The Beginning of the Lasts - Meatballs
This week marks the beginning of President Quinn and my last transfer here in the wonderful California Santa Rosa Mission.
It’s a strange feeling. On one hand, we are excited to return home and reconnect with family and friends. On the other hand, our hearts are deeply attached to this mission, the missionaries we love, and the people and places that are now a part of our lives.
On Monday of this week it dawned on me that we are embarking on the beginning of “lasts.”
Our last senior missionary Bar-B-Q
Our last transfer day.
Our last farewell dinner and devotional.
Our last trip to the airport to greet new missionaries. (And for the first time, we picked them up in San Francisco—a memorable adventure all by itself!)
Our last new missionary orientation meeting.
Our last leadership Zoom training.
Our last stake conference in Fairfield.
The list of “lasts” will continue to grow this month and with each “last” comes a little tug on my heart.
I once heard someone say that whenever you feel like you’re about to cry, just say the word “meatballs.” It is supposed to distract you and help you regain composure.
As we sit in meetings, attend devotionals, and say goodbye to people and experiences we have cherished, I am finding myself thinking, Meatballs. Meatballs. Meatballs.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it just makes me hungry.
What a blessing it has been to serve here. We have laughed, learned, stretched, grown, and witnessed the Lord’s hand in countless ways. We have come to love these missionaries, these members, our new friends, and this mission more than we ever imagined possible.
So yes, this transfer is filled with lasts. But perhaps that is because it has also been filled with so many wonderful firsts, blessings, friendships, and memories worth missing.
We are looking forward to the coming weeks of “lasts.”
Thank you for reading my weekly blog posts and letter home. I’m grateful for your support and love. Sister Elaine Quinn
This week we said goodbye to eleven amazing missionaries who are finishing their missions and welcomed twelve beautiful new ones! The work continues to go forward.
Elder Swindler was picked up by his parents and siblings.
And here is our “Coming to Know Him” journal prompt #47 ❤️ As a mission we started this journal last July and we are planning on having five more prompts so we will have 52, a full year of prompts all together!. We are getting close to our last one. Thank you for your efforts in journaling!!
Our grandchildren are making paper chains to count down the days until we return home to Chicago and have a fun reunion there with them.
Clayton & Margo Boswell
Sam & Elaine Francis
Matthew, Lydia, Isaac, & Andrew Black
Here is a big photo dump from the week. I think the amount of photos I take exponentially grows the longer I have been on my mission! (more photo labeling to come)
A visit from former missionary Tanner Hart, his wife Samantha and his parents.
Sister Somers helping me make up journals for our new missionaries.
