TRADITION…one of the things that marks the end of a mission is that you start doing things for the last time. Today for the last time we took the assistants to our traditional 2nd Monday before transfers lunch. It is one of our ways of saying ‘Thank You’ to the missionaries that work so hard to keep the mission moving forward. It has been a pleasure to work with all the APs through the last year.

Elder Stewart joined the APs last Monday so this is the first time he has been in the office to use the computers to do his e-mail. There is room for five people in the back of our van so of course all three had to crowd into the back seat.

Then when we get to the restaurant they had to do one more group hug. On Monday Scrufy’s offers a whole rack of their tender baby-back ribs, fries, cole slaw and baked beans for just $10.00. Elder Shipley knew what to expect because he was here last transfer but for elders Gust and Stewart this was the first time.

The gangs all here. Later in the afternoon the office was invaded by the crew from the Plantation district. Elder Bare got the first of the 60 some milage reports for last month from sisters Stegelmeier and Merrill. This was closely followed by sister Dougal and Gordon’s report.

Sister Stegelmeier had something to talk to elder Shipley about something while sister Dougal carefully eats one of the small chocolate bars that sister Bare provides for the missionaries. Elder Pond – the district leader – talked to Mary about our granddaughter McKay who is getting ready to go on her mission to Washington, Seattle mission.

Sisters Stegelmeier and Merrill signed my picture of them with their comic sunglasses. I am going to take it home and have it framed. Sisters Dougal and Gordon looks on.

Speaking of candy – elder Rondo shared his box of candy that he received in a package from home. I asked sister Dougal about her gypsy skirt and she informed me that she had borrowed it from sister Stegelmeier. Elders share ties – sisters skirts!