Farewell Part II -- Hard to Say Goodbye to the Missionaries ~ Our Mission in Kenya

Our last week was extremely busy with missionaries coming and going and the monthly MLC (Missionary Leader Council). We moved out of our lovely flat and into the mission home so that our replacements, Elder & Sister Sutherland, could get settled in the flat that is now theirs. Plus we spent the week training the Sutherlands. Busy, busy time. And a last farewell to the amazing missionaries we've worked with for so long. Lots of pictures on this post. Be sure to click to enlarge. Enjoy!

Elder Coombs (from Alberta -- yeah!) and Elder Jack popped in to the office for a little visit. Nice to see them!

Then our new senior missionaries, Elder & Sister Shurtliff, stopped by with Elder & Sister Lillywhite, the Public Affairs missionaries.

Elder & Sister Shurtliff will be serving in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in our satellite office there.

Elder Sutherland is learning the ropes here in the Nairobi office.

I thought Elder Sutherland reminded me an awful lot of our dear President Hinckley. What do you think?

And here's Sister Sutherland at my desk which is now her desk. She reminded me a lot of my Aunt Elaine in her younger days. What do you think? (Those of you who knew my Aunt Elaine).

Saying farewell to Elder & Sister Shurtliff. Sad that we won't get to know them.

Elder Torrie says, "If you do it like this . . . "

Last look at our lovely little flat.

"All our bags are packed; we're ready to go . . . la la la" Not going home yet. Just moving to the mission home for our last few days.

New missionary, Elder Ntlebi, old (!) missionary Elder Barnard, new missionary Elder Pratt, and Sister Msane fixing to feed the masses.

Elder Mwashi and Elder Ellis

Elder Ntlebi

Elder Chikari

Sister Gakanje

Elder Akpu, Elder Lotulelei, Elder Tshilumba

Elder Chikari, Elder Pratt, Elder Foulk

Ha ha. Funny Elder Wilson. Is that sign language?

Sister Msane is always cooking. No rest for the wicked, as my dad always said. But Sister Msane is a not wicked!

Elder Ellis, Elder Mwashi, Elder Barnard

Sister Msane having a laugh with Elder Merz

Sister Msane and Elder Merz

Elder Merz tasting the good food.

Elder Sibanda and Elder Mayekiso

Cute sisters: Sister Kachokamo, Sister Kitombo, Sister Gakanje, and Sister Auma.

Now I've joined the sisters. The three sisters on the left are new but I know Sister Auma (in white on right) very well. She served in our little Langata Branch for several months. Wish I could get to know ALL the lovely sisters.

Elder Sutherland and Elder Barnard talking farming.

Elder Wilson, Elder Tshangu (from DR Congo) and Elder Ellis having a con flab. Who's on the left?

Elder Tshilumba, Elder Chikari, Elder Ntlebi

Elder Torrie getting to know Elder Pratt

Soups on! Just waiting to thank the Lord for the food. Sister Gakanje, President Msane, Elder Ntlebi, Elder Chikari, Elder Wilson, Elder Pratt, Sister Auma (with her face covered by an unknown hand)

Sister Auma, Elder Sibanda, Elder Mayekiso, Elder Mwashi, Elder Akpu, Elder Foulk, Elder Tshilumba

Sister Gakanje front and center. In back: Elder Mwashi, Elder Akpu, Elder Foulk, Sister Kachokamo, Sister Kitombo, Elder Tshangu, Elder Lotulelei

Dish up! Ladies before gentlemen

Elder Tshilumba and Elder Foulk

Elder Tshangu, Elder Foulk, Elder Lotulelei

Elder Akpu, Elder Barnard, Elder Merz

After supper, we entertained everyone with LeRon's famous "Father Abraham."

Elder Mwashi was a good sport and joined in.

It got to be quite rigorous!

Can't believe we can do it in our old age!

Getting close to the finale! Arms, legs, head, hips! What a contorturous thing! Is contorturous a word?

Elder Torrie said he would NEVER do it again!! He used to do Father Abraham quite regularly when he was a young bishop in his 30's. But at almost 65???

Elder Foulk, Elder Wilson (yeah for Canada!), Elder Merz, Elder Pratt. Elder Barnard in very back.

Elder & Sister Sutherland

Now it's time for singing. Elder Tshangu, Elder Foulk, Elder Wilson, Elder Pratt

Elder Pratt, Elder Tshilumba, Elder Barnard, Elder Mwashi, Elder Ntlebi

Elder Mwashi, Elder Ntlebi, Elder Chikari, Elder Ellis. Who's in the back?

Has been great to get to know Sister Bamutesiza and Sister Auma.

Sister Bamutesiza, Sister Auma, Sister Gakanje

Elder Barnard is a great help in the kitchen.

November 2017 new arrivals: Back row L-R: Elder Foulk, Elder Ntlebi, Elder Tshangu, Elder Chikari, Elder Pratt, Elder Tshilumba, Sister Gakanje. Front L-R: Sister Kachokamo, Sister Kitombo, President and Sister Msane.

New arrivals with their trainers. Back L-R: Elder Somniso, Elder Ntlebi, Elder Tshangu Nakilu, Elder Merz, Elder Wilson, Elder Chikari, Elder Pratt, Elder Mayekiso, Elder Sibanda, Elder Foulk, Elder Barnard. Front L-R: Sister Bamutesiza, Sister Kachokamo, Sister Mbatha, Sister Kitombo, President and Sister Msane, Elder Thsilumba, Sister Auma, Sister Gakanje

Another view of the November 2017 Arrivals and Trainers

And now for a crazy picture.

Elder Mayekiso and Elder Torrie

Elder & Sister Torrie with Elder Merz

Elder & Sister Torrie with Elder Mayekiso

Here I am with Elder Pratt, Elder Merz, Elder Mayekiso, Elder Tshangu Nakilu, Elder Chikari and Elder Foulk

Love this picture! And love these Elders. Sad that we won't get to know the new ones but we love them just the same.

Who's on the left? Is it Elder Ngele? Elder Covarrubias is on the right.

Elder Odhiambo and Elder Ncube

Elder Musonda, Elder Mahanzu, Elder Limu

Elder Noel and Elder McGrath

Elder Estheimer

Elder Le Cheminant

Elder McGrath and Elder Noel with President and Sister Msane

Elder Mahanzu, Elder Limu, Elder Ellis, Elder Egbert

Elder Kiio and Elder Limu

Elder Le Cheminant and Elder Harrott

Elder Carlson and Elder Cotts

Elder Noel

Elder Estheimer popping down the toast

Elder Carlson and Elder Covarrubias

Elder Cotts and Elder Harrott

Elder Kiio plays the piano well!! Good job. Keep on! You'll be an asset to your branch after your mission.

Sister Kiio and Sister Okila

Elder Mahanzu

Lovely sisters: Sister Acii, Sister Okila, Sister Kiio, Sister Ngwaru

Elder Ncube and Elder Le Cheminant

Intense discussion: Elder Limu, Elder Ncube, Elder Le Cheminant, Elder Musonda

Sister Msane and Sister Sutherland -- always in the kitchen, but happily so!

Ready for FOOD!! In back: Elder Limu, President Msane, Elder McGrath, Elder Estheimer, Elder Egbert, Elder Cotts. In front: Sister Ngwaru, Sister Okila, Sister Acii

Ladies before gentlemen. Elder Noel, President Msane, and Elder Limu waiting for the sisters to dish. Sister Ngwaru, Elder McGrath on right.

Kentucky Fried Chicken with Sister Msane's delicious salads.

Elder Carlson, Elder Kiio, Elder Harrott

Elder Carlson, Elder Harrott, Elder Odhiambo

Elder & Sister Torrie with Sister Acii and Sister Okila

Now Sister Kiio has joined us

Elder Egbert (standing) is paying us a tribute. We were very touched by the sweet things he and Elder Estheimer said. It was a sad/happy evening. Happy that we've gotten to know so many wonderful missionaries and sad to think our time here was ending. L-R: Elder Mwashi, Elder Le Cheminant, Elder Ellis, Elder Estheimer, Elder Egbert, Elder Odhiambo, Sister Ngwaru, Sister Kiio, Elder Ngele

Elder Musonda, Elder Limu, Elder Mahanzu, Elder Mwashi, Elder Le Cheminant, Elder Ellis

The missionaries sang "Love is Spoken Here" as a tribute to us. It was beautiful and touching. Elder Mwashi, Elder Le Cheminant, Elder Ellis, Elder Estheimer, Elder Odhiambo, Sister Ngwaru, Sister Kiio. So grateful to Elder Estheimer and Elder Egbert for planning the evening tribute. After the singing, President Msane asked missionaries to share favorite scriptures and each who shared related it to what they had learned from Elder Torrie and me. We were in tears.