The Drive Back Home

After 16 months in the wonderful New York New York South Mission it was time to return home. We loaded our Honda Odyssey with more than we brought, gave away all our food, many household items, donated clothing, cleaned our apartment, checked out, said good-bye to our neighbors and the missionaries and drove away. We took with us more than a van load. Our hearts and memories are full of love and mission experiences that will last through the eternities.

There's nothing like a senior couple mission!

Good-bye to the Mission

On May 5, 2009, we left our tiny 3-room pad in the Mid-Island Apartments in Bay Shore and headed west 2,225 miles to Highland, Utah on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 pm.

We set our GPS, a friend we named "Myrtle," for home. Things were going well for about an hour as she directed us over six or seven freeways. Then we were abruptly ordered to exit the freeway and ended up stuck in Manhattan's rush-hour traffic on Lafayette Street in the middle of China Town!


Seems that the shortest route west is through the center of China Town, then to New Jersey through the 8,558-foot Holland Tunnel. Well, "Myrtle" knew what she was doing, even if the city planners didn't.


There's not much to capture in a picture over 455 miles of I-80 in Nebraska except the dramatic skies. We traveled 12 hours one day and gratefully zoomed through 2 1/2 states.


Multi-colored mountains are a dead give-away that we're getting close to home.


Winding roads, reservoirs, snow-capped mountains and dotted farms must mean we're nearing Park City - familiar landmarks close to home.


This picture has two peaks. One is the majestic snow-capped mountain peak. The other is the imposing peak of the Draper Temple spire nestled in the foothills 20 minutes from our home.


This is a sight we truly love and dearly missed - the majesty and refuge of the mountains that literally surround us in our lovely mountain valley.



Home was a sweet sight
We pulled into our driveway on Friday, May 8 at 5:00 pm. There were yellow balloons tied all around the yard. Tears of joy filled my eyes. The flowers and trees were beautiful, bright and welcoming. When the children and grand children came over the next two days it became complete.

The Lord has a way of preparing us for what we need to do...when we need to do it. It was right to be home again.

A Bay Shore Good-Bye

Bay Shore Memories

WOW! Look at all those missionaries. We are so honored to have served with this group of marvelous young people. They have been so kind to us "older folk" that got in their midst. They have invited us to their activities, meetings and get-to-gethers. We love them dearly.


Brother Macke - Kind, devoted, faithful, generous, prepared - just a few words that describe our friend and Institute class member Brother Macke.

The de Paulas (with Tiffany and Paige) & the de Rosas - The de Rosas are just some of those people that you love instantly. He is Stake President. She is Stake YW President. They are parents of three great children and recently one new grand daughter. We love them.


Jessica & Caitlyn adopted me as the substitute "Grandma" - and that was fine with me!

Good Food. Good Friends. Good Memories.

Lilly loved the ward choir. "Sister de Paula, who's going to lead the choir now," 11-year-old Lilly said with a bit of sadness in her words. She has an amazing singing voice!

The Sinischalci Family - This is a very active family with five darling children. Brother Sinischalci (not in this picture) is the ward mission leader and does a wonderful job of encouraging leadership and membership to be missionaries. Also pictured is Kristian, a recent convert.

Sister Cruz - This dear sister is the Gospel Essentials teacher in the ward, is very well-read, and is very much service oriented. She blesses many lives.

Young people are wonderful! Sister Frodsham, Mereena, Daneilla & Luis have a nice visit together. Luis was baptised four days after we left to return home.

Sister Lucas - I really got to know Sister Lucas best the last couple months of our mission. Although she was in the RS presidency the entire time and did a wonderful job, it was in the Temple Preparation class that I felt her beautiful spirit shine. She now looks forward to doing temple work with her sister for their entire family.

Sister Mehmedi - We count as one of the greatest blessings of our mission to have met Sister Mehmedi, the Bay Shore Ward Relief Society President. This saintly woman lived compelely the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What an example to everyone.

Sister Rivas - This dear sister serves as the secretary of the RS and things are done right!

Sister Davidson - This lovely convert of five years is a true Christian woman! She serves without measure, loves without reservation and was a devoted member of our Institute class. Thank you for the sweet Bay Shore gifts Sister Davidson.

The Davis family - The Bay Shore Ward would not function without the Davis'. These good people live part time in Utah and part time in Bay Shore to be near their daughter and her family. While there, they help support the ward with rides to Church, assignments and other assistance.

The Denoff family - "Peachie" as she is known is Sunday School president, and while her husband is not a member, he is very supportive and comes to most church activities.

The Ertle Family - What great strengths these two are to Bay Shore Ward with their leadership skills. Sister Ertle has been gosple doctrine teacher and is now the RS president and Bro Ertle serves in the YM organization.

The Koszyk family - They have raised a family of seven children, are hard workers, leaders in the ward and generous, faithful people.

The Mercado family - We had several dinners at their home, just loved Sister Mercado's RS lessons, super kids and the tender, loving parents completed the Temple Preparation class.

The Rathgeber family - They invited us to spend Thanksgiving at their home on the beach. He is the bishop, she sang in my ward choir, and they have five grown children. What wonderful people!

The Rivas family - We've exchanged meals in each other's homes, Brother Rivas completed my Temple Preparation class, and was our personal van mechanic.

The Waszkiewiez family - These two are stalwarts in the ward, serve meals to the missionaries and are an examplary young couple.

The Yankus family - Sister Yankus is an attorney who generously helps ward members, was just called to the RS presidency, and encourages her nephew to attend church activities.

We loved all of our assignments. We loved all of our experiences. But it was the people - the wonderful people we met and served that will remain in our hearts and in our prayers forever. That's the way it's meant to be in the Lord's great plan as we help connect all His children together.

Tiffany and Paige "Do" New York

April 29-May 3 Tiffany & Paige "Do" NYC

It was so fun for us to have our daughter Tiffany and her oldest daughter Paige visit just before the end of our mission in New York. They wasted not even one minute! The plane landed at Laguardia, we picked them up, parked the car at the mission office and headed to the Woodhaven subway stop to dash to Manhattan.

Welcome to NYC. Now jump on a subway!



The rain did not slow them down or dampen their smiles!



The Dumpling House is our family favorite in China Town.


One of 12-year-old Paige's requests was to visit the Statue of Liberty.


The Manhattan skyline was a great backdrop for Mom and daughter photo.


The Westbury Gardens and Mansion (former home of the John Phipps family(1874-1958)) may have been one of the biggest thrills of the trip for mother and daughter duo. The massive home and endless, sculptured gardens were simply magnificent!


We spotted the male and female ducks below swimming on the pond, but as we approached, the male became agitated, the female fluttered her wings and the little ducklings swam out. Then they all headed for the opposite shore for protection.

This gorgeous mansion has been the setting for many movies including Love Story, North by Northwest, American Gangster, Wolf, Hitch, Cruel Intentions, and others. The first time I went I thought it looked familiar. This time I asked.




Paige was enchanted by the sprawling beauty of the 200 acres of gardens. It was heaven!



We spend nearly three hours here and wished we could have had at least three times that long. In the summer there are festivals of all kinds. We attended a Mozart Festival in August last year. Delightful!

What could be more fun for kids than a full-size play house? Paige thought this one would have been just perfect for the Phipps four children - and herself!


Besides touring around Long Island, Manhattan and the Statue Island cruise, our visitors enjoyed shopping on Canal Street, Teddy Roosevelt's Summer home at Sagamore Hill, a trip to the American Girl Store including the special dinner and the Saturday matinee performance of "Wicked."

It was a dream trip for a Mom and her adolescent daughter. And we were delighted they came.

"Guess Who's Coming...or Going to Dinner"

I had invited the four sister missionaries in our area to dinner for Tuesday, April 28 at 5:00 pm. It had been on the calendar for about a week.

Unbeknown to me, just this morning, Elder de Paula told the Rivas family to be ready at 4:00pm and we would take them out to dinner.

Oops!

Isn't there something in the missionary handbook about communicating with your companion. Oh, that may just be for those young, pliable, communicative elders?

The Rivas family is on the left - Frank holding Frankie & Marlene (behind), Sisters Frodsham and Mullens; (back) Elder de Paula, Sisters Burton, Brimhall and de Paula.

It all worked our just fine. We invited them to come to our apartment. I marinated chicken and steak and cooked up loads of stir fry loads vegetables and served it with spinach salad with Mandarin oranges, crusty sesame bread and lemon bars for dessert. The Rivas' also brought beautiful Colombian pastries.

We all had an enjoyable time together and Frank's wife, Marlene, seemed pleased that the Brentwood Spanish-speaking sisters were here since she's still working on her English. Three-year-old Frankie communicates in both languages, and was, of course, the center of attention.

The evening couldn't have turned out any better.

Thanks for your Kindness

Sometimes in some places with some people you make a connection. It doesn't really matter the age span or the background differences or the varied interests or anything else - you just make a friend. And it's good.

Deanna and I had several phone conversations over the months and shared some profound ideas and thoughts. I think we both got some good understanding and insights.

On Monday evening we were invited to their brand new, newly decorated and very adorable apartment, as their very first guests, for a wonderful "going away" dinner for us. It was not only delicious, but great fun to be with them. Who would dream that young people would be caught dead with old seniors like us? Thanks Bryant and Deanna!