Give Thanks...A Reunion Almost Forty Years In The Making

 Almost forty years...

I think it's been almost forty years since the five of us were together in the same place at the same time. We were only missing one and it would have been wonderful if she had been able to attend.

I got the text the night before...Jazz tickets if I could make it. The answer was a resounding, "yes." I didn't know then that all five of us would be going. The five being the five missionaries that were in the same Missionary Training Center district, all of us going to serve in the Denmark Copenhagen Mission. We first met January, 1985.

There were five elder missionaries and one sister missionary. There was a companionship of two elders, and a companionship of three. I was in the three. For ten weeks we all lived together (the sister missionary lived with the sister missionaries...), we ate together, studied together, tried to learn/understand a language we never heard before, learned about a place we'd spend the next two years talking to people, biking/walking in rain/snow/sun, and getting to absolutely love the people of Denmark.

When I was told we'd all be there (except one...),  tried remembering the last time we were all together. I think it was in April, 1985 when after arriving in the country, we were all given different assignments in different areas of the country. Since then, I've spent time them all, but at different times. 

There were five of us there, five lifetimes, five stories that involve marriages, children, grandchildren (for most of us...), successes, failures, joys, pains. We've all buried parents and welcomed new friends and experiences. 

The "Before" picture shows us all, thinner (except for our hair...), wide-eyed, full of potential. We were sons and a daughter sent by families to live a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm so thankful I was included in this small group, so thankful I made the decision to go. It's changed my life over and over again. I'm also thankful I count these remarkable humans as dear friends, even decades later.

Will we have another mini-reunion soon? I hope so. Maybe even have our last remaining member fly in for the occasion. It would make an almost perfect night even better.

And if you're wondering, the Utah Jazz won in overtime...just icing on the cake. 

As always, thanks, Jeff for the tickets.