Monday was hectic and crazy. I made my famous chocolate cake and
frosting for pday and it was gone early. Training is stressful because
there is much to cover and so little time left. Christmas and Boxing Day
took focus and effort away from training, plus the personnel change
midstream didn't help.
I worked hours over the weekend making the training/job description list President asked for, and Sister Smith copied it to the office computer and her home computer from the laptop/USB. Hopefully it will give her some comfort and I'm only a FaceTime call away until she gets on her feet.
Monday night Max picked us up at 6:00 pm and we met Sammie, Taylor, Christina, Joy, and Danny for dinner at an authentic Chinese restaurant. Once Christina arrived, she ordered for the whole group in her native Mandarin language. Delivered to our table was a whole cooked duck, head and all, served thinly sliced on a small flour tortilla with leeks and a brown sauce. I enjoyed the duck but the squid, not so much. Other dishes served on the lazy susan in the middle of the table were honey chicken, beef brisket in a pot, steamed chicken, a green leafy vegetable, noodles, sweet and sour beef, and fried rice with shrimp for Lee. Dessert was a plate of sliced watermelon and oranges. It was a fun experience and very thoughtful of our Chinese friends to invite us.
They brought gifts as well. (Did I mention that Max brought us and Elders Bingham and Cook gifts Sunday morning? We received engraved chop sticks with our names and a they gave me a silver necklace). Taylor gave us a beautiful Chinese fan and Christina and Danny got Lee a bookmark and me a large piece of traditional silk fabric. She kept saying as I opened it, "You're going to love it!" It is gorgeous!
Tuesday we reviewed the training list and Sister Smith asked questions to clarify her understanding. We closed the office at 4:15 to make the "Going Away Dinner for the Whites and Sheffields" booking time of 5:00 pm with all of the senior couples and the Carters at TGIF in Marion. Lee had the ribs and he said they were divine and I had a chicken/mushroom pasta dish.
Both Monday and Tuesday I received calls from missionaries saying goodbye and thank you which was very thoughtful, kind, and appreciated. Stu in Sydney rang Lee also. We are thankful for Facebook to help us keep in touch with Australian friends across the miles.
Wednesday morning at 9:30 was our closing interview at the mission home with President Carter. Lee opened with prayer and President Carter closed afterward with a beautiful petition for our family and personal life "after the mission." He asked us what blessings our family had received from our service and how/if we have been blessed personally in our marriage. Also asked how our testimonies had changed. President Carter expressed his love and appreciation and in tears, assured us of Heavenly Father's approval of our devoted service in the ZAAM.
We spent the rest of the day cleaning and packing. The Jurgens called to say farewell from Mildura. Elders Cook and Rigby showed up in the afternoon with two bottles of chilled sparkling grape juice. All we had to go with it was chips and salsa but no one complained! They also brought a card with messages from everyone in the Firle Zone. We talked to several of the kids by FaceTime for the last time. Lee made a couple of trips to the office and I did last minute laundry throughout the day.
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