25 September-1 October 2010

This was the last lunch for Elder Owens and Elder Wells. Elder Owens has been the Mission Secretary and Elder wells has been an Assistant to the President since we arrived. Both have been transferred to Zone Leader assignments. Notice the chocolate cake with chocolate sprinkles - Elder Owens' request.

These are our newest missionaries arriving on Tuesday morning. Elders Nielsen, Bjork and Benson and Sisters Ence and Perry. They are a great group of enthusiastic people. Both the sisters have already graduated from college.

We had three missionaries depart this week. Sister Hamblin and Elder and Sister Salden. The Saldens are a unique couple as he's from the Netherlands so really understands the Dutch way of doing things. They've been so valuable helping with all the apartments, bikes, etc that is needed. The missionaries love them so much.

We were invited to drive south of Brussels to pick apples. As we were driving, we passed this entrance to a small, old chateau. The entrance was open and they were mowing the grass, so they invited us to walk inside and look at the chateau.

Across the road from the entrance to the chateau is this old hand forged wrought iron fence. The original road to the chateau is behind Sister Brubaker and Paula, and it appeared that this fence was the boundary to the chateau.

This is the original tree lined lane into the chateau.

The chateau with what could be the remnants of a moat in the foreground. Next weekend this will be the site of a Scottish medieval festival.

The countryside is charming and so different from Belgium to the north of Brussels. The country is divided culturally, but it also seems to be divided topographically too. The landscape is just so different.

We finally reached the orchard. Impossible to do without a GPS. Paula needed to sample the apples before she could decide which variety she preferred. She settled on Suntan, a variety unfamiliar to us, but very tart and tasty. My preference was Jonagold.

Sister Brubaker and Paula in the orchard.

I'm used to orchards with trees tall enough to require ladders. All the trees here were short enough that we could pick from the ground.

They provided these little carts to pull through the orchard as you pick your apples. They had little carts like we used or carts big enough to hold 4-5 boxes of apples. It was a beautiful, sunny day (unusual), the drive was gorgeous through the countryside, and it was a great escape after a very busy week.
With transfer weeks like this, we are up early to the airport, helping with lunch for the new missionaries, getting missionaries to the train station to travel to their new areas, helping with dinner the night before the departing missionaries leave, taking part in the testimony meeting at the end, back to the airport early the next day, etc. It's always bitter sweet to have to say good-bye, but also so nice to have the opportunity to get to know the new missionaries just coming in. We are always in awe of each new group that comes in - they are so prepared and ready to serve.