Eric's home!

Glen and I picked Eric up in Salt Lake on Wednesday (thanks Teresa for letting us stay with you!). The family of the Elder next to Eric in the photo below bought FCHHM (Family and Church History Headquarters Mission) t-shirts for every young elder in the mission (we think there are about 80-something Elders), which was really nice of them.

After we met up with Eric at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (where the Elders and Senior Missionaries going home this month had lunch with the mission president), we went to his apartment to pack up his things. Can I just say that it was a miracle Glen got everything packed in the car and we didn't have to leave anything behind? Eric had a lot of stuff. Luckily his 3rd floor apartment had a balcony that faced the street we were parked on, so many things were just thrown over the balcony railing and didn't have to be hauled down the stairs. Then they could be stuffed into the nooks and crannies in the trunk and car.

Glen and Eric were kind of crunched in the car for the 7 hour car ride home, but we made it back to Fallon safely. We first stopped off at the church so that our Stake President could release Eric from his calling as a missionary. We then went home where Hannah and Alex were there to great Eric. Alan, Grandma P, and Grandpa P came over with some "Welcome Home" signs that everyone had made for Eric.

besides the signs for our house, Gma and Gpa put one on their fence

The next day was Eric's 23rd birthday. We invited the family over for cake and ice cream, giving them a chance to see Eric after 2 years (OK, 1 1/2 years since we saw him at Andrew's wedding in April 2013). Eric talked a little bit about his mission. It was a really nice evening.

Today Eric, Glen, and I spoke in church with Hannah singing a beautiful arrangement of "I Stand All Amazed." Eric will be giving the youth fireside next Sunday at Kathy's house where he'll talk more about his mission. Today his talk was mostly about The Proclamation on the Family with The Plan of Salvation, families, and family history work being the focus.

So, now he gets to change gears and figure out how to structure his life after the last 2 years of it being all laid out for him. Good luck with that Eric. And it's great to have you home!