On this day 33 years ago, Sunday, January 12, 1992, I had my mission farewell as I prepared to leave for my full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I served full-time for 18 months in the Florida Tampa Mission.
I entered the Missionary Training Center on January 15, 1992 where I had three weeks of intense training on how to be a missionary. Then I departed for Tampa Florida, I believe it was either February 5th or 6th, 1992.
I served in four different areas in the Florida Tampa Mission – Dade City (Zephyrhills), Brooksville, Port Charlotte, Seminole (Largo). I returned home from my mission on July 23, 1993.
My mission was a wonderful, life-changing experience which I'm eternally grateful for. Best decision I ever made. Though it wasn't easy – in fact it was very difficult at times – it was certainly worth the effort to serve a full-time mission for the Church. It was an honor to represent my Savior for 18 months. I enjoyed putting on the black name tag every morning. It was an incredible honor but also a huge responsibility knowing that I was representing our Savior and His Church. I did my best to represent Him well. I hope I did Him justice.
I certainly learned a lot during those 18 months. I went on a mission to serve others and to help bring them to Christ, but I think my mission did more for me than I did for others. I grew in all aspects of life during those short 18 months.
Anyway back to my mission farewell. I have a few pictures from that day that I will share here. For some reason I don't have any pictures of me with my parents or siblings. But I do have pictures of me with my maternal grandparents, Marvin and Sylvia Sabin. I also have pictures with my great aunts and their husbands. My grandpa Marvin's sisters, Evelyn and Leora.
Back in the day missionary farewells and homecomings were a bigger deal than they seem to be now. I had great aunts and uncles come from far distances to attend my farewell. Uncle Ken and Aunt Evelyn came from Blackfoot Idaho. And Uncle Bruce and Aunt Leora came from the Salt Lake area. Calvin and Elaine, and their boys, also came down from Clearfield Utah to Orem for my farewell. It was nice to have so many family and friends come support me at my missionary farewell.
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| Grandpa Marvin Sabin, Tammy (Sister Stone), Grandma Sylvia Sabin Sunday, January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah Tammy's missionary farewell |
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| Uncle Bruce, Tammy (Sister Stone), Aunt Leora January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah Tammy's missionary farewell |
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| Aunt Evelyn, Tammy (Sister Stone), Uncle Ken January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah |
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| Grandma, Nathan Naluai, Tammy, Grandpa, Mom January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah Tammy's missionary farewell |
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| Grandpa, Calvin and Danny Naluai, Grandma January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah Tammy's farewell |
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| friends and sisters at my farewell. January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah |
