Tis the season for...talking to the missionary (the last one for the last time!!!)

It's really quite remarkable. LDS missionaries go to serve all over the world, and twice a year they are permitted to call home. Once for Christmas, once for Mother's day. (Rick always thought it was a rip off that they weren't allowed to call home for Father's day, but that is a post for another day.) Anyway, this is our last Christmas call from our last missionary to serve. It's kind of a bitter sweet moment. It's sobering to think of them all alone out in the world somewhere during Christmas time, but at the same time it's wonderful knowing that they are among friends and that they are doing some good. We got to talk to E. Andy for about an hour on Christmas day. He called at 7:00 pm our time which was 10:00 am on the 26th of December for him. It was wonderful to hear his voice and to hear of his love for the Mongolian people and his mission. We talked about our upcoming trip to pick him up in March and made some plans for that trip. He was able to talk to this grandparents Pat and Vern, along with all members of our family, including the two little nieces who could talk.
We're so proud of our missionary son and of the work and great service he has given in Mongolia. We have been greatly blessed as a family to have him serve and we count it a great blessing that we could feel of his love for us, his testimony, his growth and his love of the Savior.
Andy and his companion were able to play Santa with the help of the ward Elder's quorum president. They got some needed items and a few toys to take around to about six different families. He wrote:

This week we also we able to do Christmas gifts for that family
with the kids and the goats. We wanted to do it before my
companion got off his mission so we did it this Saturday.
With the funds we had we were able to do Christmas for 6 families
out in Darkhan. It was awesome and they all really loved it. We
got a horse cart with a driver and we had the Elders quorum
president dress up as Santa. We put the present on a sleigh
and we went to the kids houses and gave them their presents.
They we all so excited and thankful.  It was awesome.

And this:

I am grateful for the Lord and that He allows and encourages
us to sacrifice so that we can get things of more importance.
I am grateful that He knows me better than I know myself and
that He has helped and allowed me to sacrifice my pride as
I have served him here on my mission. I know that if you
sacrifice that you really do receive the blessings 10 fold.
I gave up school and friends and work and family to come here
to Mongolia, but in turn I have been blessed with friends and
an education about life and the gospel and been able to be a
part of the most important work ever as I have served here in
Mongolia. I really am grateful for my call here and for the
people I am able to serve. I came here thinking I would serve
and teach people, but the knowledge and love I have gained
and felt from these people is far greater than anything I
could give them. I also really loved the morning devotional
we had on the morning of Christmas. One of the couple missionaries
gave a talk about Christ and His Atonement. He talked about
how his wife passed away and how at that time in his life he
thought he couldn’t go on living. He said at that time he really
began to understand about the Atonement and its power and how at
those most difficult moments we can and do receive the love
and support of Christ, telling us and assuring us that it will
all be ok, and that He cares and knows and loves us. He talked
about how fragile and difficult life is at times, but how because
of Christ and His Atonement it will all be made right. He talked
about the responsibility we have as missionaries to take that
love and that peace and that knowledge to those around us.
He said that by doing so our lives and their lives will change.
I was so grateful for his words and grateful for the spirit I
felt. When we feel down or tired there is nothing like thinking
about the Savior and His live and Atonement that can renew us
with hope and desire, with a new outlook, with peace and love.
I was really grateful for the talk given by one of our senior
couples, Elder Powell, and how he helped me realize the true
meaning of Christmas once again.