SAYING GOODBYE

Robyn and Kim Seaman

Sister Vest, the wife of the mission president, hosts a dinner for all the senior missionaries every six weeks. Not all are able to attend since some live too far away and others have shifts to fill at the visitors centers.  Normally it is usually a pot luck dinner planned by Sister Vest at a near by stake center.  Last Monday was our third time to attend. A group photo is taken and then after dinner, those missionaries that will be leaving in the next six weeks, are given the opportunity to bear their testimonies and share their thoughts on their service here in the Missouri, Independence mission. The mission president then addresses the group. There are always a lot of tender feelings shared and the spirit is very strong.
Three couples will be leaving in the next little while. As you can see from the picture, Robyn and Sister Seaman grew very close during the short time we have been here. Kim has been like a 'senior companion' to Robyn, listening to her concerns, helping her to realize that she is not alone in missing her grandkids and providing great counsel in dealing with the normal stresses of senior missionary service. Goodbyes are hard.
Sister Seaman began her testimony by naming all 22 of her grandchildren that she has missed the last 18 months. She also recounted the 3 births and baby blessings,and the 4 baptisms she and her husband were not able to be home for. But then she said, that besides her testimony of the Savior, what has kept her going and what made it all worthwhile was the knowledge that she was setting an example of missionary service for all those little ones that she left behind in Show Low, Arizona.
Kim served in the office as President Vest's secretary. Her husband, Mike, served as the the mission housing coordinator. They were both originally called as facilities maintenance missionaries. In fact, President Vest said that on her application, typed in capitals and bold face type was written - DO NOT WANT TO SERVE IN THE OFFICE.  However, when they arrived here, there was a great need for help in the mission office, and President Vest felt impressed to ask if they would be willing to change their assignment. They both willingly and quickly told him that they would serve where ever he felt he needed them. They both bore witness that President Vest was inspired to change their assignment as they have truly come to love what they have been doing for the last year and a half. They will be missed.
We too miss our friends and children and especially our grandchildren. But like the Seamans, we love our Savior Jesus Christ and hope and pray that our missionary service will help provide our little ones with a desire to also serve one day. We love this work.

Attendees at the senior missionary dinner

VISITOR FROM HOME

Karen Kanalu

At the senior missionary dinner, the director of the Visitors Center, said that a sister from our home ward had come in that day and asked if we were there. He gave her our phone number and told her to call. What a treat to be able to see Karen. When she was younger, her family, attended the Culver City ward where my dad was her bishop. Since then, she has moved to the Gardena ward and we have grown very close. She came to Kansas City for a few days to visit her brother, Lynn. We were able to meet them both for lunch and caught up on everything that is going on back home in the Gardena ward. Anyone else that would like to come out here for a visit will also be welcomed with open arms. :-)

 TEMPLE BAPTISMS

Thursday we accompanied the Kaw River ward youth to the temple to do baptisms. The Kansas City, Missouri temple is small so usually only one ward is assigned each evening. We took our time and had a great experience. As you can see, we had a good group of youth and adults. 

It was the first time for one of the young men to help with this ordnance. Gabriel 12, has just recently come back into activity. We picked him up and met the rest of the youth. When we arrived at the temple, it was discovered that he had never received the priesthood. He had been sustained months previously, but had stopped coming to church. The bishop quickly re-interviewed him and together with the young men's president, ordained him a deacon so that he could participate. 

A side note, Gabriel has a deathly fear of water and was the last one to get dressed. He participated in confirmations, but when it came time to be baptized, he was very very scared. All the youth who had finished and were dressed joined in prayer for their friend so that he would be able to enter the font. There was just a wonderful spirit of love and support. 

home teaching companions

Bishop Miller has assigned Jesus Rodriguez to be my home teaching companion. We have four families that we visit. Jesus is a priest and a sophomore in his high school. When he was just two years old, his father passed away. He and his mom joined the church recently and he has been a faithful Aaronic priesthood holder ever since. Last summer, he and his mom went to the temple and were sealed to his dad. I am really impressed with his maturity and desire to prepare himself for a mission. Home teaching certainly helped me get ready for my mission. Hopefully it will do the same for Jesus and I can be a good example for him.

NEW SISTER MISSIONARY 

the district

Sister Ashley Romero was just transferred back into the Kaw River ward. She is the niece of Richard and Marisol Hernandez who we grew to love and served with in the Torrance North Stake. She has more energy in her little finger than the both of us combined. She is a great missionary. This is her second time to serve in Kaw River and she is excited beyond belief to be back. We both completely understand why.  ;-) 

CAMPOUT AT THE LAKE

We had a great campout this past weekend at Wyndotte County Lake. There were 10 boys and 3 adults. Three of the boys were not members of the church, so it was a great missionary opportunity. The water was still a little cold, but that did not stop some of them from jumping in. Being in charge of bringing the food, I borrowed James' dutch ovens for chicken and dumplings and peach cobbler. I think they liked it because there were hardly any left overs. For breakfast we stuffed ourselves with breakfast burritos. The scoutmaster reminds me a little of Dad in wanting to make sure all the boys know he is as 'tough as nails'.  He boxed and arm wrestled any takers and then climbed a pole faster than all of the kids. It seems just like yesterday when I used to be able to show the boys how tough I was. Not anymore...

First time camping for Jaedon and Gabriel

First time cooking on a camp stove

Frisbee golf

Sunset