when they went to the SLC temple to have their family sealed for time and all eternity.  The gospel has made all the difference in their life, as it has in ours.

FHE at Berchel's

We were able to share a few final evenings with the members and their friends.  What good people these are.

Sequim RS gifts to Guadeloupe Primary

The Relief Society sisters from our home ward in Sequim, made up some care packages for our Primary children in Guadeloupe.  Here are a few pictures of some of the children.  The missionaries also carried the gifts and gave them to the children of families they were teaching.  It brought a lot of smiles to the children.

Basse-Terre

We said our goodbyes to our friends in Basse-Terre - President & Sister Nirellep and her mother Sister Monlouis. After our church meeting was over in the branch, they asked us to sit down for a moment.  Then, they all gathered and sang “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”.  What a sweet moment for us.

Maddly & Pascal Nirellep

Sister Monlouis

Friends

We went to a Family Home Evening with two of our favorite sisters, Sister Victor and Sister Gilbas.  They are so much fun to be with.  Then, we went to dinner with Sister Rinaldo, who is one of the earliest members of the Church in this area.  She is a delightful lady. 

Elder Tycksen & Sister Galbas

Sister Rinaldo

Berchel quilts and Carlus

There are many talented people here as you can see from the beautiful quilts Sister Pirette Berchel(Giblaca).  Sister Carlus is also very talented making dolls and traditional hats.  We loved visiting with them too.

Sister Berchel & her quilt

Sister Carlus & her doll

President & Sister Carlus

Floral scenes

Here are a few scenes of the flora.  The flowers are beautiful all year long.  Fruit of all kinds grow all over the place.  Many times we drive down the street and the streets are full of ripe mangoes that have fallen off the trees, yum, yum.

Baptism of Sister Hubert

Just before we were released, we had a district conference.  It was a good time to say our goodbyes to many of our friends.  Our replacement couple, The Collings, have arrived and helped us teach a wonderful new Sister Hubert.  Elder Malmrose baptized her on the Saturday before we left and Elder Collings confirmed her during Distict Conference.  We were thrilled to teach her from start to finish as she came into the Church.

Conference meeting

Collings and Sisters Valet & Hubert

Sarah - cared by Sister Hubert

Sisters Valet & Hubert

Baptism of Sister Hubert

Sister Hubert at baptism

Friends - Sisters Valet & Hubert

 

Goodbye from Capesterre branch

Our home branch of Capesterre, held a special goodbye party for us.  We have come to love every one of these great people and we will really miss them.

The Mondongues

His passion

 

Goodbye from friends

We had Coco Gamiette over to lunch and enjoyed visiting with her.  She is the oldest child of the Family Gamiette, who adopted us as grandparents while we lived here.  If it hadn’t been for them, we would have been a lot more homesick.  Sister Vautier is President Gamiette's older sister and has always been kind to us.  We enjoyed a last visit with the Kosongo family.  And last but not least, we went to Sabrina Bastien’s for a farewell dinner with her wonderful family.  We felt like we were saying goodbye to our own family.

Coco Gamiette

Catherine Vautier

Kasongo family

Sabrina Bastien & family

We also said our goodbyes to the people we bought our fresh fruit from and the Govindins, our landlords.   .  We could always depend on them giving us the best of the crops.  We went with the Collings to the Spice Market, where we said our goodbyes to the Creole ladies who sell wonderful spices, etc. We were able to see many of our friends at an evening party the District put on for us.  It was hard to say goodbye, not knowing when we will meet again.

The Collings w/Christopher Columbus's anchor

Gerard Felicie - the kind fruit man

Wesley and Franck Govindin

 

Airport Goodbye from Elders

The time has finally come, that we had to say one last goodbye.  When we got to the airport, there were all our beloved missionaries, lined up to say Bon Voyage.  We are going to miss them all.

Return stop-off in St. Martin

After we left Guadeloupe, we flew to St. Martin to stay until the next day when our plane left for Miami.  It was a good time to spend with the Platt’s and just unwind before heading home.  It too, is a beautiful island with wonderful people

Home Arrival

We stayed in Miami overnight and flew straight home the next day. It was good to be home and see our family, especially some of our grandchildren again.  Gerald’s sweet sister Ginger, flew all the way up to be with us during our homecoming. 

View of Seattle

Our beloved sister Ginger

Family greeting

Mel & Ann Call

Ken & Judy Mellott

 

New Calling upon Arrival

We didn’t have much time to be lonely as Gerald was called to be the Bishop in the newly created Sequim Bay ward right after we got home. 

(Left to right:  Arndt Lorenzen, Mark Eveland, Gerald, Brendan Cain, and Evan Linde.)

 

We are busy as can be as we moved back in our house.  Nevertheless, we will never forget our loved ones in the islands of the Caribbean.  Not ever!!  

This we know, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true all over the world.