Casting a Line in Carlsbad and Irvine: Last Day as Carlsbad Missionary

Well yesterday we woke up and we were in the Irvine Mission. Felt weird. It was just really weird to think I wasn't a Carlsbad Missionary. I had been for so long. What the heck.

Anyway! This last week I had one of the most emotional days of my mission. We had the mission wide farewell/transfer meeting for the Carlsbad Mission. It was goodbye to President and Sister Cook as well as Goodbye to many others whom I love. Of the hardest to say goodbye to was Elder Tetuanui. I am sure he is sitting shirtless on a beach in Tahiti right now sipping some lemonade. Hahaha he was so not ready to go home though. He can't remember any french or anything. He gave one of the most powerful testimonies if not the most powerful testimony I have ever heard in a parting opportunity and I tried my best to record it but I think the sound on my camera broke for that particular film or the room was just too loud. I'll have to amplify it later and write it down for him. It was really hard to say goodbye though! He left a last little tie clip with some Tahitian Symbols on it. One of those things I'll always keep proudly ya know. He really is going to be the greatest leader to ever come out of Tahiti someday. One in a million.

Its come to my attention that its hard for me to not cry a lot. Is this something that happens when you get older or just when you become more in tune? IDK but its happening. :P

I got to see Elder Bunker again and he embraced me as a best friend despite a rough start to our companionship and it was just great to see what we were able to do for each other and others. I said goodbye to Elder Jacobsen my first born son in the wilderness and he is actually doing fantastic! He is a District Leader now and Elder Bunker a trainer! They'll keep things rocking down south. I'm pretty fortunate to have a lot of friends coming to Irvine though.

Nothing else too remarkable happened this week. I got in a more extensive bash this last Saturday out of frustration of being told that I am wrong over and over and over. We were able to end with agreeing to disagree and no one was hurt but it is basically a good example of what happens a lot around here.

Oh I just thought of a first that happened this week for me!!! So we went to a members home where the Husband has only been a member for 9 moths. He is preparing to receive the Melchezidek Priesthood so we taught him a little lesson about it. Then at the end of the lesson he asked us to give his son a blessing. His son had fractured his foot and was going in the next day to see if it needed surgery or a cast or what. We ended the lesson with a great example and we gave him a blessing. On Sunday this father pulled us aside and told us that when they took his son to the doctor the next day they did a follow up x-ray and the foot was no longer fractured... Just bruised. It was a great testimony strengthener for me.

I am happy and at peace. I'm working hard and having fun. I love the ward I live in and the people I work with. I love Rob and his fire as a new convert. He goes to the temple EVERY MORNING and prays and reads the Book of Mormon even though he doesn't have a temple recommend. He deserves much more than he has for sure. So humble. So awesome. So Rob. Love you all. Happy 4th of July! I'll tell you how Pres Orgill is next week.

Congrats GRANDMA AND GRANDPA GEMPERLINE!

With Pres and Sister Cook