090115

Last Monday night we said goodbye to the Houghtons.  They had been Temple missionaries with us for several months.  Sister Houghton was having some issues with her kidneys and stones.  When they finally got the stones figured out and she was on the mend, they found out she had evidence of cancer.  So, that forces an immediate end to the mission and a much more difficult future than a mission.  They had to report to the Huntsman Cancer Center in Utah last Thursday and we haven't heard anything yet.  We're hoping all is going well.  We got to spend a little time with them on their last night with us and say goodbye as only missionaries can.

The Houghtons

Doing what missionaries do when they get together...junk food!  Good stuff...

Over the next few weeks we will be starting to loose our summer missionaries.  The Wilsons and the Fords are leaving this coming week.  They have been here for 18 months and are the last of those serving that long.  Most are here for only 6 months or 12 months but that is only a few.  We do have one couple that is here for 18 months and are not an engineer couple but that tis not the norm.  Most engineer couples serve for 12 to 18 months.  It's harder to get those kinds of missionaries.

Tonight, Sept 6, we had "break the fast" at our house and we were able to have 3 other couples over for Mom's chicken noodle casserole.  I guess it went over pretty well as most of it was gone.  We then ran over to the stake center for a fireside for the missionaries where Robert L Wright talked about the symbols of the temple.  I just love listening to these people hat know so much more than I will ever know.  It just amazes me.

After dinner I was talking to Elder Bishopp who was in the Seattle Temple presidency a couple of years ago and knew my sister in law, Linda Alger.  Linda is going through a rough stretch with cancer and is not expected dot make it.  Any day we expect to get "the call".  At any rate, while talking to Elder Bishopp, I had mentioned that I had served on the USS George Washington, SSBN 598.  It turns out that he also served on her about 2 years before I did, prior to her going into drydock and rehab.  I caught her towards the end of drydock.  This is truly a small world.  One never knows who you'll run into in the church.  Just amazing.  Although he was not able to qualify as a submariner, he did do a 2 month cruise on the old "Georgefish".

We will be doing a Labor Day thing tomorrow night.  More to follow, I'm sure...