16 October 2000

I should've written sooner, but there was no time.  A lot has been happening.  I'm home now, as you have probably guessed from the date.

The departure meeting on the 10th of October was really good.  President Dela Vega spoke about keeping the commandments after our missions, and related choosing the right spouse to it.  Then we all got interviewed and released.

We left Tacloban Wednesday morning on the 8:00 flight to Manila.  We spent the day there.  We did a session at the temple, then went across the street to the church's office building and visited President Dimaya.  it was cool to see him again.  He remembered all of us.  He asked me how my toe was.

Our flight left Manila at 6:00 in the morning.  They wouldn't let Elder Talbot on the plane because he had sore-eye.  He had to stay in Manila until it healed.  It sucked leaving him.  The travel was long, tiring, and uneventful. I arrived in Edmonton at 11:00 in the evening.  I was met at the airport by Mum, Dad, Amy, Rob, Cindy, Sara, and Emily.  It was awesome seeing them again.  Mum cried, of course.  Grammie was here at the house, and she still is.  She goes home tomorrow.  I showed off my souvenirs, then slept for 12 hours.

I got released by President Salmon on Friday afternoon.  I report to the High Council on Wednesday.  My homecoming talk was yesterday.

Back home with my family.  St. Albert, AB