25 Jun 2016
Hiltbrand, Grant Alan
Dear Elders and Sisters,
It's Saturday afternoon, the 25th of June and I am sitting in my office in Lusaka. My mind is awash with a host of different emotions. I sit at my desk, which to me has become a sacred place, and think over the words I might choose to use in saying goodbye to my beloved missionaries. No words seem to adequately express the depth of emotion a mission president might be feeling at this time. Certainly joy, peace, satisfaction, pride (the good kind) in our missionaries and love. However, I also feel a sense of loss at the parting dear friends. Sister Erickson and I have grown close to you and the members, and have much love for you all. We will hope to see many of you in years to come. However, we live at a time when we can stay in contact regardless of where we live through social media and email, so we have hopes to stay in contact throughout our lives. We will be eager to see what the Lord and you have made with your lives and how you are growing.
Regardless of the degree of contact after our missions, I'm content in knowing we are all eternal Brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God, our Heavenly Father. And so, it is in His care and love that I trust you will all be blessed. This brings enormous peace.
As you know, President and Sister Kupu will arrive in the mission Tuesday evening. As soon as he arrives he assumes the presiding role as President and I am released. As of his arrival my phone number will be his phone number. We depart the following day.
Then it is with the warmest of affection and love that I leave you my blessing. Please know of our abiding faithfulness to you.
President and Sister Erickson
It's Saturday afternoon, the 25th of June and I am sitting in my office in Lusaka. My mind is awash with a host of different emotions. I sit at my desk, which to me has become a sacred place, and think over the words I might choose to use in saying goodbye to my beloved missionaries. No words seem to adequately express the depth of emotion a mission president might be feeling at this time. Certainly joy, peace, satisfaction, pride (the good kind) in our missionaries and love. However, I also feel a sense of loss at the parting dear friends. Sister Erickson and I have grown close to you and the members, and have much love for you all. We will hope to see many of you in years to come. However, we live at a time when we can stay in contact regardless of where we live through social media and email, so we have hopes to stay in contact throughout our lives. We will be eager to see what the Lord and you have made with your lives and how you are growing.
Regardless of the degree of contact after our missions, I'm content in knowing we are all eternal Brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God, our Heavenly Father. And so, it is in His care and love that I trust you will all be blessed. This brings enormous peace.
As you know, President and Sister Kupu will arrive in the mission Tuesday evening. As soon as he arrives he assumes the presiding role as President and I am released. As of his arrival my phone number will be his phone number. We depart the following day.
Then it is with the warmest of affection and love that I leave you my blessing. Please know of our abiding faithfulness to you.
President and Sister Erickson