Yes, it's true. We are returning to serve another mission to our beloved Estonia. I know you're wondering the particulars, so here goes.
We left Estonia in November of 2017. The couple that replaced us are from Salt Lake City, Utah. We spent a few days helping them become acquainted with how things work and then we left for our home in Arizona. Our initial plan was to take time off for 18 months to rest and visit loved ones, etc., and then serve another mission. Things were going along merrily with this plan. In September, we were visiting family in Utah (Labor Day) when we learned that the brother who replaced me in Tallinn, had passed away. By necessity, his wife returned home. Since they had applied for a 23 month mission, the missionary department had not yet identified the next couple that would eventually replace them and probably wouldn't have needed to for another year. This situation now left Estonia with no senior couple in the country. That evening I messaged our mission president with this question: "Do you need us to come back?" His reply was: "That would be great. When can you get here?"
It was at this point that MaryAnn and I looked at each other and in an eye blink, we knew what we should do. As soon as we returned home, we started the on-line application. Three weeks after sending it off, we received the call (via e-mail) to report directly to the mission on January 14th. Since then, our mission president has directed us to go directly to Tallinn to occupy the same apartment and labor in the same assignment as we had before.
As we look back on the few months that preceded all of this, we have witnessed the hand of the Lord preparing and placing things in motion. We have seen certain events happen (or not happen, in some cases) that were seemingly inexplicable, but now make sense in light of this new development. We are happy and excited to return to a land and people that we love dearly.
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| Lembitu Park (summer): Across from our apartment |
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