Twice as Nice or Seeing Double?

Friday, June 20, 2014

Well, I am sorry but the highlight of this week was not a missionary experience, but it was a missionary blessing. Sister Heninger and I celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, June 17. We received a text Tuesday evening with news that our daughter Kimberlee had just delivered twin babies. At 2:17PM Dallin Grant Schoonmaker came into the world weighing 6 lbs 11 oz. Nine minutes later his sister Lily RoLayne Schoonmaker was born weigh 2 oz more than her brother. Mother and children are both doing well at this point and came home from the hospital yesterday. This was truly a great missionary  blessing for us. There have been too many to count, but we are truly excited and pleased. Sister Heninger is a bit lost at the moment thinking that she should be there to help, but we will get to see them before they are too old.

Dallin Grant and Lily RoLayne, What a blessing!

Twins with their siblings, Hyrum 6, Evaleen 4, and James 2

We feel so blessed with the safe arrival of these two little ones!

Although definitely the high point, it was not the only activity of the week for us. On Monday, I had  the  opportunity to play golf with 4 of our young missionaries. We had a good time together. This is not an activity they get to indulge in often.

Fort Huachuca golf course

The Zone Leaders played with us

One of the Elders tees off. Target golf, not much grass and even fewer trees

Wednesday we had our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Killpack. One of the fun traditions that the Killpacks have is that when a missionary goes home, Sister Killpack clips the tie of the Elders. The missionaries then have an opportunity to decorate the tie (Scarfs for the Sisters) and they are hung on a wall in the mission home. They brought and displayed all the ties and scarfs that they have collected since they came. They also asked all the missionaries remaining to decorate a tie or scarf and they are taking them all home with them. They plan to bring them to reunions in the future.

Missionary ties displayed

Sister Killpack cuts tie off one of our missionaries

Sister Missionaries decorated scarfs

Last photo opportunity with President and his wife

Sierra Vista Zone, June 18, 2014

They have been wonderful leaders and they will surely be missed. President Killpack told us that he will be released the moment President  Passey's flight lands in Tucson Monday, June 30. We will have our first zone conference with the new president on Wednesday, July 2. We certainly look forward to working with him. President Killpack gave us some good advice and told all missionaries that this is an opportunity to "reset" and make a fresh impression. The two presidents will only have about and hour or so to discuss affairs in the mission before the Killpacks depart.