Two Months Home & Two Months To Go!!

 The days go slow, but the weeks fly by. I remember our missionary daughters both writing that same statement to us in their email. Boy, how true it is!! 
Our eldest daughter returned home from her mission in the Philippines exactly 2 months ago. It doesn't seem like she's been home that long, but between her homecoming and then Christmas and New Year's, time just went so fast. 
Our other daughter will be returning from her mission in Mexico exactly 2 months from today.  It seems like yesterday we were taking her to the airport and trying, not very successfully, to hold back the tears as we said good-bye to our second missionary for 18 months.

For the last 2 months we have enjoyed listening to our eldest talk about her mission in the Pines. She misses it so much. She grew to love the Filipino people in a way that we never imagined.She has made life long friends with some of the missionaries that she served with and she randomly breaks out speaking in Tagalog and we just chuckle and pretend to understand her. We encourage her to keep speaking the language that she has adopted as her second language. 
She has bore her testimony of the Savior countless times in Tagalog to those whom she was serving and teaching and it's music to our ears whenever she speaks it. 
She is currently working and planning her schooling and next steps in life. 

Our daughter in Mexico will most likely do the same when she gets home. We look forward to listening to her stories, hearing her speak in the Spanish language that she has become so used to speaking and pray that neither of our girls will ever lose the gift of tongues they've been given. 

We are grateful for the experiences and trials that our daughters have gone through while on their missions.  They have grown closer to their Savior as they served him by serving his children. 
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HOME FROM THE PINES!!

December 2014 departing missionaries from the Urdaneta Mission

Sister Carr with her President and Sister Monahan. We will forever be grateful to the Monahan's for the love they gave our daughter while she was in their care. She grew so much while on her mission. We sent them a scared young lady and through their loving guidance she returned home to us eighteen months later a confident woman with a deeper love for the gospel, the Savior and his children. We look forward to meeting the Monahan's when they return from the Pines.

Last day in the mission home. We're sure this was a bittersweet day for these beautiful sisters.

Heading to the bus stop

A few more pictures before boarding the bus.

Missionary Sisters!

Getting ready for the long ride to Manila.

Here we go!! Sis. Talk and Carr wave good-bye!

We were so excited as we drove to the airport to get our missionary.

Gpa all ready to welcome home his missionary grand-daughter.

She's HOME... a little tired, but she's HOME!!!

Sister Carr with Lauren and Jackson. She's missed these faces.

It's good to be together again!

Uncle Johnny and Araceli couldn't make it to the airport, but they came to our house to welcome AJ home.

Doing some unpacking. She left most of all her clothes in the Pines, but brought home some really great souvenirs.

Welcome Home!!!!!

 

Her first American meal in 18 months and she wanted In-N-Out Burger!!  She was freezing when she got off the plane. We had a blanket ready for her. After being in the heat and humidity of the Philippines for 18 months, the Southern California weather was little cold for her.

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 From Mexico
 Hermana Carr has been a Sister Trainer leader for a while now. Part of her responsibilities consist of traveling to other towns within the mission and visiting, helping and training the other sister missionaries. At first she was nervous to take on these responsibilities, but she has grown to love it and she loves meeting and working with all the other sisters from the different areas.

Hermana Carr and Manning became fast friends in the mission field and HOPED that one day they might be companions. Well, that day came about a month ago and these two have been working hard together as Sister Trainer Leaders.

Campeche

​Roaming the hills of Campeche!

​So I totally lost my name tag this week and I´ve been walking around for a few days without one.... So Hermana Flores (de Bolivia) lent me hers when we went to do divisions with them. I thought ¨Cool, I´ll just represent my mama´s side of the family!¨ haha. So I was wearing the name Flores (even though mom´s is spelled Florez...) real proud this week!

 

A ​Road Trip to CAMPECHE with Hermanas Williams, Smith, and Manning! Love these girls!

Enjoying her Christmas package from home!

Feliz Navidad Bus

Hermana Aguirre! She´s awesome!

Zone picture

Hanging with the Hermanas de Hunucmá! 

I got to visit the town of Izamal and it was amazing!! So pretty and it has one of the LARGEST catholic churches in the entire world. It`s huge.... There are also old pyramids in Izamal, so for our exercise we went and had a morning pyramid hike! Absolutely Gorgeous!

Morning pyramid hike in Izamal

Mayan pyramid in Izamal

These Spanish name for car is Carro, the Spanish name for peanut is Mani....introducing Hermana's Carro (Carr) and Mani (Manning) !!! 

Jesus Loves You

Friends and Hermanas Forever

Hindi Ako Trunky Pero  &   DICIEMBRE 2014 !!! 

 

From the Philippines to Mexico the life of a missionary means leaving your family for 18 months (for young women) or 2 years (for young men) to wherever the Lord needs you to go. You get up at the crack of dawn, you study harder than you ever have in your life, you pray harder, you work yourself to the point of exhaustion, you walk almost everyday until your feet are swollen, you live each moment as it comes, you serve those you've never met like they were your best friend, you cry, you laugh, you eat food you can't  identify, you live and work alongside someone (your missionary companion) you've never met before but you learn to love them like a sister or brother, you grow to love with all your heart the people you have been called to teach and serve......and at the end of those 18 months or 2 years you return home to your family.  But...........

Because of the experiences you've had you will never be the same and you end up leaving a permanent piece of your heart in the mission field. 

Our daughter in the Pines will be returning home in just over a week. These past 18 months we've prayed for her, worried about her, cried and rejoiced with her and have watched her become the woman that God needs her to be. We are so excited to have one of our missionary daughters returning home (the other one comes home in April) and we are so proud of all that she has accomplished!! 

Family Home Evening and dinner with a church family

All smiles!!

You can tell Sister Carr loves her time with the other sister missionaries.

At the fishing hole

 

Playing a game that if you lose a point you get a red lipstick mark on your face. It looks like Sister Untong (our daughter's companion) lost the game.  Poor Sister Untong!!

Sister pouty face!

Sister Carr and her companion Sister Untong. Sister Untong is a new missionary and Sister Carr has been given the responsibility and blessings of helping to train her.

Apparently Sister Carr is pretty good at the lipstick game and Sister Untong....not so much. haha!

Sister Carr and some other sisters got to spend the day in Manila. She says they were able to go to the temple and get some Mexican food. She hasn't eaten Mexican food in over a year. She said it was good, but not as good as the food she can get back home.

Yummy nachos!!

Taco time

Beautiful day in the Pines

Eating at home

Sisters love to eat!! haha

Her little brother just turned 17 and she sent him a note to wish him a Happy Bday!! What a good big sister!!

When she sent us this picture the captions read, "I'll bet you can't wait to have THIS face home!"  She's absolutely right...WE CAN'T WAIT!!!!

We just love all their smiling faces!

Sister Trainers with their trainees

Sister Carr, Sister Untong at Sister Dorie's baptism. Sister Carr loves Sis. Dorie and was so excited to share this special day with her.

Baptism Day for Sis. Dorie

Sister Carr and Sis. Dorie

We love to see the smiles on these beautiful faces!

Ready to eat!!

Dagupan 4th ward

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What's up in Mexico? 

Hermana Carr & Zapata helping Sis.Vivianne's daughter read the scriptures.

Mmmmm....lunch time at Sister Vivianne's house.

Yay!! It's time to eat some good food!!

Baptism Day with Hermano Jose!

Look at that gorgeous smile!

Hanging with some church members

Merida Temple

Yay!! She found one of her favorite treats.

Hermana Fish Face

Hermana Carr with Sister Vivianne and her daughter

We don't know what she's eating, but she seems to be enjoying it.

For this week, just know I´m doing good. I absolutely ADORE being a missionary! It is seriously the best thing ever and I´m so grateful for the person that God is helping me become. There is still SO much room for improvement, but I´ll get there :) Thank you for always supporting me and loving me and being wonderful examples. I love you all so much and will talk to you all soon!