Some thoughts

My dear wife has agreed to post the daily or weekly or monthly activities of our mission and for that I am ever grateful.  It is left to me to just record some thoughts about things that have occurred over the past few weeks.
As we contemplate our time in the mission coming to a close (only three weeks left from today), we approach it with mixed feelings.  We are ever so grateful for the experiences that we have had.  We could never have had the spiritual and experiential things occur anywhere else but in this mission at this time.  We have been touched by the people we work with in both the wards we work with, the Institute, and the mission friends we have made.  Never would we have met these wonderful people and allowed them to affect our lives if we had not gone on our mission.  Just a few examples: We went to our departure temple trip and dinner the other night and had the wonderful opportunity to be among Elders and Sisters, some of whom we had worked with, and others that we had not, along with our beloved Mission President and his wife.  We spent time worshiping, eating and testifying and the spirit was strong.
Another example was our experience with a four month member of the church, Yessie.  She called just yesterday to say that her non-member sister was in the hospital and asked us to come and have me participate with her Bishop in giving a blessing before the surgery.  What a choice experience to invite the Lord's blessings on one of His children.
Later that night we attended both FHE's of the wards and had a great time interacting with the members.  How we love them!  Sister Whitcomb was leaving the next day (today) and we took her and her companion Sister Chang to dinner and later she requested a Priesthood blessing and I was privileged to give it to her.  She is an example of the marvelous young missionaries that we deal with on a regular basis.  We will miss them and look forward to seeing some of them at reunions and maybe visits to Utah.
I have written on other occasions about the wonderful Senior Missionaries that we work with.  The Lord must be pleased that some of His most diligent and faithful sons and daughters take the time in their later years to serve and do it so well.  We love them and are grateful for their unselfish service.  It is so important for the Lord's work to have all those who are willing to leave children and grandchildren and lovingly serve.  I just wish that all senior couples were in a position to serve.
Finally, I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach.  We have learned so much as we have studied the scriptures and gained new insights and a love for the gospel.  Hopefully we have touched a few lives in our teaching, but we certainly have increased our love for the scriptures and the teachings of the church.
As we look ahead at the last three weeks of our service there is so much left to do.  We will be busy right up to the end and that is the way it should be.  We will leave tired, but happy.  It will be good to be back with family and friends, but some part of our hearts will remain in San Diego.