Goodbye, Elder and Sister Childs

“No doubt about it, the best thing about our mission was meeting and working with the members of the Church,” say Elder Ralph and Sister Paulette Childs, returning to their home and family in early December. Their assignment as Assistant Area Auditor and Trainers required them to travel the mission where they met and worked with stake, district and branch presidents, senior couples and young elders and sisters.

High on Sister Childs’ list of best things was her opportunity to meet all the missionaries as they came in and out of the Mission Office. She enjoyed the opportunity to prepare their First and Last Wills and Testaments. Preparing these two documents enabled her to get to know them better and appreciate the growth they experienced on their missions.

The Childs’ also enjoyed the chance to watch over the Gamiette children when President and Sister Gamiette were out of town. As surrogate grandparents, they enjoyed trips with the Gamiette's five children to the zoo, 85-ft. monkey, Pizza Hut and Wendy’s. What a great family!

From a selfish family perspective, the Childs were grateful to be able to witness the baptism of their grandson, Carson and his two cousins on October 14 in St. Lucia. “It was a blessing for both sets of grandparents to witness this special event in this beautiful setting by fathers worthy to perform the ordinances."

The Childs’ spent their entire 18 months in Valsayn, Trinidad living in an apartment just behind the Mission Office, although their assignment took them to 11 of the WIM’s 12 countries.

“We will miss relationships with people we have grown to love. Elder Childs will miss President Gamiette’s doctrinal discussions on faith and repentance. Sister Childs will definitely miss hugs from sisters throughout the mission. Elder Childs wonders if he can greet sisters in our home branch with a kiss on each cheek like he did in the French Islands. Probably not!” laughs Sister Childs. The couple say they will also miss bake-and-shark at Maracas Bay and the beautiful Caribbean beaches and warm clear water.

The couple will not miss living in a walled and gated compound with bars on every window. Elder Childs, who has now become accustomed to driving on the left side of the road, wonders if he will be able to drive on the right side of the road. However, he will not miss congested traffic, cars parked anywhere in the roads, and deep unprotected drop-offs into drainage ditches . . . and, of course, crazy drivers. Elder Childs’ goal was to finish the mission without a wreck but unfortunately, he did not accomplish that goal. Luckily he only hit a fire hydrant.

Their immediate plans upon arriving home in American Fork, Utah are “to spend Christmas 2011 with all of our children and grandchildren. Elder Childs will likely go crazy with all the noise. However, that will be offset by being able to ski with them. The grandchildren are already jockeying for dates to get him on the hill before Christmas,” states Sister Childs. “We also look forward to getting acquainted with all the new members of our branch, going to the temple regularly, delving more deeply into family history, and doing whatever the Lord has in store for us. We are grateful for the opportunity to have served in the West Indies Mission and are appreciative of the many blessing the Lord has poured out on us and our family.”