Last Week with Sister Boone

Sunday, February 9, 2014—Today Sister Boone and I attended meetings at White Plains 1st Ward.  They seemed excited to have us back in the ward.  When they asked us if we are moving back to their ward, we didn't have a clear answer as we are not yet certain where Sister Divine and I will end up.  Sister Boone told me she has a hard time with goodbyes.  She didn't exactly tell me not to tell anyone, but I let her be the one to speak up---and she didn't.  It will fall on me to let the sisters know that she is gone when I attend church next week.  It is kind of a quiet ending of the wonderful six months that I was privileged to work with her.

The pending snowstorm

Monday, February 10, 2014—Sister Boone and I watched the weather reports often as we anticipated another bunch of moisture in the form of rain/ice/snow moving across the country towards us.  We woke up to no internet connection, not because of the storm but because Sister Boone requested to terminate her service as of today.  I was going to have service started in my name, but I canceled a couple days ago when I thought I might not even be in Waldorf now.  Sister Boone has already packed a lot of her belongings in the trunk of her car over the past several weeks, and today she finished packing and rearranging things so that she can hopefully fit everything in her car.  I think she had to go ship a few more things home.  About all that is left to pack is her bedding and other items that she needed until just before she leaves.  I am beginning to miss her already.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014—I feel kind of lost today knowing that in a couple of hours Sister Boone will be on her way home and I will be here alone.  At least I don't have to think of the prospect of being alone until my companion comes in March.  Sister Divine and I had agreed to meet at the temple on Wednesday morning and attend a session and then talk about what our feelings and impressions were regarding President's counsel that we talk things over and decide which would be the best place for us to work for now-in Suitland Stake or in Silver Spring where Sister Divine has been working.  Monday, in a conversation with Elder Neibaur, I was told that he plans to close down one of the couples apartments and move another couple into Sister Divine's apartment, so she has to move out.  We were both a bit discouraged that our opinions didn't seem to matter in the end.  As a result, neither of us slept very much Monday night.  I was looking forward to the possibility of working closer to the Mission headquarters and closer to the temple if even for a short while.  Sister Divine was looking forward to working with the sisters that she had been newly assigned to in Seneca Stake.  As soon as I made sure that Sister Boone got off safely, I drove up to Silver Spring and visited with Sister Divine in her apartment.  After a couple of emotional days, we both came to accept that it was probably for the best to be down here in Waldorf.  It meant that she would end her mission two weeks earlier than her original release date of April 2nd, and she would leave on the 14th of March instead to make room for my new companion.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014—I drove up to Silver Spring today and went to the temple with Sister Divine.  After the session I came back to Waldorf and she began working on packing up her things.  She had a few commitments that she wanted to complete on Friday and Saturday, so we agreed that she would drive down on Monday, the 17th.  I told her to be sure and let me know if she wants me to drive up and help her move.  In the meantime, I spent a very quiet rest of the week in my apartment.

Thursday, February 13, 2014—And then the snow came.  I was worried that Sister Boone ran head on into the storm moving across the southern states and into the northeast, but I found out that they drove straight through and arrived in Mississippi with a problem.  Meanwhile we were hit with the biggest snow storm for us this whole winter.  From about midnight Wednesday until Friday morning we got about 10-12 inches of snow.  I know I have seen much more snow than this before, but it has been quite an unusual amount of snow for Maryland this winter.  The snow and overcast skies made the days a bit gloomier for me.  I finally got internet connected on Friday, so that made things a little better.

  

You can see my 3rd story balcony from this vantage point near some of the plowed snow.  Makes it look like more than there actually was, but it was still quite a bit of snow for here.  It didn't melt in just a day or two as with previous storms.

Sunday, February 16, 2014—I was tired of sitting here alone so I drove over to Heidi's after church and had dinner with them.  And thus I survived the first week without my dear companion, Sister Boone.