Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Dinner Appointment

We do enjoy having the Elders over for dinner once a month (or more often if we like the guys serving) and have really loved getting to know Elder Pyle a little better while he's been serving in our ward for the past few months. Elder Pyle and Evanson stopped by last night to tell us Elder Pyle was packing his bags for a transfer, so I told Elder Evanson to make sure and bring the new elder over to meet their favorite family. [That's right, Bermuda ward readers, we petition to be the favorites . . . Neener, neener!] I'm excited for the new area Elder Pyle will be serving and hope he doesn't forget us when he comes back to visit the Thanksgiving after he's released (I think that's the plan, right?!) One of the coolest things was getting a chance to meet Elder Pyle's mom and sisters a few weeks ago when they were here for a dance competition. Bless all their hearts, they never saw or spoke to each other, but I have to think it was still fun visiting places they had been just hours before. And, yes, Elder Pyle was sure to stop by our house and Bishop Olds' after his family had been there to get a report. Anyhow, Elder Pyle's mom thanked us for looking out for him and said she believed it would come back to our boys one day when they serve somewhere in the world. I hope so. Seriously, Brock will need some real love! I think because my brother is serving in West Virginia that it means more to have these young men into our home to interact with my kids so they'll remember a little bit more about their Uncle Mike. Heavens knows we're not the best missionaries in the world, so very rarely to we have people for the missionaries to teach in our home, but I have learned that the Elders also appreciate cold water and popsicles about as much these days. It's nice, too, to have a good rapport with them for beyond their missions. There were some missionaries serving several years ago and last week we got an email from Elder Rammel (who's now married and nearly done with school) checking in. Others have stopped by to crash on the couch and I get such a kick out of my associations with them. It's funny, I don't feel THAT much older then them, but I am beginning to feel the transition from their equal (like when we were first married) to more of a caretaker (which, I guess, is what happens since I'm now more than a decade older than they are!)
Anyhoo, farewell to Elder Pyle and good luck in wherever, NV (Hope you got the ghetto!)
Yes, you have to shuck your own corn at the Barlow dinner appointments:

And yes, my children climb on the missionaries like they would their uncles or a jungle gym:

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6 comments:

Beth said...

I LOVE the post. I hope there's a family like yours to love Michael like that. Thanks a lot for making me cry and miss your brother!

annilee said...

You are so nice! What cute pics! Everything you do will come back to you ten fold. I do believe that!

Jeannie said...

We need to start having the missionaries over again. We stopped a few years back because there was one missionary (I don't remember his name-he had glasses) that scared the you-know-what out of Kyla. She was afraid of anyone in a white shirt and dark pants until recently. Plus I just figure the missionaries would rather not sit through all the complaining and other maiscellaneous less than ideal behavior. Maybe having company would put the kids on their good behavior.

AJ said...

Wow I am beautiful aren't I? hahahaha I'm in North now. ITs a pretty crazy place but I love it. Im coming back on saturday for a baptism though. Of course everyone should go but I'm not real sure there'll be lots of people there

Anonymous said...

Dear Sarah,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking care of Elder Pyle! I appreciate so much that he had a place to go that he felt like was home. I loved getting to know your family, what fun! Now I'm all sad again because I don't know what's going on. Bummer. I love the pictures too. It's great to see how he is doing. I know that when it comes time, someone will do for your missionaries, what you did for mine!

Love,
Susan Pyle
mother to Elder Pyle

Troy and Nancee Tegeder said...

Missionaries always love a good dinner. Wish you were in Ukraine during my mission.