Home!

With a flood of tears, I removed my missionary name tag today as I was released by my stake president.  I am grateful for the support and love and prayers I have felt from my family and friends over these last 23 months.  I have enjoyed writing these blogs.  I am going to see if I can have them printed into a book so that I may read through them and enjoy the memories.  I want to give one to each of my children.

My brother and sister, John and Peggy, continued our cross-country trip this week.  If you remember, John went to Maine last weekend with a friend.  Monday morning, Peggy and I went into Boston by bus and then train.  We took a tour bus ride, one of the hop on-hop off.  We didn't hop in either direction but stayed on in the cool and looked at the scenery and sights from the bus. The driver gave us information about buildings and historical places as we drove around the city.

After the bus tour, we took a harbor cruise.  While aboard the boat, we watched or viewed the eclipse.  I am not sure of the percentage but at the peak time of the eclipse, I would guess that it was about 70%.  I loved the tour from the boat better than the bus tour.

Holocaust Memorial

Floating Lighthouse

This is an area of the harbor that they are filling in for more land growth

Navy ship at dock

The Constitution "Old Iron sides"

Fire boat. Nothing was on fire but they were spraying water as if to extinguish a fire

Boston skyline from the harbor

Steeple of the Old North Church

Then we drove to Portland ME for dinner with John and Kris, his friend. 

Tuesday morning we began our trek westward.  Our destination for the day was Buffalo NY with a stop in Palmyra.  I have been to the Hill Cumorah, the Smith log home (a reproduction built on the original site), frame house, and the Sacred Grove several times but it never gets old.  Every time I go to the area, my testimony that the Gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith grows.  The spiritual feeling one gets in the Sacred Grove is remarkable.

Between Boston and Palmyra it began to storm.
The rain was so heavy that our speed was reduced to 25-30 mph

In the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center

View from the top of the Hill Cumorah

Plaques on the four sides of the monument atop the Hill

Statue in Sacred Grove Visitor's Center

Fruit orchard

Smith log home

Hearth and kitchen in log home

Upper room where Moroni appeared 3 times to Joseph

Another room

A room downstairs

Looking at the log home from across the fields

The frame house where Joseph and Emma lived

The parlor

Joseph removed the bricks from the hearth, dug out a hole
to hide the plates and then replaced the bricks

A child or invalid bedroom off the kitchen

Pantry

There is an actual sink in the kitchen. A real luxury for this time period

Kitchen and dining area

Another kitchen view

View of the sink from across the room

Bedroom

Cooper's shop. Another place where Joseph hid the plates

It was raining for our visit to the grove

Beauty and peace

We stayed in Buffalo that night.  Wednesday we went to Niagra Falls.

Jim introduced me to Tim Hortons a few years ago when we were in Canada.
One can get a frozen hot chocolate there that is to die for.

I've found Tim Hortons in NYC but they don't make a frozen hot chocolate in NYC.
I was lucky to find this "delicacy" in Buffalo!

Niagra Falls International Rainbow Bridge. If you would like to read about it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Bridge_(Niagara_Falls)

Rain gear for our Maid of the Mist tour boat ride into the falls

American Falls

American Falls near. Horseshoe Falls Canadian side in the distance

In the mist of Horseshoe Falls

Turbulent water at the bottom of the falls

View of Canadian side of the river

Big birds on a rock island

River above the falls

Wednesday we drove over 600 miles stopping in South Bend IN.  The headlights on my car are out of adjustment so we try to limit our night time driving.

Wednesday night we had a beautiful sunset

Thursday morning we met Peggy's son, Matt, and his wife, Viri, with their little girl, Tatum, in Chicago for brunch.  It was great to see them.

Our next destination was Liberty MO where we stayed Thursday night with a stop at Adam-ondi-Ahman in the late afternoon and a visit to Liberty Jail at the end of the day.

Here is a link where you may read about the significant revelations
that the Prophet Joseph Smith received while incarcerated at Liberty Jail

https://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-liberty-jail?lang=eng

Friday we began our final stretch homeward.  We traveled over 600 miles on Friday and over 500 miles on Saturday.  Friday night we stayed in Kimball NE.

Car antics - potato chip duck lips

Lunch in Omaha. Health salad and the whole bird sandwich (chicken breast, fried egg, and greens)

Pink barn

Flat land

More flat land

Gorgeous clouds

Dinner in Kimball NE. Waffle, grilled chicken salad, chicken fried steak, and Rocky Mountain
Oysters (in the basket in the middle). Peggy and I had never eaten this type of oysters before so we tried it.
Peggy gave a thumbs down.  She is a good sport though and gets an "A" for trying. I love trying new foods.
You just don't think of what you're eating and focus on the taste. Not bad!  If you don't know about
Rocky Mountain Oysters, just Google.

We arrived in Salt Lake City on Saturday in time to meet some of my family at a New York style deli to celebrate Christian's, my grandson, birthday.

We hit the Utah state line about 3:30 on Saturday

Salt Lake Valley from Parley's Canyon

Katie, Peggy and I shared this sloppy Joe:  pastrami, corned Beef, cole slaw and thousand island dressing

Zolee trying to get her mouth around some of her father's sloppy joe

We then met with other family members at Larkin Cemetery to say hello to my husband, Kay.

Kay always put coins on his father's gravestone to honor his father's generous and giving nature.
We honor Kay in the same way with the addition of wintergreen life savers.
He always had these life savers to give to his grand children.

We all met together at my home.  Jake and Shea brought pies and we ate until we couldn't walk.  We sat on the porch and lawn and enjoyed being together as a family.

My dog, Tillie, was as happy to see me as I was happy to see her. I even got my face washed.

Luke tied the ribbon on this tree

My welcome home "bouquet"

Love seeing my grandchildren playing in the yard

Sunday I had been asked to speak in stake conference about the joys and blessings of serving a mission as a senior missionary.  After conference, we met in the high council room with my stake president, President Davies, and my family as I was released.

I have had a truly remarkable and satisfying experience and have seen many small miracles these past 23 months.  I have been blessed to have the constant tutoring and guidance from the Spirit in my/His work. 

I have been blessed to know that my family has shared in the blessings of my calling.  Jake told me that as a family they had numberless discussions with his boys about mission service and how spiritually life-saving and important it is using me as an example.  They have prayed for me every day and sometime multiple times a day.  My service had an effect on his family and their spiritual day-to-day activities.

David told me that he and Brianna felt clear answers to their prayers regarding some career changes as I was serving.  He said that they received much strength also to get through some difficult trials.  When they were going through the trials, they realized that the Spirit was there comforting them and bringing peace to them.  They knew that they were loved and blessed by my service.

I was blessed to feel the spirit in my ward, Rego Park 1st, as I attended Sacrament Meeting and other meetings.  The spirit is strong in the area when converts who make up the majority of the congregation, come to worship.  Many have to travel more than an hour by bus or train to come to church.  Many have lost family and friends because they have joined the church.  They are there because they believe and have faith. 

I was blessed to be able to serve the missionaries in my mission by helping them to remain or to get healthy.  Physical, mental, and sometimes spiritual illnesses caused missionaries to need help.  I was guided by the spirit to know how to help them.  I recalled things that I had studied in school 50 years ago.  I was able to help direct them to the proper person to get help if I couldn't help them.  I became a grandmother figure to missionaries who missed their families.  I could go on endlessly about the relationships I developed with the missionaries but let me just say that interacting with the missionaries helped me to sharpen my skills, strengthened my testimony, and has kept me feeling young and needed.

I've been blessed with enduring friendships with missionaries, young and senior, and in my ward and neighborhood.

I have been blessed by learning about new cultures.  I've talked through my blogs about the people I've met and the new and interesting foods and traditions I've encountered.

My mission has provided me much joy and happiness.  I have had fun!!  My family and friends have come to stay with me and to enjoy the New York City and mission experience.

I have learned that life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving.  My mission has given me the chance to keep moving.

I have been blessed with a greater appreciation for the love that our Father in Heaven has for his children.  He loves us regardless of our choices.  He wants us to return to him and will do anything to help us.

I wrote down a quote that I like but I neglected to give credit to the author of this thought.  I believe that it was Elder Holland but I am not sure.

"Sometimes in life we may not know the outcome but we know what is right   And as we press forward in faith we will be able to accomplish anything through Christ."

I have a testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  I know that the church has been restored in these days through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I know that the covenants we make at baptism and in the temple help us to be able to return to the presence of our loving Father.   I know that through Priesthood sealing powers, families can be forever.

Because of my mission experiences, I am forever changed.

I love you my family and friends.

Sunday hanging out

Sunday Dinner

I found these mushrooms in the Sacred Grove. They are beautiful.