Saying good bye

To our beloved Missionaries
We have experienced throughout our lives the tender miracles of an all-loving Father who strategically places people and opportunities in our path with Heaven's precise timing. Such is certainly the case as we reflect upon our glorious years in the Canada Toronto West Mission that brought each of you into our lives. As the sun begins to set upon this remarkable experience our hearts are drawn to you and your sweet influence for good that has become part of our eternity. For some of you, our association was perhaps very brief, lasting only weeks; while many of you have blessed our lives for months leading to years. Notwithstanding the length or brevity of our time together, our love and admiration for each of you is without clock or calendar. As Sister Middleton has said to so many of you upon your return home, "You have left your handprint upon our hearts." The legacy of our "mission" privilege together began long before any of us were born and will extend beyond our mortal existence. Giants preceded us. We stand on their shoulders and have become part of them. Giants will succeed us and it is our responsibility to continue to make our
shoulders available to them. President Monson has said, "The success of a mission (or missionary) is best known twenty or thirty years later by the devoted discipleship he (or she) continues to demonstrate individually and is manifest through ones faithful posterity," When Alma reunited with the sons of Mosiah, "...he did rejoice exceeding ...and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the know/edge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligent/y, that they might know the word of God." (Alma 17:2)Thank you for your goodness; your diligence; your friendship; and your love. Thank you for the testimony that burns brightly in your souls and illuminates the souls of others. We pray now for the gift of "memory" that not only the experiences that have inextricably intertwined our lives will not fade but,more importantly, the feelings that have changed our hearts will grow more brightly with each passing year. May the Lord fill your lives with joy and may you always be His.
With Love and admiration,
President and Sister Middleton

What great people and leader. I will always be grateful I was able to work with these people.