Thursday, July 3, 2014

There is NO PLACE like HOME...

Our travel itinerary was the following:
Bogota to Atlanta, GA
Atlanta to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City to St. George, UT

 We arrived into St. George at 10:22pm...this was the night sky

This banner traveled from Prince Kid to Prince Kid 
to have the whole family write on it!
There are 20 circles representing each member of the family!
It was only appropriate that Marcie pick us up.
3 years ago she dropped us off at the MTC to start our mission experience.
Now she is married and her dad was finally able to meet Craig!

There is NO PLACE LIKE HOME...
but HOME is where your Heart is
so part of us will always be at home in Colombia!

Oh, what a ride it has been!

A Reunion in Bogota...almost home...


First Stop...Bogota!
We spent the day in the temple.
We missed the temple these past 3 years
it is like BEING HOME!

What an experience to meet faithful returned missionaries
in the 
House of the Lord!

Ana and Maria had their first airplane flight
to join us in Bogota...it was wonderful to have them with us!
Aren`t they beautiful?


The Returned Missionaries
from the Colombia Cali Mission
 Hector Patiño, Jonathan Fuentes, Daniel Gallo, Cristian Tellez
Laura Carreño, Eileen Charry, and Daniel Zuñiga
plus wives and girl friends...and of course Ana and Maria!

Some unexpected blessings...
a missionary contemporary of Pres Prince -
Fabio Fajardo served in the Cali Mission 1976-1978
As he tells it...he was a Zone Leader when Elder Prince was AP.
It was fun to share this day with him.

Brother and Sister Munar
There son, Elder Munar, is serving in Cali right now!
It is a blessing to meet the great plarents!

Eating lunch together in the temple Hostal.

An appropriate send off...
Colombia vs Uruguay
We watched the game at the Wakefield`s home.
President Wakefield...Bogota Temple President...dons his Colombia colors
 and Colombia WINS!!!
 Some Happy Moments!
 Our first AP in the mission...
Daniel Gallo and his girlfriend, Stephanie.
Eileen Charry, Jonathan Fuentes, Daniel Zuñiga, Daniel Gallo, Cristian Tellez!

Some more photos...
 Baby Gabriel to join us in August...

 Cristian Tellez found a princess...his wife, Andrea is wonderful!

Daniel Gallo found his princess...wedding bells ringing soon!

Being in this beautiful temple
with those we love
is Almost Home...we experienced 
a bit of Heaven on Earth.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Saying Goodbye and changing of the Guard...

I was a told by a friend in Cali that there is a saying
that if you cry you won`t return
Well...we tried to keep the tears from coming...
She also told me that we don`t say Adios or good-bye
only Hasta Pronto or see you soon.

The world is small in the gospel.
We have hope that we will see the missionaries again
Working side by side with the office crew 
you become a little attached...they were hard to say Hasta Pronto to.

Many people wonder what it is like to change Mission Presidents.
They also ask what how we are released and who releases us.

Hopefully this post will answer both questions:

1st.. Who releases you?
In the end of May we received our release packet.
It included letters of gratitude from the First Presidency, the Quorum of the 12, 
and the missionary department.
When we were in Lima in June, we had an exit interview with Elder Uceda, president of the South America Northwest area, who asked what we would have the area presidency be aware of in our mission and thanked us for our service.
Then we went back out to keep working until the new president arrived.

2nd...What is it like to change Mission Presidents?
The easy answer is...It is hard!

Here are a few pictures and comments about that day...June 27, 2014
We packed our suitcases and left them in storage.
We checked on the state of the mission home...they were still working to get the hot water to work, but I had left the perfect touches!


We went to the airport and picked up the new mission president and his wife,
President and Sister Pricoli.
They had been traveling 26 hours with canceled flights, etc.
One of their suitcases didn`t arrive...we went through filing a claim for that.
We dropped off their luggage at the mission home.
We then left them at the office where they had a short meeting and went out with missionaries to work for a couple of hours.
At 1pm we had a welcome or farewell lunch together at the mission home. 
Ajiaco...my favorite! 

 With President and Sister Pricoli
 The new mission office staff!
I love this missionary couple...The Aagards have really helped our mission!

We spent 3 hours together passing on information.
President Prince with President Pricoli.
Hermana Prince with Hermana Pricoli.
We tried to give them an overview...they were exhausted.
How do you boil it down to 3 hours?

The Pricoli`s drove us to the airport.
We checked in, said some tearful goodbyes, and boarded a plane to Bogota.
We Love you President Prince!
The office Elders all came to the airport to see us off.
A recent convert and his mother (also a recent convert) and his son...
came to wish us farewell
Elder Henao...ever the perfect assistant to the end!
Come and visit us Ramon.
Faithfully you have guided us and been with us for 3 years...
Now you will help the Pricoli`s navigate the streets of Cali!
Changing of the Guard!
My name tag even looks like it is ready to come off!
 Faithful assistants...Elders Eliason and Henao.
Secretary to the President...Elder Gallardo from Ecuador
 Materials secretary...Elder Longorio from Mexico
 Records secretary...Elder Robbins from USA
 Financial secretary...Elder Lopez from Mexico
With Elder Henao...shedding a few tears...love this Colombian!
 Withe Elder Eliason...see you soon in the states!
We Did It!
Mission Accomplished!
The Lord was good to us in our weakness!
May the Colombia Cali Mission continue to prosper!

Hasta Pronto!


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

This I will miss...

The place is spectacular
but it is the people that have made it unforgetable!

This I will miss...
 ...I made my last trip to the Galeria with Ana and Maria today.

Meet Don Pedro...here is where the fruit salads, banana bread, and juices begin.
He has faithfully helped me to buy my fruits for 3 years!


 and here are his family members that help us carry everything to the car!
 And we can always count on the potatoes here...
 and Jonathan is always running through the Galeria helping us carry things!
 Where I always buy my eggs...30 in a flat and we usually need at least 2!
 Meet Gustavo...he runs ¨Aqui es Fabio¨...where I buy the chicken!!
 They will cut it and package it anyway you want...bones - no bones, skin on - no skin, fillets, whole, portions...just name i!


The paper products store...I wish there were one like this in St. George!
 And Don Chu-chu (not sure where that name came from)
He is our Pasto friend...always helpful for good vegetables.
 Farewell Galeria.
Farewell to he who helped me park each time I arrived.

These people I will miss...because of their goodness!