Our Mission is finished, we're on our way home...

 

Just before our return home, there was a Zone Conference of Senior Missionaries assigned to the Europe Area.  What a difference from the COVID time when we were part of just a handful of missionaries left at the Area Office.  President and Sister Sabin spoke to us at the conference.

We cleaned our apartment and packed up for our return home.  We had previously shipped a few boxes home with some of our Europe treasures so we could comply with the airline baggage limits.  It was a strange experience to say our final good-bye to senior missionary friends, the young missionaries and mission leaders that we had worked with.  Off to the airport !

We flew from Frankfurt, Germany to Denver, Colorado where we cleared US Customs.  Everything was on schedule until our flight was delayed and then cancelled.  It was so late at night that the only option was to sleep in the airport.  Joanne found a semi-comfortable place and tried to sleep.  I wasn't so lucky in being able to sleep.  We caught an early flight in the morning and made it back to Spokane.

This mission release letter sent to our Stake President was given to us when we visited with President Julian to be formally released.  It is a loving letter that expresses the Area President's assessment and appreciation for our missionary service.  It has brought tears to my eyes many times as I have read it.  

To know that the service we gave for almost two years during difficult times was 

recognized and appreciated meant a lot to us.

Joanne and I were asked to report to the Stake Executive Committee and share our testimonies the next week and we also spoke in our Ward's Sacrament Meeting.  

Joanne gave a great talk and I followed her.  The Spirit was present in abundance as we recounted several faith building experiences we shared during this sacred time spent serving together in Europe.

It has been a privilege to serve the Lord full-time together, a sacred and special time.

Our children and grandchildren attended our homecoming via Zoom. 
(Thank you Darci for capturing this picture.)

Italy Milano Mission - Days 4 and 5 - Milan

 The final zone conference in Milan was powerful.  So many of missionaries I had counseled were there.  They expressed love and appreciation for my help.  What a tender mercy to finish our mission with a trip like this.  The Brownings were so generous with their time and attention trying to help us have a great experience.  Our hearts were so full for the privilege it has been to serve the Savior in Europe.

We had one day off before we had to fly back to Germany.  We spent it seeing a few of the popular sites in Milan.  The Duomo is a spectacular cathedral in it's design and detail.  You can walk around on the roof and get a close look plus enjoy the views from on top.

The Galleria shopping center next door to the Duomo was a great place to have lunch.

Leonardo DaVinci left a powerful legacy in Milan.  This statue to him along with other visionaries of the area was great to see.

DaVinci's Last Supper mural was something we had to purchase tickets well in advance to see but was worth the effort.

We enjoyed being hosted by the Brownings in the mission home and spent our last night with them having dinner and enjoying some fun games.  What a marvelous trip this was!

Leaving Milan at the airport we were greeted by another representation of the DaVinci Last Supper mural.

In appreciation to the Brownings for their invitation to the zone conferences and their hospitality, we sent them one of our favorite wood carvings from our favorite craftsman in Germany, Tony Sauer.

President and Sister Browning were thrilled to get this carving of Moroni.

Italy Milano Mission - Day 3 - Verona

 The chapel in Verona was very beautiful and unique.  The saints in Verona are numerous and faithful we were told.  What a great conference we had here.

Verona is home to the real families in the famous play, Romeo and Juliette.  We visited the home and courtyard.

The sky began to look very ominous and it wasn't very long before we were caught in a torrential downpour of rain.  

Public entertainment was a big deal to the Romans and Verona has its own ancient arena.

As the rain descended heavily, Sister Browning did some hard negotiations with a street vendor that suddenly appeared for umbrellas and ponchos to keep us dryer on our walk to dinner.

The Brownings wanted us to experience their favorite pizza in Verona.  It was literally over 3 feet long and delicious.

As if the three-foot long pizza wasn't enough, we ordered a little more for the AP's.

The rain subsided as we made our way to the car.  We learned enroute back to Milan that the mission home and mission cars in Milan had been damaged by a short but powerful hailstorm.

Italy Milano Mission - Day 2 - Venice

 Our next stop was Venice.  The chapel was a charming old building that had been remodeled as a chapel.  The conference went very well.

Joanne assisted some the senior missionaries serving in this zone as they prepared lunch for the group.

We had a few hours before we needed to leave Venice for our next city on the tour.  We went into this famous city of canals that is so famous in world history.

When in Venice, we just had to go on a gondola ride.  Streets of water is so unique.

The assistants to the mission president had their own gondola.  What a great time.

We walked about, had some gelato and other snacks as we took in some of the city.

President and Sister Browning with the assistants.

President and Sister Browning, Joanne and the AP's on a famous bridge in Venice.

As the sun started setting we grabbed a bite to eat and took a few final photos.

Off to Verona.