Saying goodbye

July 19, 2020

Church today was a time for Ethan to say goodbye to some people in the ward. It started out as a usual Covid-style sacrament meeting. Ethan had to bless because we only have half the priesthood there and everyone sang quietly because masks muffled their voices. 

After the sacrament was over, the counselor in the bishopric who was presiding (Brother Hintze) stood and said that the planned speakers that day...the missionaries serving in our area...hadn’t shown up. But lucky for our ward, we had 2 missionaries doing home MTC who would be leaving that week. So he called on them to speak to us. 

Ethan started by saying that since doing home MTC he has found that he isn’t as nervous to get up and speak in front of people. Teaching investigators online has gotten him more comfortable. He then shared a bit about his experience and shared that he had challenged himself to read the entire Book of Mormon during his MTC experience. He finished in 10 days and had a strong testimony that reading each day is important to our testimonies. He challenged everyone to read, even if it is a little bit, each day. 

After church, we got the three of the missionaries who would leave that week, together for pictures. It was bittersweet to watch them say goodbye.

Here are the three missionaries and one future missionary (Jared is putting his papers in soon). They have all grown up together. Ethan and Daisy are going to the same mission, so that’s fun. Duncan has been reassigned to Kansas until he can get to Botswana. 

The missionaries: Elder Richey, Sister Hurt, and Elder Pack.


Their final hug goodbye with Jared, Duncan and Ethan. It was cute to see.


Brother Hintze has been amazing for these boys. He was one who pushed them to finish their Eagle, going so far as having PPIs with them each Sunday to monitor their progress (ie, make sure they were doing something each week and not slacking off). He’s a great example to them.


After Church, Monte (whose last name group goes on to church on the opposite Sunday as us) came over to say goodbye. This was Ethan’s hardest goodbye, I think. Ethan practically lived at the Evans’s house. I think we probably owe them a bunch in grocery money for feeding him so often. 🤣 Ethan loves hanging out with Monte. 

Before Monte left, I had to take a picture and, in true teenage boy fashion, I got a sarcastic photo. But it’s them. 😁