Mission Reunion a Joyful Experience

Our mission President Claude Gamiette, his wife Delphine and five children – Jenifer, Corilee, Terry, Tom and Amy – traveled from their home in Guadaloupe, West Indies to Salt Lake City for two reasons.  The first was to be part of the well-attended West Indies Mission Reunion held Friday, April 5 on the Provo camus of BYU campus. 

The second – and far more important reason – was for a sustaining vote by the full membership of the Church to his new calling as an Area Seventy during the 183rd General Conference!  It was delightful to see this beautiful family again and to be part of this momentous occasion in their lives.

President Gamiette sought me out in the crushing crowd of returned missionaries there to greet him.  With a big hug he expressed his gratitude for the blog book Kaytee prepared as a souvenir of his 3 years as the WIM President. 

It was also wonderful to be again in the circle of friends from our mission:  Meg and Michael Treseder, Larry and Karen Harris, BJ and Marty Summers, Lynn and Sharon Angus, Jim and Mary Andrus, Gary and Chris Ricks, Ralph Childs (Paulette was unable to attend because of recent back surgery),  Jim and Jan Wheeler, Elizabeth Ludwig,  Clive and  Arlene  Henderson, Bob and  Raylene Bush, Ron and Rosie Boman, the McIntosh’s, and, of course, many of the great young men who served with us in Trinidad and Guyana.  Also attending were Brother and Sister Bennie from Berbice, Guyana and Sister Kotiah from Trinidad!

Another “connection” on this lovely conference weekend involved breakfast with #2 son Michael, granddaughter Lilly (who celebrates her 6^th birthday on April 9)!  It wasn’t a particularly warm and friendly time with him, but – as always – we were happy to see our beloved son in whom we are well pleased and to know he is still moving forward in life despite the difficulties of this past year!