Blog for June 25, 2017

The time has arrived for us to go home……..

Well, blog fans, our remaining time in Calgary is drawing rapidly to a close; only a few more days. With many of the things we do comes the realization that we won’t be doing it again or won’t be seeing it again. Today at Church, for example, we had to say goodbye to many wonderful people, many of whom we may never see again. We know we will be returning for a visit from time to time but things and circumstances rarely remain the same.

Yesterday I returned once again to one of my favorite spots, the Glenmore Reservoir Trail. The day was fresh and fragrant and the temperature was perfect for a nice relaxed run. I will attach some pictures I took along the way including deer and lots of wild roses.

I would say how much I will miss the beautiful areas available here and the wonderful trails and scenery to be enjoyed, but then I think ahead to the Dimple Dell trails, Bell Canyon, and other sites which are so near our home. Suddenly I feel better about returning. 

Dimple Dell Trail (Sandy, Utah)

Given how hot it has been in Utah, we know we will miss the daily temperature in the 70s and low 80s we have known the past two summers.

With our departure just days away, we will miss Canada Day (July 1^st) and the Calgary Stampede (July 7-16), which is already gearing up. Instead we will get to enjoy the 4^th of July celebration with friends and family at home and that will be nice.

We are busy training our replacements, Elder and Sister McNary. They had their “baptism of fire” this past week with the arrival of new missionaries, the departure of others, and the process of transferring missionaries north and south as described in earlier blogs. Otherwise the training involves sitting at a desk reviewing all facets of the job, which for them must be somewhat like drinking from a fire hose. They are coming along nicely and will do well.

Since last week was transfer week, we were able to say goodbye to many of our missionaries. The highlight of our mission has been to interact with them as they serve. They are such an outstanding group of young men and women. They arrive with such diverse talents, interests, and capabilities. It is amazing to consider that the missionaries we see here are but a cross section of young people serving in all of the missions of the Church. Regardless of background, missions provide wonderful opportunities to grow and learn in ways that would not otherwise be realized. Most importantly, missionaries grow spiritually. As they teach gospel principles to others, they learn to apply these same principles more completely to themselves. I know from my own mission experience as a young man how much better prepared I was to meet the challenges of life, of faith, of family, and career. Fortunately, we are Facebook friends with many of our missionaries who have returned home and that will be true for those still serving. It is wonderful to see them moving on with their lives after returning home. I see the same blessings in their lives that I realized from having served a mission.

So, this is it, - the great winding up scene. Thanks for sharing in our experiences.

In closing, please enjoy some scenes from the Sefcik’s neighborhood lake and park where we had a wonderful picnic with them.

Have a wonderful week!