Making Mission Memories in Mongolia

When we first came to Palau, we knew we definitely wanted to snorkel in the famous Rock Islands at the Big Drop Off, along with several other sightseeing spots. Somehow we got busy and never got around to scheduling a tour, and before we knew it, we were leaving Palau. We were disappointed and thought maybe we had missed that opportunity. So when we found out we would be coming back to Palau—and that our friends, the Greenhalghs, would be here too—we jumped at the chance to check a few Palau bucket-list items off in between our missionary work. We did the Rock Islands snorkeling tour first, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. It was every bit as amazing as we had heard!  Even the boat ride through the Rock Islands was stunning. The Rock Islands are a collection of hundreds of small, mushroom-shaped limestone islands scattered across Palau’s lagoon. Over thousands of years, the sea has eroded their bases, leaving steep rock walls topped with thick green vegetation. From the wat...

Well, another week in the office and — you guessed it — not a lot of blog material! However, those who know me well know that if I decide to write a weekly blog, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do… whether there’s exciting material or not! We do have one bit of exciting news: we’re back in Palau for the week to wrap up a few projects we’ve been working on here. It feels good to return and see some things through to completion. Another senior couple, the Greenhalghs — Family History missionaries serving in Pohnpei — arrived this week and are staying with us. We’re looking forward to spending time together, and I’m sure we’ll have some fun and more eventful things to report next week! Yesterday was our Island Conference, and President and Sister Williams were on island. We had a wonderful conference, followed by lunch with all the missionaries, which is always a highlight. That evening we went to The Taj, a delicious Indian restaurant, with the Williams and the Greenhalghs. The ...

I have to say, working in the office is rewarding and we truly feel like we’re helping—but it doesn’t always provide much blog material! As I mentioned last week, a big portion of J.D.’s responsibilities involves collecting and reconciling receipts. With the huge number of gas receipts from 7 different islands being turned in, he has been working hard to streamline the process and track down the missing ones. We joked that everyone would remember him as the “Gas Receipt Enforcer.” Apparently, Sister Moessing (the mother of Sister Williams, our mission leader), who is in her 80s and faithfully works in the office with us, had been listening in on all the receipt conversations. One day we stepped out to run an errand and left her alone in the office. When we returned, this sign was hanging on the door—and a couple of sister missionaries standing there, trying to decide if they were allowed to enter! It gave us all a good laugh. She keeps us smiling. This week was transfers, which meant...