Who's There?!

 Well the missionaries of course!  Our thoughts are often of the missionaries of our church who are spending two years of their lives serving others and sharing their testimonies, teaching and convictions of their Savior, Jesus Christ.  

Our thoughts have turned often to our own two sons doing this same thing especially at this time of year as we celebrate more than one holiday and we miss even more the opportunity of being together as a family.

Elder Riley Smith has been gone for over a year now.  He is serving in Albania.  He hit his one year on October 21, 2010.   He has had many new experiences - new language, different food, cold showers, no electricity - but many learning experiences as well.  He has learned to do audits, be in charge of buying a new car in a foreign country for his mission president, negotiate leases and work with the German Embassy for visas for members to attend the temple in Germany.

Elder Austin Smith is serving in the Seattle Washington area.  He will have been serving for 6 months on December 2, 2010.  He is the one that sent us the first picture.  His humor is still intact and his smile as well.  It has always been infectious.  He is serving in somewhat familiar territory.  John's family (his dad's) family all live in Washington State.  John's sister and niece both live within Austin's mission boundaries.  He is currently serving in part of the area where we lived 14 years ago.  Some people we knew then are still there now.  What a small world. 

We have faith that the Lord has his hand in the many workings in each of our individual lives.  He knows us and loves us.  There is purpose in the places he sends us, the places we end up and the experiences we have in this life.