A Well Deserved Celebration

These two companions traveled down from Idaho to welcome Elder Butters home. They served alongside him and blessed each other and so many people in Ghana. Edison was so thrilled to see them at church.

Family, friends, companions, ward members.....so many people in our home today to celebrate Edison and his return.

We love this family and we love Alec too!

Don and Tag West joined us from Wyoming (they are cousins to Grandma Reynolds) and it was the first time that Edison got to meet Kate, Jake's wife.

A table of very, very good people.

Edison fell right back into place with his friends from high school.  A great cap-off to two years of blood, sweat and tears (quite literally).  Onward and upward, no doubt.  But, God knew what He was doing when He sent Edison out to watch miracles, create miracles, eat fufu and find out just how hard he is capable of working.

Edison's Homecoming

Edison brought special Ghana ties for everyone to wear to church.  All the boys posed together.

Aaidan needed to get in on the action......a fabulously fantastic day in the Butters' home.

These six siblings have been out and about and not together since October 26, 2016....and now, almost three years later.....they have reunited.  Pretty great day for this mom.

Power Rangers Reunited!

Benjamin had to wait three days because of school before he could reunite with Edison.  They have not seen each other since October 2016....that's a long time for two brothers-in-the-cause to be separated.

This moment was everything!!!  Absolutely everything!!!

So happy to see them back together again.

Finding Grandma and Grandpa

Apollo looks good on him.  We met up with Grandma and Grandpa Butters for lunch so they could greet their newly returned missionary grandson.

He Needs New Shoes

Best indicator of time well spent and a mission well served!  There are no words to express how grateful I am for these shoes and the stories they could tell.

Finding Big Brother

Harrison couldn't make it to the airport because of work.....so we took Edison to Harrison and their reunion was difficult to catch on camera but this turned out to be a great shot of two happy brothers.

He Has Returned!

And after all of that.....he returns.....having accomplished the impossible, having lived through crazy hard times, having loved some who were hard to love, having been loved by many and disliked by some.....he has come home!  Oh, how I love this man.

A darling sister holding a darling nephew who doesn't remember Edison but will soon come to love and adore him just the same.

So glad to have the family together again.  His bags were first off the belt and he could not wait to get out of the airport.  He is not one for crowds or making big deals out of things and so we left almost as quickly as we had arrived.

But, just one more photo to make sure this is really happening!  He's home!  I wouldn't take back a single minute and I am so proud of what he conquered but I think that he is ready for a hamburger!

Curtains Closing

There is a lot of beauty in the end, now that it has come. Honestly it is a lot like finishing the last bite in your favorite type of cake. You so desperately want nothing more than to save the last bite but you cannot contain the desire to taste it again. I really do not want this to ever stop but I know these last few moments will be worth living fully and completely. I often remember watching my brother act on stage when I was young, I loved seeing him perform; every time he would sing and act, it was just perfect. But as often as I wanted the play to continue, the curtains would always fall in the last scene, and that would be it. Life is a lot like that, a play ending. You never want it to, you have come to love the characters through their laughs and tears you went through it all. You want to see the happiness continue to know further and in greater detail all of the stories and lifetimes you will now not be a part of. But you also know the end must come, if it continues the happy ending will change into something else. Yet God teaches us a very important lesson in our life: that no end is final. No Matter how hard it is to let go of something you love there is always another play waiting. There are different characters and new plots, that is the sad thing, it will never be the same as before but that also is the best blessing that we can get. Though we always would love to see the same faces, God places us in front of a different stage and the curtains rise and we have to be ready. Though it will not be the same play you watched and loved before it will be something you can come to love. It may never be as perfect or as fun but that does not matter. what matters is that there is something new to see and something new to come to love. 

Curtains rise and fall

you won't see the same faces 

nor the same plot

but you have a chance to love again

to open your eyes and find what you need to learn

enjoy the search and find the story you need

:Learn what you can and grow

Love, Elder Edison