Visitor's Center Sisters

Every now and then we get calls from Salt Lake asking if we can use any Visitor's Center's sisters. Those serving in the Centers each have a 4-6 month period when they go to another mission and serve full time proselyting. On Wednesday, one of these Sisters who has been with us was heading back to Temple Square. She is the very first missionary we welcomed into the mission back when we had only been here about two weeks. She couldn't get a ride to Spokane on Wednesday, so she came in on Tuesday and I was her companion for the day. I was getting our Mission Newsletter done, planning meals for transfers, organizing some things for Elder Bednar's visit this weekend and some other things. She came and helped me and was a great help. We also had some mail in the office that we weren't sure who it was to. Sometimes people write their missionary and just put Washington Spokane Mission on the front. So we try to figure out who it is to from the return address. Or they just put Elder Clark---and we might have four Elder Clarks! Well having a young sister there-she went to work on the internet and had things figured out in no time. She spent the night at our home and the following day we took her to the airport and picked up the new sister coming in. It is hard to explain my feelings as we drop these sisters (or Elders) off at the airport. I just have this overwhelming love for them and feel so proud of them and their great effort at doing their best during this time. As they walk away I get the big lump in my throat and usually my eyes well up. So we said goodbye to Sister Halley Holmes. What a great young lady. Just before she went through security, here came Sister Shugart (who happened to have been in the MTC with Sister Holmes). We spent a few hours together and so quickly I just love her. She is so kind and gentle and happy. Then after Mark interviewing her, off she went to her new area. Last week we had another sister come from the Nauvoo Visitor's center. What a great girl she is-Sister Bailey. It is a unique experience having them come. They come on Wednesday's instead of Mondays, and I often drive them to their area-sometimes a couple of hours away-and they are usually alone. Not like when we get a big group in. So I have much more of a one on one with them. They are all so likeable-I think we will try to get more of them next time we are asked.