Goodbye, New York & the road home

I am still officially a missionary!  My work in New York New York South Mission is completed but I am still a missionary until I am released by my stake president and that will occur this coming weekend upon my return to Utah.  So next week will officially be my last "missionary" blog post.  One more!

This week has been a not-stop week with days packed full of things to do and see.

Monday morning, I realized that I was officially finished with my "nursing career" in the mission as I could no longer access the church medical and email systems. I still took a couple of calls and referred some things to Sister Reynolds.  It was a clear realization that my on-site mission was completed. 

(I had asked for permission to remain in my apartment until we would leave the city on Thursday even though my time was finished.)

John and I went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island early on Monday.  I won't post many pictures of that day because I have posted much about this in previous posts.  Let me just say that no matter how many times I visit these sites, my heart is touched and I am more than ever grateful for the freedoms I enjoy and for the hardships that my ancestors endured in preparing a place for my family in this blessed land.

Some pics of articles brought by immigrants

Yellow Submarine tapestry on display at Ellis Island.

"The Immigrants" statue in Battery Park

Flowers in Battery Park

Monday evening I began to finish packing and started the final cleaning of my apartment. 

Tuesday I attended the Manhattan Temple with the departing missionaries.  We had bagels and a devotional before taking the train into the city for the 12:30 session. After the session we met in the chapel for "departing talks by the Temple President, Kem Nixon, and President and Sister Reynolds.  Then back to Rego Park Church for a dinner.  It was a tender day full of gratitude and tears.

President and Sister Reynolds with departing missionaries at the temple

In the subway

Across the street from the Manhattan Temple

As I sat in the Celestial Room and pondered my last two years, cherished memories flooded my mind along with thoughts of many tender mercies.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to serve the Lord in New York City.

Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning I continued to pack and clean.  Wednesday afternoon John and I picked up our sister, Peggy Barker, at the Newark Airport.  We went back to Rego Park via Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, and Roberta's Pizza in Brooklyn.

Roberta's Pizza

John and Peggy

Verrazano Narrows Bridge

With the help of my siblings, I finished packing and cleaning before turning in for the night.
Thursday morning, we packed the car, said a final goodbye to my dear missionary couples/friends in the office and we started off on our "siblings cross-country road trip".

Sister and Elder Williams

Sister and Elder Shapiro

Mission map:  Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island and Bermuda

Our first destination was a favorite of mine: Fire Island Lighthouse.  Again, I won't post a lot of pictures as you have seen the island many times before.

Flora

Fauna

picture of a painting

After leaving Fire Island, we drove north east to Orient on the north shore of Long Island.  (Before leaving the state, we had an obligation to visit to Kilwins in Patchogue for my favorite caramel dark chocolate covered sea salt apple.)

The eastern end of Long Island is more rural/farm land.  It is known for its grape and wine making industry.

Sunflowers are a favorite

If you look hard or enlarge you can see the purple grapes hanging at the bottom of the vines

At Orient we caught a ferry to New London Connecticut. At the ferry terminal where we checked in for our trip, the man checking us in said: "Wow!  You are really real!!"

I had no idea what he was talking about.  I answered with a puzzled look, "Yes?  I am real."

He said:  "I've only seen you on TV but you are really for real." 

I still had no idea what he was talking about.  Then he said something about my missionary tag.  I answered that I belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Mormon church.

He said: "Ya.  That's what I'm talking about.  You are really real.  I thought it was just TV."
I assured him that I was really real and he was ecstatic.  With a smile he said:  "You're the first one I ever saw."

Then after my car was loaded onto the ferry, the ferry captain asked me if I was there to bless the voyage.  Throughout my mission, it has been common for me to have been mistaken for a "sister" (nun) of another denomination.

I loved these interactions!!

Seagull atop the mast

Lighthouse marker in the channel

Lighthouse

Sunset and clouds as we crossed the Sound

Our destination stop on Thursday was Plymouth MA.  We have ancestors who came on the Mayflower so we wanted to see the sites of the town that our ancestors helped to build.  (Plimouth Plantation is a replica but offers a lot of information.)

Friday we toured Plimoth Plantation with stops at the museum store, crafts center, the Wampanoag Homesite, the Fort/Meetinghouse, the village, and Nye Barn.  There were Wampanoag people and people from other local tribes to welcome and teach us about their way of life.  Then there were Pilgrims to teach us about the plantation and life there.  Our ancestor, Francis Eaton, was a joiner (carpenter) and we were told that he was an overseer in the building of the homes in the village.

Reed house

Peggy "Barker" standing by the Bark house

Bark house close-up

Bark slabs drying

Fort

View of the village from the fort

At Nye Barn we learned about animals that came on the Mayflower

My heart melted when I Learned that one of the dogs
that came with the Mayflower was a mastiff like my Luther

We then made a stop at Plymouth Rock and the Lobster Hut where we had fish and chips.

Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Bay

The rock is in this building

Fish and Chips

Friday night we drove to Boston where we are staying in Everett across the Mystic River from Charlestown because I couldn't find a hotel in Boston that didn't cost an arm and leg or two and then had to pay $50-$75 dollars per night in addition just to park the car.  (I'm a cheapskate!)

The building in which our hotel is found began as a local shoe factory.  It later housed a sewing manufacturer.  The building is decorated to celebrate the history of the building.  The lobby has a collection of sewing machines on one wall.  The front desk is made with vintage suitcases and steamer trunks.  The walls in the lobby and rooms have images of vintage sewing machines, etc.

enVision Hotel

John has a friend in Maine who came on Saturday morning to pick him up for a weekend in Maine.  Peggy and I went to the Boston Temple.

After the session we went to Lexington and Concord to learn about and see some of the sites of the Revolutionary War.  We have ancestors who fought in the war and helped to establish the freedoms we enjoy. Real story of Paul Revere's ride.

Minuteman Monument in Lexington

Inside the Hancock home in Lexington

Tour guide in the Hancock hom

Hancock home

The North Bridge. You may read about the significance here.

We were close to Littleton MA so I took Peggy there to see the Mary Shepherd monument.  Mary Shepherd was a relative (about our 8th great aunt) who was kidnapped by the Indians during the King Philip's War. You may read about these wars.

Mary was 14 years old on February 12, 1676 when she was sitting on a hill watching out for the Indians while her brothers thrashed grain in the barn.  She was over-taken and her brothers killed.  She was carried off to the Indian camp.  While the Indians were sleeping, she stole one of their horses and made her way back home where she warned the town of the gathering of the warriors nearby.

Street sign in Littleton

Monument to Mary Shepherd in Littleton.

We also tried to find the garrison/home of our great-great…..grandfather, Walter Powers from the same 1670's time period.  I couldn't find it.  I found Powers road, but it has been 8-9 years since I was there last time and I couldn't remember exactly which property was the Powers property.

After leaving Littleton, we went to Walden Pond, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and the homes of Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne.  The homes were closed but we enjoyed viewing them from the outside.

Walden Pond

The stones mark the outline of Thoreau's cabin

The Wayside was a home for at least three authors. Hawthorne gave it its name.

Sunday morning we attended church in a Cambridge ward.  The bishop of the ward is Mitt Romney's son.  Most of the ward members are students or teachers at universities in the area including Harvard and MIT. We enjoyed a very intellectual Sunday School class discussion. 

After church we decided to go for a drive to Salem.  I thought Peggy might enjoy seeing/touring the House of the Seven Gables.  We were not allowed to take pictures inside the house.

Looking out to the bay from the House of Seven Gables

The gardens

The home which was the birth place of Nathaniel Hawthorne has been moved about 6 blocks from the original site to the historic park where the House of the Seven Gables is located, so we had the opportunity to tour it as well.

Inside Nathaniel Hawthorne's birth home

The Hawthorne children

View from the upstairs window

We found a place in the middle of the town and had a delicious bowl of clam chowder, a watermelon salad, and ton of chocolate!!

Across the street from the House of Seven Gables we saw a quaint store that begged us to visit.

It was a pleasant day.  We learned a lot and enjoyed each other's company.  We arrived back at our hotel before dark.  I thought we were through eating for the day but once we were settled in, we decided to share a flat bread pizza with prosciutto, basil and balsamic vinegar drizzle from the deli/restaurant in the lobby.  They offered a warm brownie with ice cream for two which was irresistible.  (I am going on a strict diet beginning the week after I get home!!!)

With the completion of my time in New York City comes much sadness and yet much joy.  I can't count the blessings of service bestowed upon me.  However, the siblings road trip and the excitement at the thought of hugging my family and friends fills me with anticipation.  All of these feelings have made my week a roller-coater of emotions.

I love my Father in Heaven, my Savior and the gifts I have been given.

I love you my family and friends.