Happy Holidays!

How to store a lasting memory...

"You probably know that I don’t like the word “goodbye” and rarely use it anymore; I prefer “see you soon”. I have come to understand why over the years. When I left home 12 years ago to live in Russia, I knew that I may never see some of my loved ones again. It is hard for me to explain the feelings that surface when I get on a plane and travel to the other side of the world. A place away from home. Each time I leave I have this little routine I go through. I don’t know if you noticed, but I would make a very special effort to look one last time in your eyes and take a mental picture of your faces. I blink my eyelids like a camera lens to store a lasting memory. Then I turn, walk away and don’t look back." -The Chosen Path, L.Burch

This is a small excerpt from the book I just finished about our missionary experiences. When my grandmother passed away this year and I was unable to attend the funeral, I shared these words with my family about how I store a lasting memory. What an appropriate time to share this section as we leave from this side of the ocean on Saturday! It is hard to say "goodbye" on either side of the "big pond".
In His Love,
Les