Just So You Know… - Tot Zeins!
After three unforgettable years of giving our whole hearts to the Lord’s sacred work, this coming week President Quinn and I will be released as Mission Leaders of the California Santa Rosa Mission.
Three years! Twenty-seven transfers. Six hundred & sixteen missionaries. Eight stakes. Forty-nine wards and branches. Nearly 5,000 interviews, more than 100,000 miles driving in our green Highlander car.. And so many missionary hugs that I’ve completely lost count!
I will miss the big things like zone conferences, Miracle Mondays, baptisms, teaching and training alongside President Quinn, mental health moments, missionary takeaways, R&Rs, spending time with Stake Presidents and their wives, and the wonderful members of the Rincon Valley Ward.
I’ll miss playing pickleball with missionaries, being in the hallway before interviews and laughing with missionaries one minute and talking about life’s deepest questions the next. I’ll miss airport pickups where nervous missionaries became family before we even leave the parking lot. I’ll miss wearing the Savior’s name over my heart every single day and having countless opportunities to testify of Him.
I will also miss the little things like driving through Napa Valley and seeing bunny foo foo, a giant metal bunny flying over the vineyards. Enjoying lunch with a Santa Barbara Cob salad at Habit Burger Grill between interviews. Eating the fresh fruit given to me by many ward members. My walk around our neighborhood and saying “hello'“ to the neighbors in the “dog walking brigade” and trying to make the turning light on Brush Creek Road on my way to the mission office in the Badger Building.
But more than anything, I will miss watching young men and women become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. Witnessing the Lord shape them, strengthen them, and help them discover who they really are has been one of the greatest privileges and miracles of my life.
AND… “just so you know” (to borrow one of Elder Gardner’s famous expressions), there are also a few things I’m looking forward to, for instance: Swimming and playing with my grandchildren instead of just Face Timing them. Visiting them in their own homes. Playing tennis on a team again. Curling up with a good book simply because I can. Returning to Naperville and reconnecting with dear friends, Empire fish tacos. Walks along the Riverwalk. Wearing open-toed shoes again—sandals, here I come! Watercolor painting and a little unhurried time. Maybe even a cruise or two.
This isn’t goodbye.
It’s Tot ziens—Dutch for “until we meet again.”
This evening we attended a wonderful Farewell open house. It was beautifully decorated, with lots of yummy food. There was a fun video playing of our missionaries telling us what they have learned from us. We received a lot of hugs and sweet notes. Thank you to all who put this together!
To every missionary, member, friend, and family we have come to love: thank you for making these three years some of the sweetest of our lives. You have changed us forever.
Until we meet again… Tot ziens.
Chicago here we come! I’m so excited to go back home and see friends there!!
This week:
It’s been a super busy week with saying goodbye to many people, transfer planning, the Tabernacle Choir at Hollywood Bowl Watch party, President Quinn held an Elders Conference that was a spiritual feast, speaking at church on Sunday and our farewell open house. I will add many pictures to this post later today.
And here are the last 🥁 🥁 🥁“Coming to Know Him” journal prompts. Prompt #51 and Prompt #52. I added a bonus prompt to make it so we have a full year of prompts! ❤️
I hope you have enjoyed writing in your journals as much as I have and that they will bless your life!!
PS Stay tuned here for our homecoming and report blog posts in the coming weeks.
Stay in touch!! We will host mission reunions. For information follow us in Messenger at “Quinn Mission Family CASRM” We will also post on IG at Quinns_in_CASRM and FB at Elaine Hoole Quinn . Also, please come visit us. We are no longer homeless. We bought a home in Orlando Florida!
Lots of photos from the week: (Coming Soon)
