Going Home ...

We left our beautiful island on April 18, 2013 and headed for Guam, leaving our missionary sons and our many Chuukese friends.  We took several pictures, many hugs and boarded the plane with tears in our eyes.

 On our arrival in Guam we checked into the Marriott, did a little shopping and went to our mission presidents home for our final interview.

I guess we passed because we then went out to dinner together with the rest of the senior couples who serve in Guam.

We arrived Cedar City, Utah on April 19, 2012 greeted by our youngest son Brady and his wife Kimberly.

It was a long flight and we had been awake for 30 plus hours and still had many more to go.  We gathered up the luggage and headed to the restaurant for some real food.  We settled for Chili's.

These two were so good to us. They prepared a cooler full of things we couldn't get in Chuuk for the past 18 months.  It was loaded up. It had a veggie tray with all the fix'ins, 3 different cheeses to choose from, lunch meat, Milk, yogurt, Sister Tiffany's favorite candies, bread, crackers and of course ice.  They also brought us extra socks to keep Sister Tiffany's feet warm and an extra blanket and heating pad.  It was a little chilly arriving in Utah, but we will adjust. Utah is very beautiful in the spring.  

Things we are not going to miss about Chuuk - - - the heat, it never cools down and it is the same temperature all the time, morning and night.  Driving 2-5 miles per hour on bad muddy roads, the mold that grows because of all the moisture and the stores keeping our pennies.

Pennies are not important in Chuuk and the Chuukese people think it's funny that us

foreigners want our pennies. It was our suggestion that they donate all the pennies they steal from the customers and give it to the kids for a recreation center for the island.

Pennies like this you don't see anywhere in Chuuk. We payed higher prices for rent, food and gas. We needed to be penny wise for our own good. But the things we miss about Chuuk surpasses all that we won't. We will miss our Chuukese family and friends from Mwan, Mechitiw, Wichap, Sapuk and the outer islands of Romanum, Uman and Tonoas.

 The Chuukese people are some of the greatest people on the earth whom we have come to love dearly.  A more friendly and loving people never existed.

We will also miss our Trukstop and CWC family and friends. They helped us feel at home and part of the family.  They are amazing, wonderful people.

. Our hearts are also with the Akoyikoyi School in Penia.  

The swaying breezes at sunset and the beautiful azure sky and also the lap of the ripples of the lagoon. Oh and we will miss fresh coconuts and the hospitality of receiving them.  Nothing better than a fresh picked coconut while trampling through the jungles of Chuuk State.

We will also miss the sweet banana's, pineapples and many other fruits and the SuPeR (Elders favorite word) Cucumbers - they are always really fresh and sweet. One thing for sure Sister Tiffany will miss is Bernie's Cinnamon Rolls, she loves them especially when freshly baked.  They are not on the shelves for very long they are so tasty.
We must stop there cause we could be here all day now extolling the virtues of our home away from home.

We want to say to everyone that reads this blog. Chuuk is a beautiful place and the people are absolutely wonderful. We will be forever grateful for the love and special times we had while living in Chuuk State. The Wreck diving is amazing. The water is always nice and warm and beautiful. Sunsets are some of the most incredible scenes in the world.  The Chuukese people are great Christian people full of the Lords spirit. We love the Chuukese people with all our hearts and we vow to be back someday!