Nieces and Nephews Mission Comings and Goings!

Welp, we’ve had a LOT of missionaries going and coming on both sides of our families. And I want to share because it’s pretty sweet.

I already mentioned that one of my nephews got home from his mission smack-dab in the middle of our Eyre family reunion this summer. Which was so fun. We already had two freshly returned missionaries there at the lake, so McKay’s arrival made three and I loved the devotionals they gave each night before dinner. And they all three spoke at church up at the lake which was such a huge bonus (all the details about that are in that post).

After the reunion we got to go to McKay’s actual mission homecoming talk in his home church congregation. I loved being there amidst so much family we adore.

McKay gave a great talk and loved seeing these three reunited again at my brother’s house.

Still two more nephews out serving in Toronto and Mexico City. They all overlapped with Claire which was pretty fun.

On Dave’s side of the family, our darling niece returned from her mission not too long ago. I was SO happy to get this picture from my brother-in-law when these three cousins just so happened to be at the same In and Out in Utah at the same time. Claire and her cousin were there as bridesmaids for one of their best friends, and Hallie was there for a different wedding. What are the chances they would be at the same restaurant at the very same time??

Hallie is the one in the middle sandwiched between those bridesmaids. Claire hadn’t seen her since before she left on her mission to Australia (they overlapped in timing), so it was a pretty grand reunion.

With all those comings-home there are also some nieces leaving. I thought it was amazing that we got these three mission call photos on the very same day — two of my brother’s girls together in one and my brother-in-law’s daughter on Dave’s side in another:

Yep two of my brother’s girls on my side and my brother-in-law’s daughter on Dave’s side got their mission calls on the exact same day.

It was very exciting business. These two did a special Eyre zoom call to let us all know where they were going:

And Lyla did an Instagram live for her big announcement. (She is going to be Spanish speaking in Iowa, our friends’ very mission and one we’ve visited for Lucy’s doctor visits many times!)

It’s all pretty exciting with all these adventures awaiting.

I still, over thirty years later, think of my mission pretty much every day. SO grateful for all I learned from that experience, and from my beloved people in Romania.

We got to go to the temple with my niece who is from here in the desert, and it was a pretty special night with these other nieces and nephews who had so many great insights as we sat there in the celestial room after the session.

The actual missionary was with her family, but I loved that we caught part of the crew there that night…and that we got to go to a late, late dinner after with Dave’s sister who was in town.

I am so grateful for these comings and goings. These kids who are not afraid to leave home for such a long part of their lives and dedicate eighteen months to two years to getting to know Jesus. And getting to know their “neighbors.” I love that they have opportunities to go out and live with people who may or may not come from completely different vantage points, religions, upbringings. They go through some really, really hard times that are generally balanced out by some really, really joyous times. And they come home with a whole new perspective on life.

And hopefully a whole new conversion to God.