Continuing our Good-byes

As excited as we are to come home, it means we have to say good-byes as well. Yesterday we spent the day doing just that with numerous little miracles to make it possible. One of the first people we met when arriving here was Val, the head of the soup kitchen.

She left town after about six months but as Elder O’Neal went to get a tire fixed Thursday morning, he met her friend Jemma walking down the street. She told him that for the next two days, Val was working here in town helping out at a small store. So we made a point to go over to tell her how much we enjoyed being able to serve with her when we first arrived.

Next we made up a thank you card for Buddy, the owner of the gym in town, who gifted us each an 18 month gym membership. He never works on Thursdays so we knew we’d just have to leave the card at the office window. However, we walked in and there he was- on the phone. He motioned for us to wait a minute so we did get to thank him in person for his generous gift. We also talked him into a picture with us.

Then, because Elder O’Neal has a slight cold, I went to say good-bye to Joy. When we first arrived in Whitianga, she was in her own flat but due to a lot of anxiety and undiagnosed health issues, she’s been in the local senior care facility for nearly a year. She has three sons that live in Australia and seldom communicate with her and she is so lonely. So we tried to visit often. She loved for us to come and often commented on how we usually came when she was praying that someone would come to visit her. I wish we could have done more to help. She did have a cute smile for a picture though and she asked us to write to her.

Then today we’ve begun to pack. It doesn’t seem like we’ve added much to what we brought here but our luggage doesn’t agree. Here’s hoping it all fits and is under the weight limit.   

  Kia Ora! Elder and Sister O’Neal