The Very Last Letter From Arkansas: 3/23/14

Dear Family and Friends                                                                    March 23, 2014

            Well here it is, the last full day in our missionary apartment. Went to Church this morning, Sister Hansen and I were asked to speak. Then we taught our last Sunday school class, then we went to our last priesthood and Relief Society meeting here in Paragould. The meetings were good as always, but the good byes were tough. When people break down and cry or get all choked up when they are saying goodbye, that is pretty hard to take. Even last Friday at the seniors centers as we said our good byes. It was hard to leave home, but it is much harder to leave here. Mom has most everything packed up. Last night I loaded the trunk, totally full. Now the rest has to go in the back seat in the morning. There is still a lot left, probably won’t be able to see out the back window on the way home. But I am determined to make it fit, especially since I took to boxes to the shipping place and they wanted $40 a box for shipping and they weren’t that big or weighed that much. In the morning I have to take the modem back to the Light, Power and Cable place, so I have to get this e-mail off today.

            The sleep bug got both of us.   I haven’t been sleeping well because I get cold during the night.  Now I know that there is an easy fix but the blankets have been washed some have been already packed and in the trunk.  So I cuddle closer to Dad to keep warm at night.

     The apartment manager does a spring apartment check on Tues.  I have never heard of an apartment check except on campus housing.  So again I am packing our things but also the missionary things and then each room has to be dusted and cleaned.  I have most rooms clean because I keep the apartment clean anyways but there is always the little things that have to be done and all the floors have to be cleaned and some have to be scrubbed.  We were given a list of things that they want done.   I don’t think that the housing wants to pay a fine for messy apartments so we will be cleaned up before we leave.   I cleaned out the cupboards and fridge, gave things to the Sisters and Elders at least what they would take.  Boxed up more and took it to the couple that we have taught and baptized.  The rest we will take to the family that is kind enough to feed us tonight.

     I am so afraid that I will forget something and if I do then that will be the end of it, the missionaries will think that it belongs to them.

     Earlier this last week we received a phone call inviting us to go and visit a Roman and Celtic reenactment. They were getting everything ready to do the reenactment and so we could go and see what they were doing without having to be in costume.  We took the Elders and Sisters with us.  I can easily say that it was impressive and the Elders and Sisters loved it.  I don’t think that they will forget it.  They received a lecture on the history that was being reenacted by some of the men that were part of the Celtic village.  Dad and I was given a lecture on grain grinding and I got to do that then we were shown how the sling works, I would not want to be hit by someone slinging a stone.  The Elders and Sisters got to help put up a leather tent at the Roman fort.  We walked all over probably more up hill and down then we have done in a long time.  We had just had a heavy rain so there were puddles big ones that we had to walk around.   It was a great day to see the camp the sun was warm and there was no wind.  We might even be able to sell 50lb. bags of barley to them next year.  It was a great experience for the missionaries, once they figured out that these were not our children.  Of course we all had to come home and do tick checks and I took a shower.  But it was great, where else could we have seen a Roman fort and a Celtic village.  Once in awhile we see things that I don’t think we would have seen any where else.

Love Mom and Dad