I don't think any of us (least of all Rebekah) expected her mission as a whole to turn out the way it did, but the Lord is in the details of our lives, and Rebekah's life is no exception.
At the MTC, Rebekah met her district in person and spent time learning with her companion, Sister Burris, who decided she needed to switch to a service mission. Then Rebekah was placed with two other sisters (Bentley and Porter) in a trio. Besides classes, they all got to attend temples in the nearby area (since the Provo temple was being reconstructed).
Rebekah with sister from the MTC at the temple.
After arriving in the field and meeting her first companion Sister Nyman, Rebekah spent her first transfer in Spring Creek, Nevada, at the cushiest missionary apartment ever: the basement apartment in a very, very nice house owned by a couple of members who were often out of town going on cruises and stuff. The basement had (along with a bedroom, living room and kitchen) a rec room with two pianos, a foosball table, a pool table, etc. And there was a garage cat (named Bagels) that, despite not liking most people, loved Rebekah.
Rebekah and Sister Nyman with a bunch of eggs a member gave them.
Rebekah with Bagels.
Their area also included the Elko YSA ward, so a lot of her missionary work included involvement with the YSA ward which, I guess, includes a lot of sports. We heard about her playing basketball, volleyball and softball throughout the mission, either with the YSA ward in Elko or during P day activities.
After six weeks, Rebekah was transferred to Winnemucca where she spent the rest of her mission. First she had her second trainer Sister Seaman, and then Sister Laughead was her last companion. Rebekah had many lessons with friends, met lots of loving members with big home-schooled families and farms, met and petted animals of all shapes and sizes (dogs, cats, donkeys, cows, horses, a dead badger, etc.), participated in an Easter reenactment, played trombone with the high school band, accompanied the singing seniors at a senior center, directed a women's choir, got horrendous food poisoning from a sweet old lady, served at the local thrift store, crocheted many things (including little ducks that she gave away to children), got chased by a crazy guy in a car at night, had four of her toes run over by the Toyota Tacoma her companion was driving, and many other experiences.
Rebekah and Sister Seaman.
Rebekah's crocheted ducks in the truck. They're missionaries!
Rebekah with Sister Laughead during their Easter reenactment.
Rebekah and her companion with their favorite member family.
With puppies!
With a recently deceased badger! (One of the members had just barely shot it, and Rebekah wanted a picture with it.)
With a donkey!
Five months into the mission, Rebekah developed a physical health concern that she hoped would resolve on its own. A month later it was still an issue, so she talked first to the mission nurse and mission president, then to us. It was determined that this issue would best be taken care of at home with her own doctor, so Rebekah flew home on Tuesday, June 3. She had also counseled with her mission president, our stake president, us and (most importantly) the Lord about what to do after getting home: return to Nevada after getting her medical concern dealt with, finishing as a service missionary in Idaho Falls, or being honorably released and completing her mission.
After six months of not having a nearby temple to attend in Nevada, Rebekah was able to go to the Reno Temple where she went to the Lord in prayer about what to do about her mission. He let her know that her mission was finished, which is not the answer she was expecting. Regardless, Rebekah arrived at the airport on June 3, then attended Ana's seminary graduation with us, then was released as a missionary by President Klassen.
Meeting Rebekah at the airport. Thank goodness her grandparents were there when she stepped off the plane (because we weren't.) We arrived while she was at baggage claim. Seth had made a poster that said, "Welcome home Sis Grover" on one side and "The Zillo beast lives" on the other. (The Zillo beast comes from Clone Wars, an animated Star Wars series that we watched together.)
Everyone talking at the airport. Grandpa is wearing a softball jersey because he basically went straight from the airport to our team's softball game. I played hooky because (1) my missionary just came home and (2) Ana had seminary graduation that night.
Heading out to the van.
She reported her mission in church on Sunday, June 29 in a different ward than she gave her farewell in. (Our stake realigned boundaries and created three new wards in January 2025, so Rebekah left from the Parri Ward with Bishop Blake Ford and returned to the St. Leon Ward with Bishop Judd Parker.) Rebekah spoke about something her mission president in Nauvoo had said: there's no such thing as serendipity. She shared many, many experiences in both of her missions where she saw the Lord working miracles, great and small.