With arrivals come departures.... :( That's mission life. still Friday.

We finished a great Mission Leadership Counsel and headed back to the Mission Home a few minutes before these Great Missionaries arrived.

These Missionaries are in tonight for their last night in the mission field.  Elder Roberts, Sisters Ence and Smithee, Elders Pofelski, and Gudnason.  Elders Tiner and Zelezniak unloaded their suitcases as our "departing missionaries" came in for the events of the evening.

One last thing that Sister Ence left with us was a piece of a favorite sweater.  She finished in Wroclaw and finished strong.

As did her companion, Sister Smithee, who leaves a piece of her favorite scarf.

Elder Roberts, who served a few times in Bialystok and accomplished great work there, leaves part of the tie he arrived in 2 years ago.

Elder Gudnason, who returns to Iceland, finished his mission in Bydgozcsz. He let me have a piece of the tie he wore to every District meeting as a souvenir from the mission.

Elder Pofelski was in Katowice as a Zone Leader and leaves part of a favorite tie for us to remember him.

A great group of missionaries.  It seems like yesterday they all arrived.  They served well, and we hate to see them depart but know they will do great works in days to come.

We all were up at 4:00am (some did not sleep at all!) the next morning and headed to the airport.  As usual, we never know what to expect when we arrive at the Chopin International Airport.  Today we thought it would be quiet but found ourselves in this line.  Luckily it went fast, and it was now time to say the real "good-bye"

Sisters Smithee, Ence, Elders Pofelski, Roberts and Gudnason.  We wish them the very best.  We love them and will miss them in Poland.

When we drive to the airport President always drops everyone off and then goes and parks the car.  Since we took the Transporter today also, I drove his car and he drove the Transporter. Arriving at the airport, I ran in with missionaries and luggage and one of the Elders went and parked the transporter next to  President's car.

After saying "good-bye" to everyone we came back to our cars and found this.  Not much room to get into President's car.  Nice job of driving - Elder.  We won't say who this was, but President has this funny sense of humor and says at a reunion one day he will get even...

Now back to the Mission Office for meetings, finishing the Dobra Strona (our monthly newsletter) and then home to meet our next group of visitors.

James and Stacey (our former Sister Helfrich) have been visiting Poland for a couple of weeks and now are heading home.  It was wonderful to have them stay the night with us.  We visited and got caught up on many of the things that our missionaries are doing back home.  We loved having Stacey and James with us.

It was like yesterday that Sister "Helfrich" was here on her last night and left a part of a favorite sweater with us.  Thank you, Stacey, for being a great missionary and now a great wife (and soon to be mother).  Poland always produces the Best Missionaries.

What a couple of busy days! We dropped Stacey and James at the airport as we headed out ourselves to Bydgoszcz.  Never a dull moment.  Always things to do.  You want to lose yourself in the work?  Put your papers in and come serve a mission.  Set a date and don't keep saying in 2 or 3 years.  Set a date and do it.  You aren't getting any younger! We need missionaries...NOW!