Adios to the Badgers

AY!

Emotional week over here in the Land of Corn. It was the Badger's Goodbye zone conferences throughout the whole mission and oh boy was it tender. 3 zone conferences of emotional goodbyes, thank yous, and trying to pay back a very small portion of everything the Badger's did for us as their missionaries and the mission as a whole. President and Sister Badger are two of the greatest people I know. I feel it a privilege to know them and to serve with them. They're my second set of parents. Amazing examples of how to live a life full of love, happiness, and selfless service. Words can't fully describe the impact they've made on my life. So now take those feelings and imagine those times the 170 missionaries that are in the mission currently who the Badger's have had a similar impact on and you get a crazy emotional but powerful last send off for them! It was awesome!

My man, Alexander Moroni Jarvis

So obviously we were trying to send them off on the best note possible. Wanting to do that had been on our mind for a good amount of time. So back in April we decided to make a departing video for them from all of their missionaries. And the idea was to surprise them with it at the first zone conference. We split it up into five sections and had various zones send their responses through video to us about whatever question or statement they were assigned to. We even were able to reach out to a lot of RM's that went through the Badger's and got videos from them. Super special. And to top it off, we got in contact with their family back home to get the Badger's opening their mission call as well as their grandkids welcoming them home! Sooooooo awesome let me tell ya. 20+ hours later of working on it whenever we had free time, editing all the videos, gathering pictures of missionaries favorite moments in the field, etc we had it all ready. Somehow, everyone in the entire mission kept their mouths shut about it and the Badger's had no idea what was coming for them. Surprising them with the video was one of the most tender moments. Lots of tears and smiles from everyone in the chapel. Both President and Sister B were just speechless and had no idea how to react. I won't ever forget it!

With the surprise of the video gone, the last two zone conferences we still wanted to make them extra special. On Thursday, we surprised them by doing a reverent type of a flash mob by singing "Each Life that Touches ours for Good". Read the lyrics to that hymn and you will get a solid picture of our perspective towards the Badger's. Verse by verse we had zones one by one stand up and stay standing until everyone was up singing to them. Everyone was just a wreck. Tears flowing left and right!! And to cap it off for the last zone conference... As we were gathered in a circle after singing our mission song at the end of zone conference, we surprised them by singing "God be with you till we Meet Again". A classic tear-jerker. And as we finished, Elder Clark and I surprised them with flowers and the painting of their mission home that Mama painted for them. Perfect cherry on top to an amazing 3 years of service.

Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of [them] that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" That's the Badger's for you.

S/O TO THE POWELL SQUAD. Iowa >>> Powell

Elder Christensen

Best hug in 22 months

Family Pic

Hermano y Hermana Diaz-Pacheco, Elder DP's parents